Consumer complaint received 2022-12-14
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: VA
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Virtual currency
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
On XX/XX/2022 I was a victim of fraud and identity theft. Someone by the name of XXXX XXXX hacked into my XXXX XXXX and Citibank checking accounts and illegally transferred money via XXXX, to her bank account with XXXX Bank. XXXX XXXX is not someone I know personally, but apparently, she set up a XXXX customer account with her bank ( XXXX Bank ) using my email address ( XXXX ) and sent {$1800.00} from my Citibank Checking account to her XXXX Bank. I do not know, nor have I ever sent money to XXXX XXXX. I was able to successfully dispute the fraudulent transactions with XXXX XXXX, but Citibank keeps denying my claim and states " ... {$1800.00} were sent in accordance with your instructions ''. I have been fighting this transaction since it happened. I did not authorize XXXX XXXX to access my account, I did not authorize her to use my email address to set up a XXXX account with XXXX Bank, I am not a XXXX Bank customer and I did not send this money to this person at all. I have disputed this transaction twice with Citibank. The most recent dispute ( Claim # XXXX ) was denied and I was advised no fraud took place. I've sent in a copy of a police report showing someone accessed my account, a copy of my fraud report with the credit bureaus, proof from XXXX Bank that XXXX XXXX ( their customer ) set up a XXXX account using my personal email address, proof that my passwords were comprised from a report, and the letter Citibank sent its consumers showing they are aware of XXXX scams that are taking place. Citibank is refusing to reimburse me for this fraudulent claim and is violating my rights as a consumer. Per XXXX 's legal website " XXXX transactions are covered by the EFTA and Regulation E ''. This transaction falls under EFTA and Regulation E and Citibank is violating my rights as a consumer by not reimbursing me for an unauthorized EFT. I followed the XXXX-day rule and reported the fraud the same day this took place, on XX/XX/2022. I called Citibank on XX/XX/2022, after my claim with Citibank was denied again, and spoke to a Supervisor named XXXX in Client Relations ( Claim ID XXXX ) and was advised they aren't required to reimburse for fraudulent transactions that were conducted using XXXX. According to the EFTA and Regulation E that is not legally true. The Supervisor also suggested I ask the person that scammed me, XXXX XXXX, to reimburse me for the funds. How degrading and unlikely. I am the victim, but should ask the person that conducted the fraud to reimburse me? How, when they used my email address to set up a fake account? As of today, Citibank has closed my account due to it being overdrawn. Citibank initially provided me with a credit for the {$1800.00} and then reversed the credit after they denied my claim, which put my account in the negative, and now they have closed the account. According to the letter they sent to me as well, they will be sending this to a collection agency - even though the reason my account is overdrawn was due to negligence on their part and violating my consumer rights. 

I filed a complaint with CFPB, and Citibank responded in XX/XX/2022 and their last message was that they will no longer be responding to my request. XXXX Bank setn me a letter advising they are willing to reimburse, but now Citibank is not responding to any emails as of XX/XX/2022. I have received a letter from XXXX Bank advising they are willing to reimburse if they receive a letter of indemnification from citibank. XXXX Bank is aware I do not have an account with them, and did not create any accounts with them. Citibank needs to provide me with a letter of indemnification so XXXX Bank can reimburse the funds. 

As stated previously I did not authorize the transaction and do not know the person. Citibank has issued statements and newsletters to its clients about the XXXX scam circulating, so they are aware and refusing to reimburse me.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation