Consumer complaint received 2023-05-12
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: AL
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement
Sub-issue: Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX, I used my Citibank credit card to rent a truck from XXXX in the amount of {$2300.00}. XXXX contacted me a couple of days later to inform me that my card had been declined multiple times due to an authorization issue ; therefore, I decided to use my debit card to make the purchase instead. I later learned Citibank closed my account prior to me attempting to make this charge with XXXX, I just wasn't aware of it at the time ; but it reflects on my XX/XX/XXXX monthly statement so naturally I thought nothing about the charge that never went through since the account was already closed. On XX/XX/XXXX, two months after my account had already been closed ; I received an email from Citibank informing me that they authorized the purchase with XXXX for the amount of {$2300.00}. 

I then call Citibank immediately and told them I paid that amount using my debit card because it had been declined by them so many times. Again, not knowing at the time I tried to use the card, that my account had already been closed, which is probably why the transaction kept being declined. I then proceeded to forward my bank statement to them to show proof that I used my debit card to pay XXXX. They acknowledged it and told me the charge would be taken off my account. 

Since XX/XX/XXXX, Citibank has been telling me that the charges would be reversed, and will reflect on the following months statement, and each month it isn't being resolved. When I receive my statement each month, that amount I'm disputing is still reflected on my account. I've been transferred from person to person for 3 months, with no resolution. 

I even called to find out what my true balance was so I could make my balance XXXX and be done with this. I was told to just subtract {$2300.00} from the current balance, and that's what I owe them ; not taking into account that I'm being charged interest on money I never used. They keep giving me the run around and keep telling me they can't give me more information about my account because it's now closed. 

I then filed a complaint with CFPB, Citibank responded by stating that I need to seek credit from the merchant instead of them ( Document included ). 

I received my new statement on XXXX XX/XX/XXXX and the amount is still on my account. Prior to receiving this statement, I spoke to a dispute specialist, who then transferred me to another department and provided me with a direct number to that department. At that time, he said, they can't do anything with my account at that level it needed to be handle by someone higher than that department. 

When I called Citibank ( XXXX XXXX ), I called the direct number given to me a week ago, since the specialist told me this was the department who has the authorization to resolve this issue. This person ( the person I spoke to with the elevated status ) told me the correction will be on my XXXX 's statement. When it wasn't, I called the direct number again ( XXXX XXXX ), I was once again transferred back to the dispute specialist, this is the same sector that from what they told me, could not fix this at that level and my case had to be elevated. 

Now I'm at the point where the two sectors keep taking my back and forth between the two, with nothing being resolved. I had paid for a service twice, Citibank is aware, yet refuses to correct the mistake. Citibank has admitted to me a number of times that the balance is incorrect, but no one seems to be able or willing to right the wrong. 


Now Citibank is claiming it was an authorized charge, yes it was authorized when I thought I had a valid credit card account and thought the charge would be paid then. But to authorize a charge 2 months later on a closed account after I've provided proof that I used my personal account to pay XXXX is unethical. I would like for them to deduct the {$2300.00} plus any fees and interest charged due to this from my balance, so I can zero out my account and forever be done with Citibank. 

I feel Citibank refuses to delete the charge because they are more interested in me having to pay interest fees, rather than doing what's right.

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