Consumer complaint received 2020-10-30
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: MN
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem when making payments
Sub-issue: Problem during payment process

Complaint:
We did a refinance on our home through XXXX Mortgage and they use XXXX XXXX XXXX for the closing and sending the payoffs. We asked that our credit card with CITI be paid off. This amount was {$6900.00} on out CITI XXXX XXXX XXXX card. The check to CITI was sent on XXXX XXXX, 2020. XXXX attached copy of check. On XXXX XXXX I started receiving emails stating we had not made a payment on our CITI card. On Monday, XXXX XXXX I called CITI in regards to our card. I told them our card had been paid off a week earlier. CITI advised me they have no record of payment or payoff being made. We notified XXXX XXXX about this. XXXX 's records indicate that the check was sent on XXXX XXXX, 2020. XXXX sent us a copy of the check. on Tuesday, XXXX XXXX I called CITI and told them we have a copy of the check, but they still had no record of payment. During this conversation, XXXX notified us that they now showed that CITI had CASHED the check on XXXX XXXX, 2020. XXXX still denied payment. CITI advised us they would send us a form to fill out, send them a copy of the check, the tracer #, and we had 10 days to do this. As of today, XXXX XXXX, we still have not received this form. 

On XXXX XXXX XXXX, we again asked CITI XXXX it showed a payment being made. CITI said no. We were told to fax a copy of the check to a specific fax #. This was attempted on Thursday, XXXX XXXX. Fax would not go through, # would just ring non-stop. We called CITI that same day and were told that was a bad #. We were given a new fax # to try. This was done on Friday, XXXX XXXX at XXXX. We called CITI in the afternoon on Friday and CITI had received a copy of the check. However, they said that neither of our names were on the copy of the check. CITI stated the check might be in a holding area. We were told to call on the following Monday. We did, CITI stated they still didn't know where our check was. We advised CITI again that they had CASHED the check on XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX advised CITI they had sent the check along with a second sheet with our names and other information CITI has requested. CITI denies receiving this as well as receiving our check. CITI again stated they are in the " process '' of starting an investigation. However, CITI needed the last XXXX digits of our social security # 's, the tracer # on the check, and the last XXXX digits of credit card. We told CITI they already had all that information. The last XXXX digits of the card # were on the front of the check. 

On Tuesday, XXXX XXXX, we again contacted CITI. Still no information on where or what had happened with our check. Now I became upset. I told CITI they had {$7000.00} of our money tied up. CITI has cashed the check, making interest off the check. CITI then advised me it would be a good idea to make the monthly payment to avoid any other issues. I declined. CITI then stated the had at least 30 days to investigate the situation. I stated in the meantime you have our money. CITI stated they had put {$6900.00} " temporarily '' into our account. This would be good for 10 days. I asked CITI if they had 30 days to investigate. how come I only get XXXX days to have " temporary '' money? CITI gave no response. I also told CITI that if our credit rating was interfered with because of this, legal actions would be taken to clear our names. We checked out acct. on XXXX XXXX XXXX. The phone service says the money is in our acct and no payment is necessary. However, computer acct now shows in bright red letters we still owe {$7000.00} and we need to make a payment. CITI is also charging us interest at 29 % on the money owed in this acct. We called CITI, they stated we would not be charged late fees and high interest. We checked yesterday, XXXX XXXX our account IS being charged ANY and ALL extra fees as well as 29 % interest on the balance. Brings us to writing to you for help. 

This has been very difficult for us. CITI could care less. However, {$7000.00} of XXXX money has seemingly disappeared. CITI CASHED our check. Please look on copy of check and you will see date check was cashed. Front of check has last XXXX digits of credit card CITI was looking for. 

We need your help!

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