Consumer complaint received 2019-10-16
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: NY
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:
I was the victim of fraud on my Citi Mastercard, but Citi investigated and erroneously concluded the charges are valid and will not remove them from my account. They failed to provide me any supporting evidence for their claim the charges were valid and they will not return my calls or further written correspondence on the matter. 

The chronology of events is as follows : XX/XX/XXXX - while I was working and in possession of my credit card, two fraudulent charges were made on the card. One for {$19000.00} at " XXXX XXXX XXXX '' and one for {$31.00} at XXXX XXXX XXXX. Citi 's Fraud department called me to verify the charges. I emphatically denied the " XXXX XXXX XXXX '' charge but was confused as to the location I ate lunch that day and initially confirmed the XXXX XXXX XXXX charge. Upon realization of my mistake, I repeatedly and emphatically denied making either charge. 

XX/XX/XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX - I have several follow up phone calls from Citi asking further question of me related to the fraud report. 

XX/XX/XXXX - I receive a letter from Citi confirming the charge is under investigation. 

XX/XX/XXXX - I receive a request from Citi to supply a copy of my driver 's license to further the investigation. 

XX/XX/XXXX - XXXX email a copy of my Driver 's License to Citi at the email address they requested I send it to. 

XX/XX/XXXX - I receive another letter from Citi confirming the charge is being investigated. 

XX/XX/XXXX - I receive another phone call from Citi requesting a copy of my driver 's license. The representative says they did not receive my prior email and gives me a different address to send it to. I comply. 

XX/XX/XXXX - I receive a letter from Citi informing me the investigation is closed and the charges have been deemed valid. 

XX/XX/XXXX - I have another follow up conversation with XXXX XXXX at Citi, who I have been informed was the person in the fraud department who deemed my charges valid. I emailed him another copy of my license. He would not give me any supporting information documenting from the vendor proving my charges were valid. He instructed me I could request that information and file a written appeal to an address for which he provided me. 

XX/XX/XXXX - I report the crime to the FTC in an Identity Theft Report ( FTC Report Number : XXXX ). I also report the crime to the XXXX 's XXXX Precinct ( NYPD Complaint # : XXXX ). The case is assigned to Detective XXXX XXXX of the XXXX Precinct. 

XX/XX/XXXX - Detective XXXX calls me and informs me that he went to " XXXX XXXX XXXX '' to investigate the charge. He determined that there was a fake NYS license used to verify identity and that license had my name misspelled on it and the photo was of a person of a clearly different ethnicity than myself ( a dark skinned man, I am XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX ). Further, the vendor claims they submitted a copy of this identification to Citi when Citi requested it, so it should have been relatively simple for Citi to realize the proof of identification provided was not me. 

XX/XX/XXXX - I mail a written appeal of my dispute to Citi along with all the documentation of the above. I send it by XXXX and have confirmation of receipt of the package by Citi Citi does not reply to me. 

XX/XX/XXXX - I call Citi 's Fraud department, where a representative in Security Operations named XXXX XXXX says Citi has nothing in my account related to a written appeal and they consider the matter closed. She says that they do have a copy of my license via email on file. She refers me to XXXX XXXX for further follow up and gives me his direct phone number. I call it and leave him a voicemail asking him to call me back. He does not. 

XX/XX/XXXX - I leave XXXX another voicemail asking him to call me back. He does not. 

Meanwhile, Citi has started charging me late fees and a punitive interest rate >20 % on my account. 

Please help me resolve this matter.

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 monetary relief