Consumer complaint received 2019-11-08
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CO
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems
Sub-issue: Other problem

Complaint:
On XX/XX/2019 there was a fraudulent charge on my Citi Bank credit card for {$570.00} from XXXX. I did not notice the fraudulent charge on that day, and got no fraud alert from Citi Bank. On XX/XX/2019, I received a large box of energy bars from XXXX. I called XXXX to determine why they had sent me these bars. They stated that an order had been placed in my name, and using my credit card. I immediately called my credit card company and told them of this fraudulent card. They said they would open a fraud investigation and reverse the charge. They then closed my credit card and sent a new card. 

I called back XXXX and asked them if they wanted me to ship there bars back, thinking that they were also somehow a victim in this fraudulent charge, and they should get their bars back since the credit card company was reversing the charge. 

They emailed a shipping label, and I returned the energy bars to them. 

InXX/XX/XXXX, without any notification or attempt to contact me or determine if I really did receive the shipment or if I'd returned it, Citi Bank revered the {$570.00} credit to my card. Upon calling Citi after seeing this charge on my card, their rep stated that their fraud department had determined that I had received a shipment, and was therefore responsible for the charge. They demanded that I show proof that I returned the bars, and that they would investigate my claim to determine whether they would reverse the charge again. I stated that I did not place the order, and that had never contacted me about whether I had the product. They were very clear that the only determination as to whether I should be charged was whether I had received a shipment. After speaking with a rude customer service agent who could only tell me there was nothing she or I could do other than provide proof that the energy bars were shipped back, I asked to speak with a supervisor. The supervisor I spoke with was condescending, using a mocking tone of voice and seemed to take pleasure telling me that I had to provide proof or there was no recourse. 

This complaint is against both Citi Bank and XXXX. Citi Bank enables fraudulent companies to charge unwitting consumers large amounts by forcing the burden of proof on the victim. I have absolutely no recourse to recover this large amount of money without proof that I no longer have something that I did not want. Regardless of whether I had kept these bars, shipped them back, or threw them away, there was never any communication by Citi on their requirements as to what I needed to do so that I would not be charged. 

XXXX disputed the reversal and provided proof to Citi that they shipped these bars, even though I had sent them back. I believe this clearly shows that they are actively defrauding consumers by shipping these outrageously overpriced bars to stolen credit cards so that they can charge everyone who is not savvy enough to ship the bars back and keep the shipping information.

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