Consumer complaint received 2018-01-29
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: MI
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:
OnXX/XX/XXXX, I attempted to purchase concert tickets for a concert being held at XXXX XXXX XXXX onXX/XX/XXXX.The tickets went on pre-sell and were advertised to be purchased either through XXXX XXXX " XXXX XXXX '' or through " XXXX ''. I XXXX " XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX '' and called the number provided ( there were two ) XXXX & XXXX. A gentlemen answered and said " XXXX XXXX '' and when I asked was this XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, he said " YES ''. I went on to explain that I was interested in purchasing the best seats available for the aforementioned concert, and the vendor began the process to sell the tickets. The tickets were selling for {$150.00} apiece, OR ( {$670.00} ) which I had NO problem with! ... I had my sister on the other line and we decided on ( 4 ) tickets, I also agreed to buy insurance ( {$48.00} ) since the concert was not being held for almost ( 3 ) months and anything could happen. At that point he gave me the total ( {$840.00} ) without the insurance, and thats when he mentioned a ( {$51.00} ) service fee per ticket!! Furthermore, ALERTING US THAT THIS WAS NOT XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX!!, during the conversation she was looking at the seating chart and realized that the seats he was selling us were NOT THE BEST AVAILABLE, and after further questioning he admitted he was a " third party vendor '' ( XXXX XXXX XXXX  ) and NOT " XXXX XXXX '' XXXX XXXX!!!! ... ... .at which time I told him I was cancelling the transaction. I had already given him my credit card number. He switched me to a supervisor who then told me to contact the credit card company. I immediately called the number on the back of the card and spoke to a representative explaining that I had JUST HUNG UP with the third party vendor and I wished to cancel the transaction. The representative from BEST BUY ( thru CITI bank ) said OK! She cancelled the card and initiated the process to investigate etc. A " NEW CARD '' with a DIFFERENT ACCOUNT NUMBER was sent to me within the next few days. I also received paperwork from BEST BUY 'S " FRAUD '' department in reference to the transaction. The paperwork asked " who '' in my household was I accusing of 'fraudulently ' using my card and wanted the name, and other info etc. I called the company and explained that " I '' wasn't accusing " ANYONE '' OF USING THE CARD, but I was ACCUSING THE THIRD PARTY VENDOR OF " MISREPRESENTING '' himself as " XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX '' and that once I realized it, I immediately stopped the transaction. I FILLED OUT THE PAPERWORK providing " BEST BUY '' with all the info they asked for including dates, time, etc. Since that time I have received and made into a file MORE THEN " 10 '' different letters, STATUSES, EXPLANATIONS and I kept notes, comments, names, etc as I went back and forth with BEST BUY, and their various representatives. The company went from the " issue '' is not 'FRAUD BUT " A DEBT DISPUTE '' which was an internal issue as far as I'm concerned. I even contacted corporate and was told that I had to contact CITI Bank even though ALL THE CORRESPONDENCE came with the BEST BUY LOGO!! ... .I didn't care what they called it! The dispute was transferred back and forth from the FRAUD to DISPUTE departments. During the investigation, I contacted the " third party vendor '' ( BEST BUY suggested this ) and was told that a " CHARGE BACK '' of the transaction WAS PLACED on the account on their end on XX/XX/XXXX as a result of my cancelling the transaction!! ... The vendor said THIS verification would be provided to " BEST BUY '' during their investigation! In the mean time, the closed account was credited, the NEW ACCOUNT WAS DEBITED, " CREDITED '' & DEBITED AGAIN! I continued to call each week for updates on the investigation status and was told at one time that a REFUND was being processed for the credit! I HAVE DOCUMENTATION FOR EVERYTHING I'M WRITING!! ... .At some point I was told by a " BEST BUY '' representative that when they contacted the third party vendor it was stated that '' I " gave " authorization '' for the charge ( I DID ON THE OLD CARD PRIOR TO CANCELLING THE TRANSACTION )!! " BEST BUY '' ACCEPTED the cancelled authorization from the third party vendor as a valid EXPLANATION, and placed the charges on the NEW ACCOUNT that the vendor HAD NO ACCESS TO! .FURTHERMORE!! TO DATE ... .I " NEVER '' received tickets from " XXXX XXXX XXXX '' vendor! I went on and purchased ( 10 ) tickets the same night from the REAL XXXX  XXXX '' XXXX XXXX through XXXX. I explained this to BEST BUY and told them I had documentation from the third party vendor that the sell was " processed '' but the tickets were NEVER ISSUED but the response was since the concert has NOT TAKEN PLACE YET ... .I can still get the tickets! I don't understand why they would not HONOR my request to cancel that transaction, and WHY they would place the charges on the NEW account! " OF COURSE '' the third party vendor is going to say they had authorization ... .which they did for a few minutes ( on the OLD CARD ) before I realized they had misrepresented themselves as " XXXX XXXX '' IN ORDER TO MAKE A SELL! ..I expect BEST BUY to operate on behalf of " ME '' the consumer who is spending money with them! ..My account " was '' and still IS in good standing, and I " continue '' to make payment on the account for purchases I made and AM responsible for. However, I believe it is unfair to make me pay for a transaction that I cancelled within MINUTES! Why would I go ahead and purchase ( 10 ) tickets for more than {$1000.00} if I thought I already had tickets? I expect better support from a company I am spending my money with. I am not trying to get out of paying anything or get anything for FREE!!

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