Consumer complaint received 2017-09-22
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: NJ
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Other banking product or service
Issue: Problem with a lender or other company charging your account
Sub-issue: Transaction was not authorized

Complaint:
I enrolled with XXXX XXXX XXXX, a debt relief telemarketing service that pretends to be a legitimate law firm, to try and settle debts with creditors and avoid bankruptcy. XXXX XXXX XXXX, started to charge me {$980.00} from the first day I enrolled with them and kept my money in a Trust account on my behalf. XXXX XXXX XXXX, collected {$980.00} for eight months before they told me that they could not negotiate debts on my behalf. I was eventually sued by my creditors and now I have to file a bankruptcy with a much larger debt than I had when I initially enrolled with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX failed to attempt to settle any of the debts with my creditors, they directed me to NOT pay my debts during the time they collected my funds and they breached their contract because they were supposed to be providing a service of debt relief on my behalf. In the end, I wrote a letter to the company asking for my money back since XXXX XXXX XXXX, did not perform any work on my behalf. They sent me less than half of my money explaining that they used the other 54 % of my money in the Trust account for administrative fees that include but are not limited to ( 1 ) charging me for calling them to ask about the status of my case, ( 2 ) charging me for emailing them to get a status on my case, ( 3 ) charging me for a cancellation fee, ( 4 ) charging me for having to explain their case to the Justice Department in the State of California and postage for the same, and ( 5 ) charging me for contacting a creditor which they could never get to settle and after they sent me their billing summary the creditor confirmed they never spoke to XXXX XXXX XXXX. The total amount collected from me in form of automatic debit per month between XXXX/XXXX/XXXX and XXXX/XXXX/XXXX was {$8000.00}. I received no services for this money. On XXXX/XXXX/XXXX, with the help of the California Secretary of State and the Justice Department, XXXX XXXX XXXX, refunded me {$3600.00} of the total {$8000.00} claiming they get to keep this money for administrative fees. XXXX XXXX  claim is in direct violation of Federal Trade Commission rule of Telemarketing Services Rule 16 CFR Part 310.3 ( a ) ( 1 ) ( viii ) A through D entitled Deceptive telemarketing acts or practices - In the sale of any debt relief service AND Telemarketing Services Rule 16 CFR Part 310.4 ( a ) ( 5 ) ( i ) A through C entitled Abusive telemarketing acts or practices - Requesting or receiving payment of any fee or consideration for any debt relief service until and unless AND Telemarketing Services Rule 16 CFR Part 310.3 ( a ) ( 2 ) ( i ) through ( x ) entitled Deceptive telemarketing acts or practices - Misrepresenting, directly or by implication, in the sale of goods or services any of the following material information. All of the above rules are part of a regulating body that governs companies that promise debt relief such as XXXX XXXX XXXX, and it is meant to keep XXXX XXXX XXXX, from " front loading '' fees a term that basically means the company can not charge upfront for services it does not perform. XXXX XXXX XXXX, has not provided any proof of settlement of any debts on my behalf with any creditor, they wrongfully kept my money in a Citibank N.A.,  Trust Account Routing number XXXX and account number XXXX, and they have not provided any proof that any attorneys work for their company. In almost one year they have not provided a name or Bar number for one single attorney in what they claim is a multi-jurisdictional law firm with over 35 staff  attorneys. I would like help recovering the remainder of my money from the Trust account above that holds my funds on my behalf according to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX own agreement. The amount still owed to me is {$4300.00}. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX phone number is XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX or locally in California XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. Their address is XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX, California XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX email is XXXXXXXXXXXX or XXXXXXXXXXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX, also advertises daily on XXXX radio station XXXX in the New York XXXX Area under the names " XXXX XXXX XXXX '', " XXXX XXXX XXXX '', their website is XXXX - email : XXXXXXXXXXXX ( Contact names : XXXX XXXX XXXX - Enrollment Advisor ) or XXXX - Manager.

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