Consumer complaint received 2020-09-23
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems
Sub-issue: Problem with balance transfer

Complaint:
On XX/XX/2020 I called Citi, one of my credit card companies and inquired about a balance transfer offer. I was told that I could have 0 % interest for 12 months so I agreed to transfer {$3300.00} to my Visa card ending in XXXX with my local credit union, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ) XXXX. I was able to get an ID number from the employee at Citi and that was XXXX. The employees name was " XXXX ''. We went through the balance transfer transaction details and I gave her my credit union information including the Name of the Credit Union, my Visa card number, address, and the phone number of my credit card company that was to be paid. I asked to have a confirmation sent to me, and just received a letter saying thank you for your balance transfer but no specific details. I understood that it would take some time for the balance transfer to show up and pay off my credit union credit card. I waited a few weeks because distance learning school had started and wildfires had broken out in my area of California, and by the time I remembered to check my balances it had already been a few weeks. When I checked my credit union balance I noticed that no transfer had been made. No money had come in to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX from Citibank. 
After checking my credit union visa balance, I called Citiright away on XX/XX/2020. I talked with an employee by the name of " XXXX ''. They informed me that they wired the funds to a company named XXXX XXXX. I told them that I had never heard of that company before and to verify the details of my transfer. They said that they had the same credit card number as mine, but the name of the company that got paid was not my credit union visa ( XXXX XXXX ) but instead an unknown company to me named XXXX XXXX. I told them that this was a major error and that I needed it to be corrected immediately so that I would not have double my credit card debt. They said they would open an investigation it would take 7 to 10 business days to hear a response. They asked for authorization to talk to my credit Union, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. I gave them authorization immediately and informed my credit union that they would be contacting them. My credit union representative that I spoke to was named XXXX XXXX. 
Then I talked to a supervisor at Citi named " XXXX '' On XX/XX/2020. She logged in my complaint and took down XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX phone number. 
On XX/XX/2020 I called in for an update and talk to an employee named XXXX. They said they were no updates. 
On XX/XX/2020 I called in for another update and was referred to another supervisor named " XXXX ''. She informed me that it appeared that I have done nothing wrong and that my balance would reflect the credit of the transfer amount {$3300.00} and then I would receive it in my next statement. 
On XX/XX/2020 I received a letter ( dated XX/XX/2020 ) that they were responding to my inquiry/dispute, and found that the company named XXXX XXXX was paid and that they consider their investigation resolved and were adding the disputed amount of {$3300.00} back to my Citi credit card balance. This is infuriating as I have never heard of this XXXX XXXX company before. I called my XXXX XXXX XXXX rep, XXXX XXXX and she said that she hadn't heard from Citi at all. I believe that Citibank erroneously entered my bank account information and therefore sent my money to a random company that Ive never heard of before named XXXX XXXX. I received a copy of the wire receipt with this letter from Citi dated XX/XX/2020, and the " Payee '' is listed as my XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX cardnumberending in XXXX, with the name XXXX XXXX below it and a PO Box from XXXX XXXX Missouri. This seems fraudulent and I hope that someone can help me get my money back from Citi or this random company that Citi sent it to. How could my exact credit card number from a California credit union be associated with an unknown company in XXXX XXXX Missouri? When I signed up for this balance transfer on XX/XX/2020, I agreed to their terms and we went over the information and the visa account info over and over and Im pretty sure they have a recorded conversation. They will not acknowledge that they have it though. Citibank told me in the letter to contact XXXX XXXX to find out where my money went. This is unbelievably unfair as I do not know who that company is, and it was Citis error. Citi should do what is right and honor the original balance transfer agreement which is only a phone conversation ( of which they probably have a copy of and they are not being transparent when I ask for their records XXXX and I do not have any documentation from them with specific info about the balance transfer transaction. The only thing they sent was a letter thanking me for accepting the special offer that they botched. 
On XX/XX/2020 I talked to a supervisor named XXXX and he wanted to open up another investigation/dispute but wanted my full Social Security number and due to the fraudulent nature of the circumstances with Citibank, I was uncomfortable providing that. 
On XX/XX/2020, I spoke with a friend in the mortgage business and she said that going to a local Citi branch probably wouldnt help me. She told me I should contact the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau and the State attorney general. I finally found a website for a company called " XXXX XXXX '' based on a lead from her friend who is a mortgage broker. I went to the site XXXX XXXX XXXX and could not find any phone numbers, so I filled out an online contact form and have yet to hear back from anyone. I have little confidence that I will, because Im not even sure its the same company that accepted the wire from Citi, and I am most definitely not an account holder with them or a customer of theirs. I have not received any good or any service from this company, XXXX XXXX, yet it shows up as a charge on my Citi statement. This is not right, and not good business on Citi 's part. 
On XX/XX/2020, I spoke with XXXX at the CFPB, he suggested I fill out a form online for the fastest results. He said I could call the California Department of Corporations, the California Attorney General legal services, and possibly even the police to file a report. I then decided to give Citi one more call. I talked to XXXX who referred me to a supervisor named XXXX. She said that she looked back at XXXX records and that they dont have a complete record of my phone call regarding the balance transfer transaction on XX/XX/2020! She did say that she acknowledged the recipient shouldve been XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX visa. She did not confirm that she could see my credit card number ( which had been confirmed by a previous customer service rep with citi ). My XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX card number was actually the name of the Payee on their wire receipt along with the name " XXXX XXXX '' underneath which I am not familiar with. Citi misappropriated these funds and they did not make it to the intended recipient ( in terms of our agreement from XX/XX/2020 ). She said that she would open another investigation and personally follow up with me. She said it would take 5 to 7 business days and that she would try to get it expedited as it has already been almost 2 months. On XX/XX/2020 I called the Department of corporations and " XXXX '' referred me to the OCC who regulates national banks. I then called the OCC and spoke with " Sue ''. She told me that I could file a report online and gave me another contact number for Citi. I tried calling the other contact number for Citi and got the same customer service department but I had been speaking with the whole time. I informed a supervisor ( named " XXXX '' I think ) that I wish to cancel my auto pay with Citi and I did not intend to pay any of the disputed amount which was {$3300.00} plus {$100.00} transfer fee. She said she would add more notes to my 2nd investigation, case number ( XXXX ). I then called the CFPB back and spoke with XXXX. She indicated that I could file complaints with multiple agencies and it should not slow down the investigation process with Citi. I contacted XXXX at Citi via their app and he referenced a different case ID # XXXX and claimed that I would hear a response by XX/XX/2020. Please help me, I now have double my credit card debt due to no fault of my own and with no real help from Citi. I would like Citi to credit back the amount of their botched balance transfer ( {$3300.00} ) plus the transfer fee ( {$100.00} ) and any interest charges accrued during this dispute. I was merely taking Citi, a major financial institution, at their word and accepting their routine balance transfer offer and feel like I have been scammed.

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