Consumer complaint received 2023-08-20
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: OK
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 first opened a dispute on XX/XX/XXXX for my card. The dispute was in the amount of {$3400.00} that was paid on XX/XX/XXXX as a retainer to a caterer ( XXXX ) who was supposed to provide catering for my wedding on XX/XX/XXXX. In the initial dispute, I indicated that I never received the goods/ services despite paying the deposit and signing a contract that the merchant would provide the goods/ services at my wedding on XX/XX/XXXX. I was contacted by the company via mass email to clients on XX/XX/XXXX and informed that they would not be fulfilling any future contracts and would also not be offering refunds. I waited until after our wedding to file the dispute to ensure that the services we paid for were not delivered and to give time for the merchant to respond to an attempt to remediate the charges outside of a dispute. 

In XXXX, I noticed that the temporary chargeback had been cancelled. When I called the dispute center ( I believe it was around XX/XX/XXXX ), I spoke with someone who let me know that a response was received from the Merchant and that the dispute was not found in my favor. I was also informed that I would be able to see the letter detailing why I was found responsible. I was told I should receive a digital version on the XXXX of XXXX and was also told to not do anything until I received a physical letter in the mail. The person I spoke to let me know that my next steps should be to read the letter I would receive in the mail, sign it, and send my response back to the dispute center. At that time. When I read the digital copy of the letter that was delivered to my online account on XX/XX/XXXX, the merchant 's response indicated that I did, in fact, receive the goods/ services and that the charge was not a fraudulent charge. Based on the information provided, it appears the argument was that it wasn't fraudulent due to a previous charge from the same merchant that was not disputed. I waited for the physical letter I was told I would receive, but it never came. At that time, I decided to submit my response digitally after re-reading the digital copy of the letter and finding the email contact for the dispute center. 

After submitting this information, I did not hear anything from Citi. I never received confirmation that my response was received or any updates. I called the dispute line on XX/XX/XXXX to ensure the information had been received and inquired about any other things needed from me. The person I spoke to let me know that the dispute case was reopened and under review. I was told that I should have received communication when this happened and was given an apology that I wasn't notified when my response was received. The agent on the phone also told me she was filing an internal complaint that I didn't receive any information and that I would be getting XXXX XXXX miles as an apology. Before we finished our conversation, I was also told that I would be contacted with more information in 5-10 business days. After waiting for communication and not receiving it or the promised apology bonus miles, I called again on XX/XX/XXXX. At that time, I was told the dispute was open and was in the final stages of review. I was also told that I didn't need also told me that the delay happened because the dispute team had to check with XXXX before reopening since the charge was from last XXXX. I was also told that the case had been escalated to a dispute team specializing in high amount charges. The agent also informed me that he was able to look at the calendar of the team in charge of my dispute and that I was scheduled to receive a response on XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received an email letting me know I had a new dispute letter. When I went to my account, the letter indicated it was delivered on XX/XX/XXXX, the day after I spoke with an agent. The letter I received simply stated that the dispute was closed because they did not receive the response from me by XX/XX/XXXX. 

I do not understand why during the 90 day dispute process I was not allowed to submit documentation to help prove my case that services were not received. Their investigation did not look further than what the merchant provided despite the high value charge and explanation that did not make logical sense. I was then only given 15 days to respond to the investigation, but was misled on when I would be able to start this escalation process and led to believe I required the physical letter before responding. I was not told during these calls that the case would become permanently closed without a dispute within that time period which lead to my lapse in responding. This process does not feel well managed for a case this simple which would have verifiable proof of services not rendered via a contract for the charges and emails from the vendor that prove there was no intention to supply these services. Furthermore, why did the agents lie to me on the phone about my dispute being reopened if nothing was actually happening.

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 non-monetary relief