Consumer complaint received 2019-11-12
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: DE
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 or about XX/XX/19 I received an automated message on my voicemail from citibank stating that a piece of mail they sent to me had been returned to them and to call them back. I called the number on the back of my card and spoke to XXXX. She said the returned item was a statement, although she confirmed the address on file was the correct address, which had not changed, and said she would send a copy of the statement ( " Issue 1 '' ). I note that this card had only been activated on XX/XX/19 ( although the account has been active for many years and the address has never changed ). 

During the call XXXX provided me with information about the charges on the statement ( two purchases that we made, and a charge and corresponding credit of XXXX from a " XXXX  '' ). I notified her that I did not authorize the XXXX  item and did not know any details of it. She explained it was from a hotel or casino in NV and was manually entered at a front desk. I explained I had not been to NV or ordered any item from NV or anywhere else - I had only used the card at XXXX for 2 charges on the same day ( " Issue 2 '' ). I told her I wanted to dispute the charge even though it was credited back because it was unauthorized. She said she would report it as fraud and have a new card with a new number issued. She also said I would get correspondence from citibank explaining how the fraudulent charge was placed on the account. 

Later that day, I received in the mail the purportedly returned statement, so clearly the statement was not the item returned to citibank. Since the account had not been used for years, there were no other statements. The statement was in accord with the information XXXX provided. To find out what the returned item was ( since it could be a legal notice ), I called citibank again and spoke with XXXX. She confirmed that the automated call couldn't have been regarding the statement, said she would have it investigated and I would receive written correspondence explaining which document was returned to citibank. 

As of XX/XX/19 I had received no communication of any type regarding Issue 1 (  except the replacement card ) or Issue 2 ( except the copy of the statement that I did receive ), but not the report on the fraud issue or the nature of the actual returned mail piece, so I called citibank again. After more than 30 minutes and having to repeat multiple security questions 4 times, and having to repeat the above issue description even more times as my description was repeatedly mischaracterised, I was told I will receive no further information as to how an unauthorized purchase was suspiciously placed on a long dormant but recently activated card, or what mail piece was returned to citibank. I was told that citibank systems indicated the automated call, but not the nature of the subject document. 

It would appear to me from this experience that citibank 's security measures are lax, customer service training deficient, and computer and telephone systems archaic and that therefore citibank 's operations merit closer supervision. 

These issues ( Issue 1 and Issue 2 ) are important to defend against Identity Theft.

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