Consumer complaint received 2020-05-03
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: NY
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt was result of identity theft

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a billing statement form Citibank stating that there was a balance of {$5000.00}. According to them, this was the result of a balance transfer into a XXXX  XXXX XXXX account. I immediately went to a Citibank branch in my area and notified them that this account was not mine and somebody had opened it without my authorization, in other words, somebody had stolen my identity. The customer service representative at the Citibank branch looked into her system and told me that yes, somebody had opened a credit card line of credit under my name and address. At my insistence, they contacted the fraud/security department at Citibank to file a complaint. In a letter dated XX/XX/XXXX, Citibank stated that I had received benefits from a balance transfer to a valid account in my name at XXXX  XXXX XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, I downloaded a copy of my credit report from XXXX Credit Bureau. I noticed there were some errors with my personal information as well as 3 fraudulent bank accounts opened under my name ( Citibank, XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX ). On the same date, XX/XX/XXXX, I filed an Identity Theft Report with the Federal Trade Commission ( FTC ), reference # : XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, I contacted all 3 credit bureaus alerting them of the fraudulent accounts that appeared under my name. I requested that a fraud alert be placed on my credit reports as well as a credit freeze. On XX/XX/XXXX, I called the 3 banks where the fraudulent accounts had been opened. The representative from Citibank, stated once again that they would investigate my claim. The other 2 banks, XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX stated the same. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a letter from Citibank ( dated XXXX XXXX ), that the account in question had been closed. They stated that in order to further investigate the fraudulent account, I would need to complete and sign a Statement of Fraudulent Application, which I did and returned to them on XX/XX/XXXX, via certified mail/return receipt. On XX/XX/XXXX, I filed an Identity Theft Report with the XXXX XXXX  XXXX Police Department, 70th Precinct in XXXX, N.Y. ( Police Report Number : XXXX ; case # : XXXX. The investigator assigned to this case, Detective XXXX, of the same Precinct. On that same date, XX/XX/XXXX, I submitted letters to the 3 credit bureaus as well as the banks where the accounts were opened fraudulently. I submitted supporting documentation ( the FTC Identity theft report as well as the complaint filed with the XXXX Police Department. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received letters from all 3 credit bureaus regarding my complaint for identity theft as well as the disputes I filed because of incorrect personal information on my credit reports as well as the fraudulent activities. The results were as follows : A ) XXXX Credit Bureau- a name that was not mine nor associated with me was deleted. They also deleted the incorrect apartment number which appeared in the report and added the correct one. XXXX also deleted the Citibank/Citicards as well as the XXXX XXXX XXXX fraudulent credit card accounts from my credit file. 
B ) XXXX Credit Bureau- They updated my personal information. They also deleted the Citibank/Citicards fraudulent account from my file as well as the XXXX account. They however, kept the XXXX  XXXX XXXX fraudulent account, claiming it was verified as accurate. 
C ) XXXX Credit Bureau- They also had the incorrect apartment number in the report. ( I wrote them a second letter and asked them to update their records with the correct information. They stated that the Citibank/Citicard fraudulent account was verified as belonging to me. They however, deleted the XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX fraudulent accounts from my credit file. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX I received a letter from XXXX XXXX XXXX . The letter states that after conducting their investigation, they found that : " we were unable to find eveidence that the tradeline displays on the bureau '' ; therefore, they do not hold me responsible for this account. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX I spoke with a representative from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX She stated that they had received my letter along with supporting documentation on XX/XX/XXXX. She stated that the account had been closed, however, there was an open investigation into the account. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX I once again called the Fraud/Security Department at Citibank . I asked them why I continue to receive billing statements from them if this account had been closed because of fraudulent activity as per the letter from Citibank dated XX/XX/XXXX. They were dismissive and kept switching me from one customer service representative to the next. One of the customer service representative finally stated, they would investigate and would send me another copy of the Statement of Fraudulent Application. When I inquired as to why I had to submit another form if I had done so previously, she simply stated to complete it and send it back to them ( which I did ). 

On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX Since I continued to receive billing statements from Citibank , I submitted a second letter, via certified mail/return receipt to Citibank , with supporting documentation about the fraudulent account. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX I received a letter from Citibank ( dated XX/XX/XXXX ), stating that they had completed their investigation and found that I was responsible for the account in question based on the following : " you received benefit from balance transfers to your XXXX XXXX XXXX account ''. They further state that they request the discontinuance of any further phone calls or written correspondence with them. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX I received a letter from XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX The letter states that after conducting a review of my claim, they state : " We wont hold you responsible for any transactions, interest charges or fees associated with this account. 

In summary, Citibank, has declined to accept that the account opened in their bank under my name was a product of fraud because according to them I received benefits from a transaction into a XXXX XXXX XXXX account. They have failed to understand that the XXXX XXXX XXXX account was also opened fraudulently as the bank, XXXX XXXX XXXX, acknowledges on their letter sent to me on XX/XX/XXXX. 
It is now XXXX and I see no resolution to this problem. Citibank does not want to hear any more of my claims and further, does not want me to call or write to them. 

I respectfully ask Citibank to close this account which now has a balance as of the XXXX Statement of {$7900.00}. I also request Citibank to cancel this account as it was opened fraudulently using my personal information. 
I hereby, seek the assistance of the Consumer Financial Bureau, to assist me in contacting Citibank and explaining to them what I have aforementioned. 
Thank you so much!

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