Consumer complaint received 2019-06-20
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: NY
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:
In brief : On XX/XX/XXXX, I brought a laptop to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX for repair. I paid a total of {$310.00} for diagnosis and repair. I was told this was for diagnosing the functionality issues the laptop was having ( i.e. the 'motherboard ' ) as well as repair of a broken hinge on right side. ( I would like to add, at no point have I disputed the {$55.00} charge for repairing the hinge ; this was in fact done satisfactorily ). 

After picking the laptop up and returning home, I saw that it was still not working, and immediately contacted XXXX XXXX XXXX, and was told to bring unit back, which I did the next day. Over the course of the next few days, after picking up my still non functioning laptop, I was told the problem was ( maybe ) the hard drive, a 'bad sector ', and at one point it was blamed on a XXXX XXXX update overloading my computer ( these various answers obviously rendered the initial diagnostic that I paid for faulty, or incomplete ). I communicated with XXXX & XXXX in person, as well as via email and phone call. 

I the filed a dispute with Citibank over this matter. I was given a 'provisional credit ' of {$210.00}. In the time since, I have replied to every communication from Citibank in a timely manner and with all of the requested documentation. In a response from the merchant dated XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX & XXXX actually states that the laptop " ... can be damaged during traveling. It's a possibility that during the customer 's trip from home to here and back that something or some incident could have caused damage to the drive ''. The audacity of that insulting statement is mind boggling. Also, that would be excuse number 4 (! ) given as to why they did not repair my computer. 

In a letter dated XX/XX/XXXX, Citibank informed me that without a 'valid credit slip ' they would be debiting my account for {$210.00} on XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, I replied in letter form ( faxed from a Citibank location ; this was confirmed in two later phone calls with Citi ), responding to the merchants response again, and reiterated that I had already sent in all of the 'credit slips ' I had been given by XXXX & XXXX computers. 

My account was debited {$210.00}, undoing the provisional credit I had been given. I called Citibank customer service on or around XX/XX/XXXX and spoke with two different customer service representatives. They were both pleasant enough, however ; the first rep was hard to understand ( accent wise, but ok ) but did not comprehend the issue I was calling about at all. I was transferred to another rep who did seem to comprehend why I was calling. She was unable to reapply the credit ; when I asked about how to appeal that decision, she was absolutely unhelpful. She would not or could not tell me how to open an appeal of the decision ; would not or could not transfer me to someone who could resolve this issue or provide further information ; would not or could not put me in touch with the 'legal department ' that handles disputes ; and would not or could not mail me any information as to how to proceed ( " we don't mail things '' - actual statement ). 

I am, needless to say, outraged. I have had this account with Citibank for approximately 20 years, and the lack of consumer protection offered by them is disturbing. I was obviously swindled by XXXX & XXXX Computers, and Citibanks indifference and lack of advocacy on my behalf is beyond disappointing.

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 monetary relief