Consumer complaint received 2019-09-16
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CA
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: Card was charged for something you did not purchase with the card

Complaint:
I was essentially robbed in an XXXX bar, as described below and called within about an hour of it happening to tell the credit card from my hotel room. Apparently the security department never reversed the charge. I asked to speak to a supervisor on my 7th call with Citibank towards the end of XX/XX/XXXX. ( I am now on about my 10th call ) After I explained that the security department kept transferring my dispute to billing, and billing kept transferring it back to the security department, despite the fact I emailed in a description of what happened, the supervisor agreed to help me. She called me back a few days later to tell me that my dispute had been resolved in my favor and I would not owe the charge. That happened sometime in late XX/XX/XXXX. I received a letter with a date of XX/XX/XXXX from Citibank telling me that the charge was valid. I communicated the below details on multiple occasions, and I do not understand how this could be a valid charge, given that I am explaining it was essentially taken from me by the threat of force. Even more bizarre is that my credit card transaction history indicates the charge was for industrial chemicals. I clearly did not buy industrial chemicals on a three day tourism trip. If in fact this was a charge for industrial chemicals it would be a fraudulent charge, because I never purchased industrial chemicals and if it is a charge from that bar, it is still fraud, because it was a bar, not a chemicals seller, and the card was taken from me by force. 

This is my explanation of the disputed charge of {$1800.00} for XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX I flew from XXXX XXXX, to XXXX leaving XX/XX/2019, and arrived XX/XX/2019 in the evening. Upon checking in I went to locate a restaurant. While walking from the XXXX XXXX in XXXX to locate a restaurant a man stopped me and said something in XXXX. When I indicated that I did not speak XXXX he asked me in English for a lighter. I said I did not have one, but said to him I was trying to locate a restaurant that was not full of tourists, he described one, but I did not understand the location. He said he was visiting from XXXX, XXXX with his wife and kids, but they were back at the hotel and he was going for a walk, so he would just show me where it is. Once we arrived at the restaurant a block or so away near XXXX XXXX, he said he would sit down and eat as well. At the conclusion he paid for the bill, before I knew that the bill had come, and said he was doing so because he was enjoying my company. In return he asked that I have a drink with him. I told him I had just flown in, and had only slept 20 minutes in over 24 hours. He urged that I just have one drink, and I unfortunately agreed. 

He told me his friend had recommended a particular bar he wanted to see. I agreed, and it turned-out it was in a basement level of a nice building. Upon walking in we were seated, and I thought he was ordering us each one drink. Instead they started bringing food, and several bottles of alcohol. I objected to the waiter bring the food and drink, and said we had not ordered it. The gentlemen with me said he had done so when we were sitting down. 

Within a few minutes two women came and sat down at our table. I realized that she was probably a prostitute. I informed her that I was XXXX and had a boyfriend in XXXX XXXX, and showed her pictures of him. I thought my efforts had paid off, when she got up and left. I tried to get-up but the gentlemen seated next to me, kept me from leaving saying to wait so he could finish his drink. Before that could happen she returned. She appeared to have been sent back. She told me that she had to dance with me. I agreed to dance with her, hoping that would allow me to get rid of her, and possibly get away from the situation. I tried to leave shortly after. Upon saying I was leaving, three men came to our table, so that I had four men preventing me from leaving. 

I was then handed a bill for about {$4100.00}. I protested that it was not possible that 11 bottles of champagne were delivered, or consumed, and that I had not ordered anything. They then told me they would charge me for half, and charge the other guy who had brought me there for half. I told them I had not ordered anything, and had drank about two glasses, I had been offered by the guy who brought me. They told me I would not be allowed to leave without paying. They asked me to hand them my wallet. I refused. They asked how much cash I had in the wallet, I told them I was on the first day of my trip and could not give them all my cash. I told them I had to use a credit card. They asked me to use a card with the pin I told them I had withdrawn the maximum, and it would be rejected and that I had to use a credit card. 

They told me they would not let me leave unless I gave them some cash. They demanded at least {$100.00}. I had no choice, given the number of men there, so I paid them {$100.00} cash for having drank two drinks, though I had not ordered anything. They also demanded that I show them my driver 's license, so I did. When they ran the credit card for {$1800.00} they told me to sign. Since they had my driver 's license and card, and knew my name, I could not write another name. So I printed my name, and did not sign. The man I was there with was getting paid cash when I left the bar. He tried to take me back to the hotel and I refused. I took a taxi back to the hotel I did not sign the receipt. To show I was being forced to do it I printed my name. I never print my name when there is a legitimate charge. 

Immediately after getting back to the hotel, I went to the front desk and they called the police. I had my hotel room number memorized, despite having just checked-in, and I believe that was part of the reason why the hotel staff was so supportive. The hotel told me that the police needed to send a " Tourism Police Unit '' because they were the only ones that spoke English, and they did not have officers that could come to the hotel that night. I went up to the hotel room and immediately called and opened the dispute, explaining the above to the person on the phone. 

I was able to leave after giving them {$100.00} cash and the credit card, I did not do so voluntarily, but did that because of the number of men there requiring that I do that. When they told me I had to sign, I printed my name to show to the credit card that I was being forced to do it.

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