Consumer complaint received 2021-02-24
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: NY
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Other banking product or service
Issue: Problem with a lender or other company charging your account
Sub-issue: Transaction was not authorized

Complaint:
On XXXX XXXX XXXX, I received a call from Citibank regarding a number of charges on my account. I confirmed that I did not make any of those charges. They said no problem, put a block on my account, opened a Fraud case and sent me a new banking card. Once I got the new card, my account was unfrozen and I received my money back within in a few weeks. 

Sometime in the summer of XXXX, I again got a call from Citibank asking me about a charge on my account. I confirmed that this was not me. This time it was only one charge as opposed to several charges like the first time. However, the same process happened - froze my account, opened a Fraud case, sent me a new a card, I got the money refunded in a few weeks. However, at this point, I specifically asked the representative who called me whether it is possible that the person stealing my money had my bank account number instead of my ATM card number. It just seemed suspicious to me that after being a Citibank member for so long, this would happen to me twice in less than a year. The representative told me that the person was likely just trying to charge my bank card, so I just needed a new bank card. At no point was I instructed to open a new bank account and I was assured that my card was the problem. 

Then on XXXX XXXX, XXXX, I again got a call from a Citibank representative asking me if I was trying to make a charge for about {$200.00} at a XXXX in XXXX, Colorado. I told them no ( I don't live in, and have never even been to, Colorado ). The representative said they would send me a temporary password for my bank online access, would be freezing my account and sending me a new card. A few minutes later, I got a second call from Citibank asking me if I had requested a temporary password. I explained that I was just on the phone with a representative who was supposed to be sending me one, but I never received it. While I was on the phone with this second representative, over {$2000.00} was stolen from my account through 12 unauthorized XXXX transactions to someone named XXXX XXXX. I do not know a XXXX XXXX. The representative told me that my account was being frozen and blocked online access to my account. After this, I called Citibank myself about 1.5 hrs later, just to be told that a Fraud claim was never initiated with either of the first two people I spoke to. This third representative told me my phone number had likely been spoofed and that whoever took my money had online access to my bank account most likely through my phone number, and that it was important to open a new account. This turned out to be a hassle in and of itself. The new account was blocked pending an unspecified " bank request ''. I had to go to a physical branch and even the personal banker couldn't get a straight answer from the Fraud department on what the " request '' was. At one point, after being on hold for like 20 minutes, the call got disconnected and the banker showed me the call notes that said the call was disconnected because they could not hear one another on the line. We called again and got an automated message saying the Fraud department was now closed. So basically, we got hung up on because the representative on the line wanted to leave for the day and lied about it in the call notes. I ended up having to close this new account and opening yet another ( now third ) new account. 

After all of this, I called the fraud department on XXXX XXXX for a status on my fraud claim just to be told that my claim was denied for reasons that the representative could not tell me because it was " Confidential ''. Rather the reasons would be explained in a letter that was sent to me on XXXX XXXX ( I never received this letter ). He asked if I wanted to appeal, I said yes, he hit a few buttons on his keyboard and said okay, your appeal is submitted. I was stunned, and didn't understand why my claim was denied, or what I was even appealing. I asked him for more specifics on what I could do to succeed on my claim other than just saying I am appealing. He placed me on hold to " review my account '' and while on hold the call was disconnected. I called again and the next representative told me that the claim was denied for " lack of documentary proof ''. I don't understand how I can prove through physical documents that I do not know XXXX XXXX or that I did not authorize the XXXX transactions. 

I am appealing the denial and submitting proof from my call logs that I was literally on the phone with Citibank while the XXXX transactions were being made. I am also filing a police report, though I doubt that's going to lead anywhere. I just don't know how else to prove that I did not authorize the XXXX transactions. Overall, I am making this complaint because this whole entire process with Citibank has been a total nightmare. I have been put on hold for anywhere between 30-60 minutes at a time, been transferred to a different department almost every time I call, I have been hung up on a ridiculous amount of times, and have been told different things by different representatives. There is absolutely no proper guidance, they do not follow up, and take actions with virtually no explanation to the customer. I have been with Citibank since XXXX, but after my appeal is over - regardless of whether or not I get my money back - I am closing my accounts. I never want to deal with them again.

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