Consumer complaint received 2022-08-15
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: NJ
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:
After an extensive, months long problem with a sales transaction with XXXX XXXX in XXXX XXXX NJ we were left with NO option but to file a dispute with our credit card company, CitiCards. In XXXX XXXX the merchant sold us DEFECTIVE laminate flooring. After a long battle they offered us a {$1500.00} " STORE CREDIT '' they said " could be applied to any flooring of our choosing ''. Due to the fact THE COST to rip out, buy new flooring and have it installed was over {$6000.00} we did NOT accept that offer .In XXXX we received another emailed from XXXX XXXX with a 2nd offer, this time in the form of a check .We accepted and considered THAT order for the defective flooring " closed ''. We used the STORE CREDIT towards carpeting and have a signed contract from XXXX dated XX/XX/XXXX. On XXXX the merchant emailed us saying we had to " pre pay '' the balance due - even though the contract read " DUE ON COMPLETEION '' .They charged our Citi Card {$470.00}. On XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX sent installers to our home and to our, shock they arrived with THE WRONG CARPET .We immediately called the store saying we were not going to accept it and this started a fire storm of problems. There were many back and forth emails which got us nowhere .SO, we decided to file a claim DIRECTLY with the manufacturer - XXXX XXXX XXXX Georgia because XXXX REFUSED to do the right thing and order us the exact carpet we selected .Regardless of the cost or the method of payment -no one should be forced to accept anything they DID NOT order and DO NOT WANT. On the XXXX contract it clearly shows the type, style and pattern number for the rug we chose. On XX/XX/XXXX XXXX sent an email saying they WERE CANCELLING OUR CONTRACT, KEEPING OUR DEPOSIT AND THAT WE WERE NOT TO CONTACT THEM AGAIN. Since XXXX REFUSED to order the correct carpet and would NOT refund the balance we paid, we contacted XXXX in Georgia. XXXX handled the new order of the right carpet and arranged for a different company to install the rug on XXXX XXXX XXXX REFUSED to order the correct carpet and kept the money REFUSING to credit our Citi Card account for the {$470.00} even though they did NOTHING. In XXXX we filed our dispute against XXXX XXXX  with Citi Cards and since that time, we have sent Citi dozens of emails, photos, copies of contracts and made countless phone calls trying to make them see the FACTS and support our position that XXXX has NO RIGHT to keep our deposit. We quickly sent everything they ( Cit Cards ) asked for - AND MORE. In an attempt to have us drop the dispute XXXX intentionally dragged their feet and weeks, then months passed and Cit kept telling us " they had not heard back from the merchant '' .They had NO explanation as to WHY they were keeping our money. Our MAIN position was CLEAR .In their XX/XX/XXXX email XXXX stated they were " cancelling our contract ", " sending the goods ( carpet ) back to the manufacturer '' ( XXXX XXXX and that we were NOT to get in touch with them again. It has been over 4 months the only thing XXXX has ever sent Cit Cards is ONE single letter! ONE, and, in that letter they kept trying to imply the compensation they sent us in XXXX XXXX for the DEFECTIVE FLOORING was the reason they were not going to credit our account! That PREVIOUS offer had NOTHING at all to do with this carpet problem. The credit we received WAS applied to the carpet order, but AT NO TIME during that transaction, did the 2nd offer of {$1500.00} given to us to replace the defective XXXX XXXX  come into the picture.That went towards the cost of replacing the DEFECTIVE FLOORING .It had NO bearing at all on THIS dispute but to manipulate the facts they used it to confuse Cit Cards and get out of having to credit our account for money.XXXX KNOWS THEY DO NOT DESERVE to keep the balance we paid them for a jobg whty did not do .The company had to resort to twisting the facts and resort to using fraudulent information to get out of issuing a credit our account .Thats FRAUD and THEFT and its wrong for them to LIE to keep our deposit money when they broke a customer contract, sent back their merchandise and did NOT DO any work at all! How can this be? How can a company use devious tactics and convince a credit card company of lies.? Now, Cit Cards just informedd us that due to the fact " too much time has passed '', the dispute is now closed and they are rebilling our account even thought XXXX is essentiallyy stealing money form us and we are not going lie down and allow some shady underhanded company get away with this form of consumer theft.We intend to take this to whatever office or agency we have to stand our ground .We 've been honest hard working people all our lives .I ran my own business for almost 30 years before my XXXX XXXX  .This is wrong! They should be ashamed of the way they conduct their multi million dollar business and how they treat customers who trust them and give them their hard earned money. We REGRET not reading the terrible reviews and complaint 's .After the FIRST disaster with the flooring we would NEVER have done business with them again if not for the store credit we had to use. WE believe in the golden rule and to always do the right thing and find it shameful that businesses ' value the almighty dollar more than people.

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