Consumer complaint received 2018-12-27
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CT
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:
My ex-wife forged promotional checks in XXXX  against my Citibank " Diamond Preferred '' ( ending in XXXX ) and Citibank " Thank You '' preferred ( ending in XXXX ) credit cards for her own personal gains without my consent or authorization. I immediately reported the incident to local authorities in XXXX, CT Case # XXXX. She was arrested on XX/XX/XXXX after several months of an investigation involving several other credit cards and checks forged in my name. A warrant was issued for her arrest by the DEA on XX/XX/XXXX and she was charged with third-degree larceny ( four counts ), forth degree larceny ( three counts ), fifth-degree larceny ( five counts ), sixth-degree larceny ( two counts ) and second-degree forgery ( nine counts ). Her family posted her bond for {$25000.00} USD. Her judicial case is docket number XXXX. 

Charges included 4 promotional checks forged on these dates and for the corresponding amounts ; 1 ) On XX/XX/XXXX check forged for {$600.00} ; 2 ) On XX/XX/XXXX check forged {$500.00} ; 3 ) On XX/XX/XXXX check forged for {$1500.00} and ; 4 ) On XX/XX/XXXX check forged for {$1000.00} USD. In aggregate, a total of {$3600.00} ( not including transaction fees ) was charged against my Citi "  Thank you '' account. 

Charges also included 5 electronically forged check requests without my permission or consent. According to the Citibank " Diamond Preferred '' customer service people, my ex-wife logged-into my accounts on the internet as me and re-routed all the passcode information and details to her personal XXXX and other electronic devices to hide the fraudulent activity. My ex-wife even re-routed statements to go paperless to her personal email address ( XXXX ) and then waiting one billing cycle before initiating her multiple acts of larceny. She electronically requested access on the internet to increase the existing credit limit from {$13000.00} to {$17000.00} USD, without my permission or consent. Once the access to money was increased and granted, she nearly maxed out the available credit card balance by eliciting checks and cash advances valued at {$16000.00} ( from  XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX ) without my permission or authorization. In my mind, the balance of this account was paid off in XX/XX/XXXX, so I was not alarmed when I stopped getting statements. At that time, I assumed Citibank did not send out statements for this account because there was a XXXX   balance. The electronically requested checks were for the corresponding amounts ; 1 ) OnXX/XX/XXXX check for {$3000.00} ; 2 ) On XX/XX/XXXX check {$3000.00} ; 3 ) On XX/XX/XXXX check for {$5000.00} ; 4 ) OnXX/XX/XXXX a check for {$1200.00} and ; 5 ) On XX/XX/XXXX check for {$4000.00} USD. 

In all cases, these fraudulent charges were never removed from my account despite my fraud claim # XXXX and arrest actions taken by local authorities. I've provided all this legal information to the credit card company and I call almost daily to remove the charges I did not authorize ; especially since the arrest. I've sent information multiple times to Citibank through the required fax numbers provided, but I get no feedback because no one in their organization will contact me via email to help resolve. I continue to make minimal payments not to ruin my credit history and sadly I've been a devoted patron to Citibank for over 10 years. They are not responding to reason and I need to continuously explain the scenario and circumstances to a new individual every time I call, even though they claim that each call is recorded and the customer service or fraud representative I speak to claims to allegedly be taking copious notes and actions toward resolution. 

I want Citibank to remove all the fraudulent charges I did not authorize from both of my accounts. I've clearly taken legal actions by pressing charges and an arrest has been made. I've even divorced the woman for these actions. I am starting to feel like Citibank has a strategy to keep prolonging resolution and denying my claims to get me to give-up and pay for the unauthorized charges. I am truly at my wits end so I am turning to the CFPB to help me resolve.

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