Consumer complaint received 2016-08-04
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: MI
Product: Credit card
Issue: Payoff process

Complaint:
1. XXXX XXXX, XXXX I charged {$37.00} of store merchandise on my Macy 's credit card. 
2. XXXX XXXX, XXXX statement showed a late charge of {$25.00} 3. XXXX XXXX, XXXX I called Macy 's requesting a refund of the late charge. The late fee was reduced {$13.00} leaving a late charge of {$14.00}. I was n't happy about that, since my credit history is that of a good customer. I asked to speak with a supervisor. Customer service refused. 
a. While on the XXXX XXXX, XXXX call I paid {$51.00} ( {$37.00} merchandise plus {$14.00} late charge, on the phone. 
b. While on the XXXX XXXX, XXXX call I asked that the account be closed. The Macy 's representative refused to close the account. 
4. XXXX XXXX, XXXX, I received another statement from Macy 's dated XXXX XXXX, XXXX that showed a new late charge and interest charge totaling {$37.00}. 
5. I settled the total balance of my account on XXXX XXXX, XXXX yet Macy 's continued to compound late charges and interest charges in the months that followed until the total balance was {$260.00}. 
6. During the months that followed, I called Macy 's attempting to close the account and resolve the matter. The representative for Macy 's refused to negotiate - demanding the total balance of late charges and interest charges be paid. I explained the merchandise charge plus the late charge and interest was paid in full on XXXX XXXX, XXXX and the charges outstanding were nothing more than late charges and interest charges on late charges and interest charges. 
7. I subsequently received a letter, dated XXXX, and another, dated XXXX ; with both letters being from XXXX different/ distinct addresses : XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX , OH XXXX with the other address on the letter being : Payment Processing, XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX , OH XXXX. The letters asked me to pay the accumulated late + interest charges. I paid on XXXX XXXX. 
8. On a statement, ending on XXXX XXXX, XXXX, they stated that the balance due was {$260.00}, and due on XXXX XXXX, XXXX. In XXXX, XXXX I received a letter dated XXXX XXXX, XXXX, from : XXXX, OH XXXX, stating I owed {$260.00}. 
9. In XXXX, XXXX, I received a letter, dated XXXX XXXX, XXXX, from XXXX, TX XXXX, for {$260.00}. This amount is about 7 times the amount of the merchandise I paid for. 
10. On XXXX XXXX, XXXX, I called the Macy 's phone number, trying again to settle this issue, and was transferred to the " Interior Recovery Unit Department '', where I talked with XXXX. XXXX required the last XXXX digits of my SSN. XXXX said it was in the charged off status, and XXXX XXXX XXXX had it, but that she ca n't see when the charges were so she 'll mail me the statements from XXXX to XXXX, XXXX, but that it will take 2-4 weeks to receive them. When she hung up, she said, " Thanks for calling Citibank ''. Somewhere along the way, the address got changed to XXXX in XXXX, AZ. There are so many addresses and phone numbers to call, and when I do call to make things right, no one can or will help me get the whole story, and have refused to close the account in order to stop the accumulation of fees. I think the people answering the question lines are trained bullies, not intending to actually help the customer. 
11. It sounds like Macy 's is using Citibank for their credit card service and support. 
12. I received my Homeowner Insurance bill in XXXX XXXX and in the bill it showed that my credit score was XXXX in the prior year. My current score shows as XXXX. It appears my credit was destroyed for a purchase, late charge, and interest charge of {$51.00} that was paid in full on XXXX XXXX, XXXX.

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