Consumer complaint received 2016-12-17
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: NY
Product: Credit card
Issue: Billing disputes

Complaint:
On XXXX XXXX I tried to purchase airplane tickets for my trip to XXXX. I used the website XXXX where they provided my with flight option for {$790.00} corresponding to : {$440.00} New York - XXXX. via XXXX XXXX, and {$350.00} XXXX - New York. via XXXX XXXX. However, after processing the first flight for {$440.00}, the website failed, and the whole transaction was incomplete. I immediately called Citi to make sure that they did not allowed that first charge to go through. They decided to cancel the account, start a dispute, and issue a second card. On XXXX XXXX 2016, I tried again to buy my tickets through XXXX. The same option was available, this time with a different price for New York - XXXX : {$440.00}. And with the same price for the segment XXXX - New York : {$350.00} However, I faced exactly the same problem I had the first time. After completing the first half of the purchase, the website failed an the transaction was incomplete. Again I contacted the Citi customer support to dispute the transaction. They decided to put it on hold. 
In XXXX I received XXXX different letters. A first XXXX dated XXXX XXXX regarding the first transaction. And the second XXXX dated XXXX XXXX regarding the second transaction. The first letter was asking for further information regarding the purchase case. The second letter was inquiring if I recognized or not the transaction. 
I decided to give a response to both transactions in the same letter. sent a letter on XXXX XXXX, through certified mail, providing the case number XXXX, where I explained the problem I faced with BOTH transactions. With this letter, I included : 1 ) Both letters from XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX ( which actually arrived to me on XXXX XXXX ). 2 ) Copy of the first transaction with value {$440.00}. 3 ) Copy of the second transaction with value {$440.00} XXXX ) Copy of a THIRD successful purchased for the same trip, as support of my claim that the first XXXX transactions were incomplete. ( I am actually using this ticket, but not the first XXXX. 

I tried to contact the merchant as well and they asked me to provide all this information, which I had sent to XXXX XXXX XXXX. But they did not help either. 

Around XXXX XXXX I contacted Citi again to see what was the status of my case ( s ). They said they could n't provide any further information and that they were going to call back within 48 hours. I explicitly asked to call me after XXXX, given that my work does not allow me to communicate during normal hours. I did not receive any call within that time frame. Again, I called on XXXX XXXX. This time with my nephew 's help. I read my original letter to the person I was contact with. He said that the transactions were being handled by the dispute department. I was transfer to an associate called XXXX, with ID number XXXX from XXXX. He told us that the XXXX different transactions were going through different process. The first XXXX ( {$440.00} ) was being handle by the security department which he did not have access to. The second XXXX ( {$440.00} ) was being handle by his department. However, he said that this process was on hold because I have not provide them with further information ( which is not true since I sent the letter on XXXX XXXX ). He asked us again to send the letter to exactly the same address with not additional information to make sure the letter was being sent to the right person. After this we were transferred to the Security Department to talk about the first transaction. Right after the person picked up the call went off. We called again, this time we talked to XXXX with ID number XXXX. He said that he was not able to provide any further information and that I was going to be contacted within the first 48 hours. I explained that I went through that before with any success. I decided to start this.

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