Consumer complaint received 2023-12-30
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: NY
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Money order, traveler's check or cashier's check
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
I want to file a complaint on Citibank. I was a victim of a complicated fraud which happened on XX/XX/. I received a call from a number listed as a local police precinct. He asked me if I was the owner of XXXX  address and I said yes. He then transferred me to the FBI headquarter office and an agent addressed himself as FBI agent XXXX XXXX. He told me my identity has been stolen by some really bad people and my life and my daughters life are in danger if I didnt cooperate with him. I questioned his authenticity and he somehow always managed to use some tactic proof verification. In short, he said the only way was to cooperate with him so ensure our safety and if I didnt, there will be bad consequences. He made me really afraid not only for myself but for my daughter who just got new job living in another state. He had me on the phone for long time telling me these scary scenarios that I only saw on TV or movie bad crime. I am a law abiding citizen who never did anything wrong so I honestly didnt know what to do except to cooperate and I was really fearful. He told me the government needs to verify my money versus the bad guy ( XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX ) I need to get a cashier check from my bank, XXXX XXXX and deposit into a US government account in Citibank and the account has an Alias name of XXXX XXXX XXXX. I was very desperate and I didnt want to and pleaded with him but he again said my daughters life and rest of my family will be in trouble if I didnt cooperate and did exactly what was instructed on texts that came to my phone as Social Security Administration . I was instructed to go into a car and it took me to a XXXX  branch and I took out a cashier check of {$50000.00} and another car took me to Citibank and deposited it. They told me I was under the watchful eyes of the bad people so I need to be protected by him. Finally around XXXX XXXX. He warned me not to say a word to anyone or else that person will be subject to danger. I probably looked sick when my boyfriend came home from work and saw me and finally I broke down and told him and he looked at me and said its a big scam!! We went to the police and I notified the fraud dept in Citibank immediately. I think they flagged that XXXX XXXX XXXX account and money wasnt disbursed. However, the police did an investigation and verified the {$50000.00} is in the bad guys account and money wasnt disbursed and XXXX sent a letter/claim on my behalf but they all said its up to Citibank to decide what to do with the fund. I feel really helpless because its very clear and I have all the evidence and police said I am a victim but yet I dont have definitive right to my money. The malicious people used the Police, FBI, IRS, SS administration names to spin a fearsome and financially devastating scheme to hurt me financially, psychologically and physically. ( they put me into their car to get money and another car to deposit money ). These people needs to be arrested so they can not hurt anyone else and Citibank needs to return my {$50000.00} as soon as possible. Those are my lifelong savings! I need your help to please ask/tell Citibank to return my {$50000.00}. Please help! 
XXXX XXXX XXXX Citibank account number XXXX {$50000.00} on XX/XX/XXXX  Please ask Citibank to return my money back to my XXXX account # XXXX Sincerely, 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 explanation