Consumer complaint received 2023-05-27
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CA
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:
To Whom it may concern, I think it is important to mention that I am XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 

On XX/XX/XXXX around XXXX XXXX  I attended XXXX XXXX at a XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX with a friend. 

About XXXX XXXX  a young woman approached me from a booth to try a product on my face. 
I was really tired and sitting down sounding nice. After she applied the product on my face I asked how much the product sells for and she told me it was a special price of {$190.00}. 
I told her I was XXXX  XXXX and barley live on my XXXX  and could not afford it. 
After I said I could not afford it and some high pressure sales, I went ahead and purchased the {$190.00} skin care cream. I have a witness. 
I handed her my Costco Anywhere Citi Bank Visa Credit Card to pay for it. My witness saw me sign an XXXX  for {$190.00}. 

After handing her my credit card she told me I was in luck and that a very famous and well known skin care specialist to celebrities was there. She told me he had been featured on XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX, she mentioned celebrities and magazine 's I can not remember now. She had him come over to meet me. As he was looking at my face, he asked me what my story was. The girl had apparently told him I was XXXX and could not afford the other products. 
As I sat there telling him my story about being permanetly dissabled, that I had recently got out of a dometic violent marriage and I was poor, he was applying product on my face. He had me holding a mirror up to my face. 
He whispered in my ear, as long as I promised not to tell anyone, he was giving a year 's worth of product 's for free to me. 
I was shocked as I have never had anything like this happen to me before. 

He told me he wanted me to have a fresh new start and he could do this for me. 
he mentioned he did not want me to tell anyone because then everyone would want products for free. 
I promised not to tell. 

He told the young ladies working in the booth with him to load up my bags. They were all saying how happy they were for me, dancing around and clapping. 
I was so stunned that I had tears flowing down my face. I was so gratful that he was giving me the items for free that I took a photo with him. The date stamped at XXXX XXXX. 

At about XXXX XXXX  the man asked me to fill out my name addrress andphone number on a form so he could stay in contact with me. 
I filled it out. He had me sign and date the page and told me it just summarized my free products. there were no dollar amounts or anything on this sheet of paper. The girl still had my credit card and I asked for it back. She returned it to me. 

I left the vender, put the bags in my friends car and continued to walk around the XXXX XXXX XXXX show for a little while before leaving with my friend, On the morning of XX/XX/XXXX I checked my credit card as I odten do after making purchases. I was sick to see XXXX charges of {$320.00} and XXXX. 
I contacted Costco Citi Bank Visa Card Company immediately to report unauthorized charges to my account. 
Costco Anywhere Citi Bank informed my that the charges were over my credit limit and that I needed to increase my credit limit immediately. I agreed to it, under duress. They then filed a dispute of the charges on account and they told me not to worry. 

XX/XX/XXXX Under the advice of Costco Citi Bank I went back to the merchant at XXXX XXXX XXXX to return all the bags they had given me. None of the bags or items in the bags had been opened. i denmanded that they return the {$320.00} and {$3800.00} they scammed me. I have a witness. My witness has a video of this. 

XX/XX/XXXX The merchant informed me that they did not have the capability to refund me and could not accept the returned item because they were not affiliated with the actual merchant. They were a 3rd party. They were squite hostile. 
The merchandise was being advertised at the booth as Elevare Skin. Instead they presented me with an email address on a pink post it note to contact for a return shipping label to get a full refund. 
XXXX XX/XX/XXXX I called Costco Citi Bank to inform them that the merchant at the XXXX XXXX XXXX would not refund me my money. They told me over the phone that they did not have to and not to worry because they had put a stop payment and will be investigating my dispute. 

XX/XX/XXXX I called the police at XXXX XXXX to report the scammers at XXXX XXXX. 
The police showed up and walked over with me and my witness to the merchants. 

The merchants were hostile. They told the police that I will get a full refund when I send the email they had given me on the pink post it note. 
The police informed me that they could not file a report or help me because it was a Civil matter. 

It is IMPORTNAT to note that there were no signs or notices or verbal instructions that they had a no refund policy. I never received a receipt informing me either. 

XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX XXXX  I sent and email to XXXX for a return shipping label and a full refund. 

XX/XX/XXXX I received an email from vitaliteaces, " Our refund policy is exchange only within 14 days as stated on your receipt and the form you signed. '' XX/XX/XXXX I informed Costco Credit Card of the email I received. Again I was reassured not to worry. 

XX/XX/XXXX I also sent and email to XXXX XXXX directly and they emailed me back informing me that they were sorry to hear about my situation but could not help me because it was a third party vendor. 

I repeatedly checked on the status of my dispute with Costco Citi Bank and asked if they needed any info or documentation from me. They continually reassured me that they are protecting me and if they needed any information from me they will notify me. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I received noticed from Citi Bank that they had closed my dispute and that I had to pay. 

On XX/XX/XXXX When I finally recieved the " receipts '' I looked them up and could not find them. 
I searched thier address in XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX and it does not exisit. 
I searched the zip code and it is in Minnesota. 
I informed Costco Anywhere Citi Bank Visa Credit Card Dispute Via email.

IMPORTAT : I only signed the XXXX ONCE. There are XXXX different signatures. XXXX looks forged. 

On Friday XX/XX/XXXX I had an appointment with Citi Bank in XXXX in the afternoon. 
The gentlemen I met with was to help instruct me on what to send Costco Citi Bank. I have a witness. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I emailed Costco Anywhere Visa Credit Card my intent to reopen the dispute and sent what the Citi Bank Associate instructed me. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I recieved notice from Costco Citi Bank that they were working with the merchant or merchant 's bank to obtain a permanent credit. if the merchant or merchant 's bank will not accept, they will notify me. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I recieved notification from Costco Citi Bank that the merchant will not honor their request for a credit. since they are unable to obtain compensation from the merchant, my account has been rebilled. 

XX/XX/XXXX Filed complaint with XXXX  Attorney General XX/XX/XXXX Contacted 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