Consumer complaint received 2016-10-20
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CO
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Conventional fixed mortgage
Issue: Loan servicing, payments, escrow account

Complaint:
On XXXX/XXXX/16, I mistakenly directed a {$36000.00} payment ( via online bill pay ) from my checking account to my mortgage company, Citimortage, instead of to the credit card for which it was intended. ( note that I do not carry a balance on this or any credit card -- the amount was so large because it included a semester of college tuition ) When I realized the mistake on XXXX/XXXX/16, I immediately contacted both my bank and Citimortage. It was too late for the bank to stop the transfer and Citimortage indicated that they would be able to refund the payment once they received it. Let me confirm that my mortgage payments are fully up to date and my account is in good standing and I have excellent credit. 
On XXXX/XXXX/16, Citimortgage confirmed that they had received the payment and indicated that I needed to provide via fax a 'proof of payment ' from my bank -- and that the refund would take a couple days. I provided this information via fax to Citimortgage on XXXX/XXXX/16. 
On XXXX/XXXX/16, Citimortgage contacted me to say that they needed more information-specifically a 90 day running account balance of my checking account. I spoke to XXXX ( ID # XXXX ) who could not explain why the balance of my checking account had any bearing on the mistaken payment made and the refund requested. She confirmed that Citimortgage had the money and that they could see the account from which the payment came. She said that, due to the amount of the refund, this was their policy. And she promised to expedite the processing in their Research Department. 
On XXXX/XXXX/16, we faxed our 90 day checking account activity. I spoke with XXXX at Citimortgage who confirmed receipt of the fax. He promised to call back with a status when the Research Department had a chance to look at the fax. And of course he promised to expedite the request. 
On XXXX/XXXX/16, XXXX at Citimortgage called me back and confirmed that the information supplied was what they needed. XXXX said he had spoken to the Research Department and expedited the refund request and that I would have the money back into our checking account on XXXX/XXXX/16. XXXX said he would be out of the office on XX/XX/XXXX, but would reach out to me on XX/XX/XXXX. 
On XXXX/XXXX/16, when the money was not back in our checking account I called Citimortgage and spoke to XXXX. XXXX was able to speak to XXXX, but then directed me to XXXX XXXX ( phone # XXXX, XXXXXXXXXXXX ) in the XXXX XXXX team. XXXX told me that XXXX was in error making any promises about the refund date. She said that they had 'just received ' the information requested ( that had been faxed on XX/XX/XXXX ) and that apparently it had not been processed. She confirmed that the information had been received and that it was what they needed. She advised that she would expedite the refund request and get back to me with an update. She said she could not provide an estimate on how much longer the refund would take. 
On XXXX/XXXX/16, I left a message with XXXX at Citimortgage when I had n't gotten an update. 
Today, on XXXX/XXXX/16, XXXX at Citimortgage called me back. She indicated that the checking account information I had provided was not what they had requested. While it included 90 days of deposits/withdrawals, it did not include a running daily balance. She had, however, requested that the refund be processed anyway. She said that she would hear back from the research department in another 2-3 days. I insisted on providing additional information from my checking account so that there would be no doubt that the refund would be issued quickly. I emailed that information to her on XX/XX/XXXX. 
I believe that Citimortgage is unreasonably dragging their feet on providing this refund to me. In the meantime I have incurred expenses due to interest charges as I had to take money from my HELOC to pay the credit card bill while waiting so long for the refund.

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