Consumer complaint received 2022-05-29
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: NY
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
The following is an account of what occurred with Citibank on XX/XX/2022 : XXXX ) XXXX I was heading Southbound on the # XXXX subway and received 2 messages from Citibank asking if I made the following wire transfers : A. a transfer for {$2400.00} from my checking account and B. A transfer for {$52000.00} from my savings account. I IMMEDIATELY responded, No. I then received a subsequent text informing me to Please call Citi Fraud Dept at which I subsequently did. 

Later, after returning home from work, I found the following 6 emails from Citibank : 1 ) XXXX The payee on your account was updated 2 ) XXXX Youre now set up for Wire Transfer Services 3 XXXX XXXX ( The same time I received the texts ) Fraud Alert : Your Citibank accountReview the recent activity below ( this was regarding the wire transfer for {$52000.00} ) 4 ) XXXX ( 3 minutes AFTER I responded No to the text fraud alert ) Your wire transfer was sentThe hold on your transfer was removed [ This was regarding the wire transfer from my savings account for {$52000.00} ] 5 ) XXXX Fraud Alert : Your Citibank Checking Account ( This was in reference to the wire transfer for {$2400.00} ) 6 ) XXXX ConfirmationThe hold on your transfer was removedthis transfer was sent. ( Regarding the wire transfer for {$2400.00} ). 

In the space of only three to nine minutes, Citibank released my ENTIRE LIFE SAVINGS!!! This AFTER I informed them that I DID NOT MAKE THE TRANSFERS! Its as if I forgot in XXXX minutes that I did authorize the transfers when I ABSOLUTELY DID NOT!!! 

I have spoken to SO many people in Countless offices including : 1. FBI I filed a report 2. NYPD filed a report 3. EAP at my job who referred me to Scams & Frauds thru XXXX 4. Legal Referral Services not qualified due to my income 5. XXXX XXXX currently investigating my claim 6. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX not qualified due to my income 7. XXXX XXXX XXXX was told their attorneys dont handle these types of claims and referred me back to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX filed a complaint and received a Dear XXXX email response that they forwarded my claim to Citibank and if I receive a response to please let them know. 
9. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX attorneys only 1 responded and informed me that I. Domestic wire transfers are specifically excluded under current law along with additional protection of requiring Citibank to cover legal fees II. I could pursue the matter under several smaller statutes, but it would likely cost me thousands of dollars AND I could still lose III. I was the 5th person to contact him within the past XXXX weeks with the EXACT same issue with Citibank including a woman 8 months pregnant who lost $ XXXX. 
IV. Suggested I reach out to : a. XXXX XXXX of Consumer Affairs ( this is how I ended up filing the complaint with the XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Attorney Generals Office c. Federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau I will file a claim with them I actually did receive several responses from Citibank : 2 telling me that the receiving bank didnt receive a response from XXXX XXXX XXXX the name of the individual who received my money ) and 2 denials one for each transfer stating it wasnt fraud. 

Needless to say, I AM DEVASTATED! Where is my protection when I entrust my life savings to a MAJOR AMERICAN FINANCIAL INSTITUTION and they are LEGALLY allowed to dispense with 95.5 % of my savings in THREE MINUTES ( quite literally the time it took me to travel from XXXX to XXXX streets on the subway ) and the remainder six minutes later! And remember that all of this occurred AFTER I INFORMED CITIBANK THAT I DID NOT AUTHORIZE EITHER TRANSACTION! 

I have records of all the aforementioned claims as does Citibank.

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