Consumer complaint received 2021-03-16
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: NY
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
I was offered a job by a company called XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/2021, checked online to make sure it wasn't a scam, then signed the contract they sent me. That day I was contacted by a person named XXXX who asked for more information, including my checking account and I declined giving it as I have not yet seen any physical proof except the contract I signed that this company was real. She went over my tasks, buying products from different companies and mailing back to XXXX XXXX. She then said she was emailing me a check which I should deposit into my account, and take money from that check to buy these products. I deposited the check in my account, and called Citibank to ask if the money was cleared. The agent at Citibank said it was. I was surprised as it usually takes a day to clear, but I confirm with the agent which told me how much I had in my account confirming the check was clear. 
The person from XXXX XXXX, XXXX, said that she had a new task for me, as the money was cleared, I should pay another employee and gave me this person and contact information. That seemed fishy and I declined doing it, and said that I had decided not to work for them. So, she got upset, called me names, telling me I should trust her, and ended up hanging up on me. The next day, XX/XX/XXXX, first thing I did was to make sure that check sent from XXXX XXXX, which didn't have their logo on their check, was in fact cleared in my bank, as I didn't want to keep their money and had decided to refund them this check. Citibank suggested I used XXXX to refund them the check which they wouldn't be able to track my account. Citibank 's agent helped me through the process but the contact from this company I was given by XXXX to send the money to didn't have XXXX, so it couldn't be done. In a few hours, after trying several times to contact Citibank without success, as no one ever answered the phone after I waited and waited, I tried on my own with another person 's name and phone number to refund the check through XXXX. I was able to do it by sending it to a XXXX and a phone number, provided by XXXX from XXXX XXXX. By then, I thought everything was resolved with this company. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I was paying my bills when I see posted in my Citibank account that the check which was deposited on XX/XX/XXXX, had now shown as uncleared on XX/XX/XXXX. I was shocked that after I refunded a check that was told to me by two agents and shown in my account as cleared for several days, now was shown as unfunded. The amount of the check was US {$1900.00}. That is the amount I refunded to this person called XXXX shown on XX/XX/XXXX on my bank activity. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, after XXXX got upset that I declined to pay one of the employees with the check XXXX XXXX sent me, I decided to contact the FBI NY agency to ask if this company was in their list of fraudulent companies. I spoke with a woman who had no patience to listen and hung up on me. I was shocked as I had never seen such incompetence in my life. My goal contacting the FBI was to provide information about this company, and avoid getting myself involved further into their scam. But I received no help.

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