Consumer complaint received 2022-06-21
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card debt
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action
Sub-issue: Sued you without properly notifying you of lawsuit

Complaint:
I would like to file a complaint and alert the authorities that XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX - a debt collector, debt buyer and furnisher of information to the XXXX credit bureaus, XXXX, XXXX AND XXXX has not been handling my disputes in compliance with the law. 

In XX/XX/XXXX I received a letter claiming I owed {$990.00} to XXXX XXXX. 

I responded within 3 days of receiving this letter, disputing the validity of the debt and informing them that I had been a victim of ID theft as I never applied for, used, consented to acquiring this debt or ever used this credit card. 

XX/XX/XXXX I received a response from XXXX asking me to complete their Victim of ID Theft Affidavit. I completed, signed and mailed it back. 

45 days later, XXXX filed a lawsuit against me in the Superior Court of CA in an attempt to collect the {$990.00} debt I had told them DID NOT BELONG TO ME AND I DID NOT HAVE ANY RESPONSIBILITY to payment of this debt. 

I was shocked. I was embarrassed. I was scared! 

XXXX NEVER notified me of any investigation they completed regarding the validity of their claim that I owed this debt. 

I was so frustrated after checking my credit report and seeing it was trashed! 4 credit cards had been opened without my knowledge! They defaulted and were sold several times over between debt buyers like XXXX who can ruthlessly destroy the lives of some people. 

I filed a police report. FTC report and forwarded it to Cavalry who did nothing but continue to report this debt to all 3 credit bureaus AS VERIFIED!!! 

I sent them a copy of my DRIVERS LICENSE WHICH HAS A DIFFERENT name than the person they named as defendant. My name is XXXX XXXX XXXX Theyre suing XXXX XXXX. 

I filed a XXXX XXXX requesting information about this debt. All they gave me was credit card statements. 

On a XX/XX/XXXX statement it says transactions took place in XXXX XXXX, CA on XX/XX/XXXX however I was in XXXX, Texas for XXXX XXXX XXXX and provided them with proof. Again highlighting that this is NOT MY DEBT! 

From XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX is reporting that I owe this debt of {$990.00}. 

XX/XX/XXXX they were alerted that this debt was a RESULT OF FRAUD. They did not change the information they furnished. 

I complained directly to XXXX XXXX and XXXX and they notified XXXX 

Then the credit bureaus responded that the DEBT WAS VERIFIED AS ACCURATE! 

How? Impossible!! Ive been racking my brain trying to find out who stole my identity and they are able to verify it as accurate?! How?!!! Thats impossible! 

There needs to be more transparency. Are the credit reporting agencies and the debt buyers one and the same? Shouldnt the 3 agencies be NEUTRAL and worried only that information is true and correct? 

FOR EXAMPLE, XXXX notified XXXX that I disputed the debt belonged to me. I provided XXXX with police report, affidavit, and other documents and XXXX notified XXXX XXXXXXXX then responded with debt is verified and XXXX closed my case! 

For 9 months XXXX has known that they purchased a debt that was obtained fraudulently and that I am a victim. 

They have done nothing. 

Please help me as they dont care about anything I have to say.

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