Consumer complaint received 2015-06-14
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: NJ
Product: Bank account or service
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Making/receiving payments, sending money

Complaint:
I am a Citibank customer who recently fell victim to a scam involving XXXX Bank ( XXXX ) that cost me {$2000.00}. Although I have submitted a fraud complaint and police report to Citibank, its fraud department has refused to help retrieve the funds from XXXX Bank, which will only deal with Citibank. As a result of Citibank 's refusal, I am unable to retrieve funds from XXXX Bank that I have reason to believe are frozen in the fraudster 's XXXX Bank account. 

Last XXXX, I advertised online at XXXX XXXX University 's housing website for a housemate/dogsitter. The fraudster replied, referring to the XXXX XXXX University listing and pretending to be a XXXX student. " She '' had her " father '' send me a check for the rent and security deposit. Unfortunately, the " tenant 's '' check turned out to be a counterfeit bearer note issued by XXXX XXXX in the amount of {$2900.00} on XX/XX/XXXX and signed by XXXX XXXX. After I deposited the check in his Citi account, they contacted me about an " overpayment '' and asked me to WIRE the money back because the " tenant '' needed it to buy a car. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I sent {$2000.00}, plus a {$40.00} wire-transfer fee, from my Citibank account to the following name and account information, which had been sent to me by the fraudster : Name : XXXX XXXX XXXX : XXXX Bank ( XXXX ) Bank Address : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXAccount No. XXXX XXXX : XXXX : XXXX : XXXX " tenant 's '' check bounced, of course. I learned of the fraud on XX/XX/XXXX, when the tenant never did n't show up on her move-in date. I immediately contacted Citibank and the XXXX XXXX Police Department seeking a return of the funds. The XXXX XXXX Police took the attached incident report, which I later faxed to Citibank 's fraud department. 

I also spoke to XXXX XXXX, an Investigations Manager with XXXX XXXX -- the issuer of the forged check, who had determined ( 1 ) that XXXX Bank ( XXXX ) already knows that Account No. XXXX XXXX have used to commit wire fraud, ( 2 ) that XXXX Bank has frozen Account XXXX. XXXX because of those allegations, ( 3 ) that money remained in XXXX Bank 's frozen Account XXXX. XXXX, and ( 4 ) that XXXX Bank would likely be willing to return funds from Account XXXX. XXXX pursuant to an indemnification agreement ISSUED BY CITIBANK seeking a return of the fraudulently-induced transfers. 

I spoke to representatives in Citibank 's Fraud Department multiple times between XX/XX/XXXX, and XX/XX/XXXX, requesting that Citibank send a letter requesting XXXX Bank to return the {$2000.00} transferred by wire to the fraudsters on XX/XX/XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, Citibank 's Fraud Department sent a response to my fraud complaint ( Reference No. XXXX XXXX ), which said : " We have completed our research regarding your request for a wire recall of the wire listed below. The Beneficiary Bank confirmed credit on XX/XX/XXXX for XXXX. YOU WILL NEED TO CONTACT THE BENEFICIERY DIRECTLY TO ARRANGE TO HAVE THE FUNDS RETURNED TO YOU. " I have since contacted XXXX Bank ( the " beneficiary '' ) directly and the bank refused to deal with anyone but Citibank. Citibank 's refusal to help leaves me with no other options to retrieve my stolen money.

Company public response: Company chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation