Consumer complaint received 2021-04-18
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: IL
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Savings account
Issue: Problem with a lender or other company charging your account
Sub-issue: Transaction was not authorized

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX XXXX, I was standing in the Citibank line at the XXXX XXXX, IL Citibank branch waiting to see a banking associate to close an account as directed by the fraud department the night before ( I had noticed withdrawals made from my account that I had not authorized including payments for cellular service with a company that I do not use ). I was reviewing my other accounts on the mobile app while waiting in line when {$8100.00} was withdrawn from an account that I share with my daughter. I immediately called my daughter to see if she had made a withdrawal ( she said no ) and then went to the desk and explained what had happened. I was taken over to a desk by one of the associates. The person immediately called fraud and spoke to someone and then handed me the phone. I tried to explain what was happening and the person hung up on me. I told the bank personnel ( the lady from the other desk was listening to what was happening ) that she had hung up on me. They had the persons name and they told me to call back and ask for a supervisor. I called back and was connected to the supervisor. I explained to the supervisor what was happening, and she told me it was an on-line withdrawal. I repeatedly told her that I had not authorized a withdrawal and asked her to freeze my account and not allow the transaction to occur. She told me that she could not stop the transaction but I should lock my account using the App and she would put a freeze on my account and would place a note in my file and that I would get a letter, but everything should be fine. I did get a letter of my report and the money was returned to my account on XX/XX/XXXX. I believed the matter had been resolved. 

Almost a year and a half later, on XX/XX/XXXX, I received a letter from Citibank dated XX/XX/XXXX stating that Citibank had investigated and was withdrawing {$8100.00}. In proof they provided me with a transaction history from a XXXX account of woman who lives in Michigan. I do not know this woman and I immediately called the Citibank number on the letter. I was told that the money had been withdrawn because XXXX had verified the validity of the withdrawal. I was VERY upset and asked XXXX to start an investigation. She said that she would call back in three days ( at my insistence ) and that I would get a letter stating the results of the investigation in 10 days. 
I did not receive a call or a letter until XX/XX/XXXX when I received a letter dated XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, I called the number on the letter. When I asked to speak to a supervisor, he told me his supervisor was not available. I insisted that he put me on hold and ask his supervisor to speak to me. When he came back on the phone, he said that his supervisor was not available, but his supervisor would call me in two days. He told me his name is XXXX, his supervisors name is XXXX, his team is XXXX and I should expect a call in 48 hours. He told me that I should have received a letter from Citibank explaining that I should contact XXXX at XXXX to find out how I can get my money back. I asked him if he thought that sending me a copy of someones XXXX transaction record from XXXX IN with a note at the bottom stating my name an the online request ( My name ) XXXX XXXX Request to Originator XXXX XXXX XXXX was sufficient proof that I had authorized the withdrawal. He said something about recording our conversation, so I repeated the whole series of events that led to my call and then asked for an address to send a written complaint. After significant time, he gave me the following address Executive Response Branch Citibank Retail Branch XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Tx XXXX. I sent a letter ( included in this submission with a summary similar to what I provide here as well as a copy of all correspondence and messages available in my Citibank App as of XX/XX/XXXX ( two of these items are correspondence with XXXX ). Because I thought this issue was resolved in XXXX and did not think that I needed to retain those letters, I can not provide correspondence related to this incident. However, Citibank should have these available in their records. 

I want to repeat what I said the day this happened I believe that Citibank has an internal fraud problem and I am the victim of that fraud and incompetence on the part of their fraud department. I tried to stop the transfer. I told the supervisor before the money was released that I had not authorized the transaction that would transfer the funds later that evening - she told me that the funds had not been transferred at that point but she said that they were in cue for electronic release. This entire issue could had been stopped if she had put a stop on the transfer as I requested. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I also found out that Citibank had put a freeze on this account as well as other accounts I have at Citibank with my daughter. I asked XXXX to remove the freeze on this account so that my daughter could get a cashier check for the balance on this account. There is now a {$100.00} balance in that account. My daughter was told that the account will be charged a service charge when the balance is under {$10000.00}. At this point Citibank has released {$8100.00} of my money to another bank without my authorization. I did not close the account because I was worried about loss of all access to records which is what happened for the other account on which fraud was first detected. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I received a letter dated XX/XX/XXXX stating that they had reviewed the details of the transaction and decided that the transaction was appropriately applied based on a response from XXXX Bank and that I would need to contact them directly. It also said that all documentation was attached. I did not receive any attachments. I called and spoke with XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX at the number provided in the letter - she put me on hold and called her supervisor who said that I would get an email with the documents within 24-48 hours or in writing in 5-7 days but she could not help me and referred me to XXXX and gave me their fraud number. After repeatedly trying to get thru their automated system I was finally able to get a live person who said that they were unable to help me and would need to go to a branch in person. Because of work I will have to get approval for time off to go to the bank during business hours this week.

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