Consumer complaint received 2017-09-07
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: MA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card debt
Issue: False statements or representation
Sub-issue: Attempted to collect wrong amount

Complaint:
I had been attempting to pay off my Best Buy credit card and was contacted by a collection agent in XX/XX/XXXX to set up a payment arrangement. I did, for {$50.00} a month. Sometime later, Best Buy also contacted me to set up a payment arrangement, and I thought it was strange because I thought I had already set one up, but I made an arrangement to pay {$50.00} a month because I wanted to get the debt paid off. In XX/XX/XXXX, I realized I was making two separate payments and I called Best Buy to cancel one of the {$50.00} arrangements, and I complained that I had overdrafted my checking account as a result of that error, and that they should know what is going on with one of their credit collection agents. They removed their {$50.00} autorecurring payment, and I do n't recall if they credited my overdraft. Then, inXX/XX/XXXX, I received an email that I received a late charge from Best Buy and I did not know why because I had an automated payment from their collection agency to pay on the same date every month. Upon review, I had been being charged late fees since XX/XX/XXXX because the payment arrangement date had been set up 2-3 days after the due date of the credit card. I contacted Best Buy on XX/XX/XXXX and spoke to a very nice woman who understood the situation and agreed to refund the most recent month (XX/XX/XXXX ) because that was as far as she could go back. Beyond that, I would have to go through their dispute department. I did call their dispute department, and they said that I had to contact the collection agency because they were making the payments late. I stated that it was Best Buy 's responsibility to be in communication with the collection agency to ensure these arrangements are made on time so that customers do not get late fees. That is common sense. They insisted that I had to call the collection agent, so I did, and after they made me listen to a recording of my original phone conversation with their agent to set up the arrangement, they found that they had said nothing about having to set up the arrangement on a specific date to avoid late fees. Of course, I would assume that the debt collector would have the latitude to set up arrangements when needed. Once we established that I had not been told when I had to set up the payment arrangements, they reviewed my account and stated they had no record of any late fees and had not been contacted by Best Buy and so they had no indication that my payment arrangement was a problem. The manager I spoke with, whose name was XXXX I believe, agreed to make a 3 way call to Best Buy to discuss the issue. The representative unfortunately had to terminate the call due to feedback, but insisted that we contact him directly. When we attempted to call again, the representative at Best Buy refused to transfer us to the agent we were speaking with. I called them myself, once again, and for over an hour explained the situation. The woman had difficulty understanding English, as the call center was in XXXX, and I had to repeat myself several times even though she was insisting that the issue was with the collector. I was adamant that it was Best Buy who was responsible, as the collection agent was not aware of any error. She then told me, after speaking with her for over an hour to explain the situation, that I had to put my complaint in writing and fax it to their dispute department. I stated that I should not have to jump through any more hoops on the issue and that she should file a report based on her notes from the call. She refused.
After I faxed my written complaint to the dispute department I heard nothing, for 6 weeks, so I called the dispute department again. At first the agent told me that I would have to wait for a response but when I told him I had already waited 6 weeks he reviewed my account and said that the issue had already been resolved. I had been speaking with XXXX, agent # XXXX. He stated that I had been credited one month and that resolved the dispute. The amount he was referring to was the XX/XX/XXXX credit that was issued from the first woman. I stated that I had filed the dispute regarding the amounts I had been charged apart from XX/XX/XXXX 's fee and he repeated that the issue was resolved. I stated that it had not been resolved and I wanted to talk to a manager. I then spoke with XXXX # XXXX and he stated that the issue was resolved and that if I wanted to dispute the other amounts I would have to file another claim and wait another 6 weeks. I stated that the original dispute had never been resolved and they should simply reopen this dispute. Again, I should not be put through more hoops due to their negligence. He stated that if I did not want to follow the process that was my problem. I demanded to speak with his manager and he said there was no one above him.
I refuse to submit a new complaint. I have paid off what I owe on the account but have refused to pay the charges that incurred from those late fees since XX/XX/XXXX. Best Buy is not only responsible for the remainder due but I expect letters sent to the 3 credit reporting agencies as to the fact that I was erroneously charged. I was down to 30 some dollars which I paid in XX/XX/XXXX. The account is now supposedly up to {$1800.00}. I am not responsible for one penny of that money and I expect an immediate apology from Best Buy and the clearing of my account.

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