Consumer complaint received 2023-08-03
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: MI
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card debt
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action
Sub-issue: Threatened to sue you for very old debt

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX a company XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX called me with threatening language saying they were contacting me a " serious civil action against me ''. This made me feel very anxious. They claimed to have attempted to " serve me '' at a previous address. 

For the record, for the over the past year I have been dealing with a serious XXXX condition that required hospitalization, XXXX home stays, independent living, and a cross state move to be close to my clinic. XXXX  is a HUGE trigger for my condition. I legally reported my address change by forwarding all mail to a relative while in XXXX homes and subsequently changed my permanent address with the USPS on XX/XX/XXXX after moving into independent living where I currently reside. 

This company claims to have tried to serve me at my former address, although they did not have a specific date when I asked the very rude lady. After talking with this very aggressive female, she did not want to answer who this XXXX company was and just gave me another number for a company with a reference number. The name of this company she said was called XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX reference # XXXX XXXX XXXX. I immediately called the number and spoke to a male identified as XXXX XXXX. This gentleman spoke quickly and aggressively stating he was trying to collect a debt and court cost filings for a Citibank Visa credit card. Firstly, I know I do not have ANY credit accounts in bad standing. Secondly, I started to remember that a few years ago I got a similar string of threatening calls from a company I thought had a similar name. I did not report this to the CFPB or FTC because I did not know I should. I reported it to my paid ID Alert service from XXXX XXXX Bank as I believed it was an attempt to collect money and gather sensitive information. I looked back at my records and found that the same company XXXX had my full SS # and phone number and was threatening to have someone come over to my house and serve me within a " business day '' and was offered to pay a settlement over the phone. When I asked for everything in writing and gave them my email, I never got the email. In XXXX there was never an additional company called XXXX XXXX. I then reported it to my ID Alert Service as I had been a victim of identity theft in the past that had been reported properly to police. 

So, on XX/XX/XXXX, I tried to ask XXXX XXXX questions about XXXX XXXX and this " alleged '' account, but he tried several times to redirect me by saying, " I am just trying to work with you. I can get you a settlement so you will not have to pay the full amount owed or the court costs ''. He said I owed {$1900.00} on a Citibank Visa credit card opened in XXXX and it was paid on for 2 years. He had last XXXX of my SS # and said it was attached to the account. He also said I owed {$25000.00} in court costs associated with collecting this debt. I knew I did not have this credit card and I also knew XXXX was so inappropriate. I asked him why in over 10 years have I never received any notification from the original account holder about a debt or in that matter an official letter from XXXX, XXXX XXXX or anyone saying there would be legal action. He claimed a letter had been first 40 days then 60 days ago sent to my former address but since I moved that is why I had not received it. Every time I unknowingly gave him more information, he had an excuse, or the circumstances changed from a certified letter to a mailed letter. I knew if this was legitimate process/server, they could easily have found my updated address. I tried to collect facts. I asked for EVERYTHING we just spoke about including the original account holder name with contact information, account number, his company 's address and phone number and the amount owed with court costs to be provided to me in writing through XXXX mail. He said since I had " moved so much '' ( XXXX time ) I should give him my email address to " get things moving faster. '' I provided my email address and within a half hour a letter was sent. I also knew this to be a red flag, if this collection was legitimate a mailed letter through XXXX would have been customary. Meanwhile, I goggled XXXX XXXX and saw a few others had experienced scam type calls with threats trying to collect for debts that were not legitimate. Their website did not have a posted company address or phone number, just business hours and an online submission form for contact. The website had not been updated since XXXX. I found these to be red flags. I found by company address provided on the emailed debt letter that the corporation XXXX XXXX XXXX had only been in operation for 7 months and had many prior state 's locations which also raised a red flag. The debt letter received by email was very basic, it did however contain the same graphic as the website. There was no mention whatever of the outrageous court costs mentioned by both callers. There was no contact information about the original account holder but there was an account number. Also, there was a very poorly placed legal footnote I assume put there to make this seem legitimate and also threatening to include some legal verbiage. The letter was signed by someone else, not this XXXX XXXX who I had spoken with on the phone. More red flags. I checked my credit reports from all XXXX agencies just as I did in XXXX and found no such Citibank Visa opening in XXXX or being paid upon for 2 years. I did not reply to the email. 

On XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX called me from the same number on the debt letter speaking again very quickly and aggressively. I even asked him slow down and not speak over me telling him I had medical conditions and that he was being very unprofessional. He said if I did not make arrangements with him today and pay a settlement then I would be served and would have to pay a lot of court costs. His response when I told him that I checked all XXXX credit reports for this account was that it would not be on there because the original account holder was trying to reach a settlement before going for a judgement. He said because it was not a judgment it would not show up on my reports. I said I am talking about the original account being opened in XXXX as you stated yesterday and being paid on for 2 years. He did not have an answer but rather repeated himself repeatedly and continuing to talk over me. 

For the record, my credit history reported to all XXXX agencies speaks for itself. There was never an " alleged '' account opened. I have an excellent track record of XXXX late payments holding multiple credit cards accounts. 

I think the scare tactics, use of legal jargon and repetitive threat of legal action/fees is meant to scare people. Unfortunately, when you have a XXXX XXXX like mine, the XXXX  does trigger more health issues for me. This needs to stop. Please, I need your help investigating and punishing this organization.

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