Consumer complaint received 2021-12-17
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: NJ
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Other transaction problem

Complaint:
On Wednesday XX/XX/2021 I received a CITI FRAUD text message from XXXX asking me whether I attempted to send {$3000.00} with XXXX After I respond NO, a new SMS said that my card was deactivated and someone was going to call me Immediately after, someone called me from CITI FRAUD from telephone XXXX ( Utah ) He indicated that someone did XXXX wire transfers from my account, for {$2500.00} and {$7500.00}. Both amounts were on hold pending my verification. As soon as I would confirm that I was not the sender, CITI would return ( via wire ) the amounts back to my account He also indicated that he needed to deactivate my online banking and reinstate it. At this point he asked for my debit card number Since I did not have it with me, I asked him to call me in half hour, when he did In the new call, I received a new SMS from CITI FRAUD asking me to provide user id for deactivation, then password Although it sounds weird to ask for a password, I was 100 % CONVINCED that the call was valid, because it followed with text messages from CITI. It never occurred to me that both the call and the SMS were fake. In addition, I dont use CITI much and in my account was only {$300.00}. I simply forgot that I have a {$10000.00} line of credit ( overdraft ) Next, I received a new SMS asking me whether I was trying to send a wire of {$7500.00}. 
I told the agent that I wasnt sending any wire, but he assured me that it was CITI sending the money back to me. As such, I responded XXXX ( yes ) When we were done, he asked me not to log in into online banking for XXXX hours After I hung up, I became suspicious and did logged in to my account. At that time, I realized he used my overdraft line of credit of {$10000.00} to transfer {$2500.00} and {$7500.00} to my account and then wire them out. My account had the same balance but now I owed {$10000.00}. 
I called immediately CITI FRAUD and explained the whole story. The agent ( LIA ) explained that XXXX wire ( {$2500.00} ) was not processed but the other wire ( {$7500.00} ) was processed to a recipient named XXXX XXXX She confirmed from me the wire was fraudulent. She also said that I should call CITI Wires to make a recall I immediately called CITI WIRES. The agent ( XXXX ) put a recall request but mentioned that the recall depended on the beneficiary bank. When I asked whether the beneficiary bank was big and serious, she said it was Citibank At that time I got calmer, because Citibank would decide the outcome and would find easily the fraudulent client. Agent said I was going to receive a call or email with the outcome Since then I received no call or communication from Citibank. My card and online access is restricted On XX/XX/XXXX ( I think while I was in the call with the fraudulent agent ), I received several emails from CITI, first to let me know that I set up wire transfers, then to let me know that I added XXXX XXXX, then to ask whether I approved the {$2500.00} and {$7500.00} wires, then to say that the wire for {$2500.00} was cancelled, and then to say that the wire for {$7500.00} was executed ( Wire Transfer Details, Amount XXXX USD, Payee XXXX XXXX, Date XX/XX/2021, Transfer Type Domestic, Reference Number XXXX ). I remember having responded NO to the emails about the wires, maybe afterwards. CITI responded with we got you covered. I am set up for both email and SMS alerts, but only got the emails On XX/XX/XXXX, I received XXXX emails from CITI indicating that {$2500.00} and {$7500.00} have been deposited in my account. I though it was the resolution of the case, but an agent confirmed it was only about the transfer from the overdraft account to my account ( 2 days later? ) I called CITI twice since Wednesday. In both cases I was told that the case was still being investigated ( not in a rush, it appears ), and that my account still shows I owe {$10000.00} The whole situation is nerve wracking As of XX/XX/XXXX, Citibank did not send me any notification. I also don't have access to my accounts and everything is blocked. 

Not sure how Citibank is not responding faster to this fraud. 

I also made a complaint with the FBI

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