Consumer complaint received 2021-01-07
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: MN
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement
Sub-issue: Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement

Complaint:
I rented a car from XXXX back in XXXX of XXXX. I prepaid for the car, a total of {$160.00}, which was charged to my account on XX/XX/XXXX. I disputed a charge from XXXX, because they charged me {$900.00} more than the agreed-upon amount ; two occurred on XX/XX/XXXX, and another three occurred on XXXX ( XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX ... two of these were refunds, but the total sum of all 5 charges was {$900.00} XXXX. 

I was in XXXX with a car I'd rented in XXXX back in XXXX. XXXX closed their borders, and I was physically unable to return the car in the location I'd agreed to. I called the merchant, explained the situation, and they said that there would be an automatic charge of XXXX {$300.00} on the account, which they would work to refund given the extenuating circumstance. I later called and emailed the merchant when I noticed {$900.00} of charges on my account, and they backtracked, refusing to refund me. Their explanation was " we can't control the fact that you chose to take the car to XXXX, '' except that traveling to XXXX with a car was explicitly allowed without additional charge. I also checked the statement of return, which they emailed me, and in that statement they list no new damage to the car, and state that the tank was returned full. So there is no reason I can see for these additional charges. 

After slow back and forth communication with the merchant, I finally opened up a dispute with my Citibank Visa card on XX/XX/XXXX. I called after submitting this first dispute, stating that I had additional information that would be helpful in the investigation. I was told I would be contacted if they needed more info. At some point in XXXX, I called looking for an update, and they told me it was in process. I found out by checking my credit card statement that Citibank inexplicably refunded me {$60.00}, so I called them again and found out that my dispute had been resolved. I disagreed with the resolution, so I called and talked to a rep. The rep said that I could re-open the dispute, so I did on XX/XX/XXXX. 

I called them some time in the fall ( XXXX timeframe ) and they said the dispute was still in process. I just found out after digging around on my Credit Card account that my dispute was resolved in the merchants favor back on XX/XX/XXXX because the charge is too old. I called to question this resolution, to which the dispute department rep told me that they sent me a physical letter back in XXXX, and because I didn't respond they resolved the dispute in the merchants favor. I never received a letter. I also never received the letter that they supposedly sent out on XX/XX/XXXX. I informed the rep of this, and was told in response that they definitely sent a letter. I told them I'd called them multiple times over the past several months, to which the response was " no, you never called us, we'd have that information on file. '' Yet later, the rep acknowledged that I'd called in the fall and in the summer. 

I asked why they didn't call - their response was " we have millions of customers ''. Yes, but somehow they can contact the merchant, but not me? Also, they have my email account on file. Why not an email? I got an email when I initiated the dispute, but not when it's resolved? Or a text notification? Even an automated call. There are many ways to inform me, the customer, that a resolution has been found and they choose to send a letter? And whether or not it is resolved in my favor is predicated on my response to a physical mail? Then why not send it via certified mail? Seems like the system is set up to intentionally favor the merchant. 

But regardless of all this, why would they allow me to re-open the dispute if the charge is too old in the first place? I call to tell them their resolution was incorrect, they tell me to re-open the dispute and would provide me reasoning to the dispute department. Then three months later tell me it's too old? 

The only reason this dispute is " too old '' is because of their outdated system, and overall incompetency 's on their end - but I'm the one suffering for it. Overall, I'm still looking to be refunded the remaining {$840.00}. If the credit card company wants the money back, go after the merchant that is unfairly charging people during an emergency in excess of what is reasonable or expected. 

In the attachments I have included my email communication with XXXX, XXXX 's Statement of Return, and a screenshot of XXXX 's charges to 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 explanation