Consumer complaint received 2016-10-25
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CA
Product: Credit card
Issue: Billing disputes

Complaint:
I booked hotel XXXX in XXXX Nevada online using XXXX agent on XXXX XXXX, 2016 for the traveling date of XXXX XXXX, 2016 to XXXX XXXX, 2016. The cost of the booking of {$250.00} was charged to my Citibank creditcard ( Citicard ). The booking condition allowed for free of charge cancelation if cancelled at least seven days before the arrival. 

On XXXX XXXX, 2016, nine days before the travelling date, I attempted to cancel the booking but I was not able to cancel due to XXXX agent had gone out of business. So I called Citicard customer service right away for help to cancel the booking. The online chat representative suggested that I had to cancel myself by calling to the hotel to cancel the booking. However, I was unable to cancel since the booking was done through a third party and not directly with the XXXX XXXX. 

On the same day of XXXX XXXX, 2016, I sent an email to the billing dispute unit to update the status and stated that I was unable to cancel the booking. It now looked like I had no other option than to complete the travel to XXXX and stay at the XXXX XXXX as originally planned back in XXXX. 

On the morning of XXXX XXXX, 2016, my husband called XXXX XXXX directly to ask for the status of the booking. However, the XXXX XXXX representative XXXX stated that the booking had been cancelled the same day by the third party. He also gave the cancellation number as XXXX. 

On the same day of XXXX XXXX, 2016, I also sent email to the billing dispute unit and gave the the cancelling ID number with the update. I made serveral phone calls to the billing dispute units, but there is only one phone call return and stated that all documents received since XXXX. 

On XXXX XXXX, 2016 I received letter from the Citi credit card stated that if I would like to continue the dispute, a form I need to sign and return to the billing dispute unit. The amount was reversed due to the condition. I therefore send emails and fax all documents to the billing dispute unit again at Citicard for help on XXXX XXXX, 2016. 

On XXXX XXXX, I received letter stating that they are unable to help and refused to help to resolve the issue dated XXXX XXXX, 2016, stating that the reason that Citicard can not help because the merchant was willing to provide service. This is of course not the case, since the merchant themselves cancelled my hotel reservation. I was not able to cancel, and was preparing to make the originally planned trip to XXXX Nevada. 

XXXX XXXX, 2016 I called and talked to manager, name XXXX of the billing dispute unit to ask for help, she will get back to me the result in about week. Then on XXXX XXXX, 2016, I called billing dispute unit to ask about the status and talked to the manager of the dispute unit center, XXXX, his ID number XXXX. He was very rude and aggressively told me that " I do not want to hear anything because all documents are here, and I am unable to help. and if you want to get help this issue. I need to go to the court. " I hope you can assist me in resolving this billing dispute with Citicard and have my credit card charge of {$250.00} reimbursed. 
Thank You for your help

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