Consumer complaint received 2017-01-06
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: TN
Product: Credit card
Issue: Billing disputes

Complaint:
I am having an issue with the manner in which Citibank Mastercard has handled my chargeback dispute with a merchant. When I first contacted Citibank to open the dispute in XXXX, for XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX charges ( XXXX total, same merchant ), Citibank opened it on the premise that I canceled the purchases. Due to the merchant 's terms and conditions ( fine print ) I did not cancel within their 14 day time period, and so the charges were considered valid, although Citibank dispute agents whom I 've spoken with agree that they are dealing with these shady online " free trial '' operations all the time, and that their terms and conditions do, in fact, deceive the consumer. That said, I have documented proof that the merchant agreed, as a courtesy, to accept my returns for full refund, and they supplied me with return instructions and RMA numbers. I complied, and on XXXX XXXX, Merchant had my returns back in their hands, with signature proof and email confirmation proof. Now Merchant has failed to refund me anything. The dispute investigators keep telling me that I have not supplied proof of cancellation in the merchant 's timeframe ( 14 days ). When I showed proof of my returns and proof of the merchant agreeing to my returns for refund, I am told that because the disputes were initially opened on the basis that the cancellations were done, it will keep coming back with me losing the cases. An agent at Citibank yesterday XXXX XXXX/XXXX/XXXX XXXX told me that if they had, in fact, disputed it on the basis of my returns not being processed, I would have a case. I asked if they could go back to the Merchant with this information, stating that we require refund based on their written statement that I can return the items, and based on written proof and signature proof of their receipt of my returns on XXXX XXXX. Seems like a very simple concept, yet now Citibank is telling me that they are unable to go back to the merchant and change their reason for the dispute. I feel very unprotected here, in that I have XXXX product in my hands, and spent even more money to send it all back to the merchant at my own expense, yet they are being protected by my credit card company. When I asked WHY they can not go back to the merchant with the updated info, the agent told me that they are bound by certain restrictions with XXXX and XXXX. I find this ludicrous. The bottom line is I have paid FULL PRICE, nearly {$360.00}, for products that were returned back to the merchant PER the merchant 's request and approval, and the Merchant is now holding my money AND has their product back ( in new condition, I might add ). This just seems completely illegal and wrong. I have an excellent credit rating, and have had this particular Citibank card since XXXX with nearly a {$20000.00} credit line, and have never had so much as even a late payment! I am extremely disenchanted by this, and it leaves me feeling very vulnerable as a consumer. I have learned a big lesson from all of this, and will never participate in any type of free trial again. But at this point, with Citibank hitting brick walls with the merchant based on information they know the merchant has recourse against, and NOT going to the merchant with the more pertinent, updated information that they have in fact approved a return, promised to refund upon return, supplied me with return authorization numbers, admitted to receiving return and signed for it, and yet still holding all the money, this seems proof enough and reason enough to get the case resolved in my favor, or at the very least, award the credit as a courtesy to me, from Citibank themselves, to create customer rapport and appreciation, and to put my mind at ease and continue to have me as a XXXX cardholder. It 's not like I 'm asking for anything unreasonable. Everyone agrees I have returned these items. I am the victim here, and Citibank is not protecting me.

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