Consumer complaint received 2016-11-19
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: NY
Product: Credit card
Issue: Privacy

Complaint:
Dear CFPB, I am writing about a continued and willful data security breach on the part of Citibank/Macy 's American Express Credit Card. Despite informing them multiple times, both written and via telephone, they continue to send me another individual 's private financial information. I have no way to contact her to inform her of this, and the company seems to have been unwilling or unable to remedy the issue. I 'm sure the other individual would be grateful for your help in resolving this. 

On XXXX XXXX, 2016, I received an incorrectly addressed email to a " XXXX XXXX ''. My name is XXXX XXXX, and I imagine our actual email addresses are similar. I 'm sure it was an honest mistake, and neither her nor Citibank/Macy's/American Express are to blame. Usually with this type of automated email, there is some sort of " Received this email in error '' link to easily fix mistakes like this. Unfortunately, there was no such link in this case. I replied to the email informing them of the wrong address, but did not receive a response. I did the same for additional emails, not expecting much. The emails footers said : " Please do not reply to this email. For account-specific inquiries, please sign on to your online account or call Customer Service. '' Of course I was not able to log onto someone else 's account, but the emails frustratingly provided no other contact information. 

Then, the emails started to include account balances, payment dates, and last XXXX digits of the account number. At this point, I was more concerned, since this was rapidly approaching the level of information needed for an identity thief to take advantage of poor XXXX. I searched for some way to contact the company or her, and entered a written complaint on the main Macy 's website complaints section. I received no response. 

The emails continued to be sent, and continued to include private things like balance information and payment dates. So, I XXXX for information, and found a customer service number to call. On XXXX XXXX, 2016, I spoke with a representative named XXXX XXXX. She was initially confused, and insisted on being given the full account number to remedy the problem. Eventually, though, she said the problem would be fixed. 

The problem was not fixed. I continued to receive XXXX XXXX personal emails. 

I called again on XXXX XXXX, 2016, waited on hold, got through eventually, and asked to speak to a manager. I talked to him, and he also asked for full account information, etc. Once he understood, he suggested that I simply set Macy 's email address as part of my spam filter. This is obviously not a solution, as the private information is still being sent. I asked him to actually fix the problem, and he eventually said he would, and would email me confirmation of the fix. Unfortunately, I did not get his name. 

More than a month later now, I have not heard back from him, and have continued to receive XXXX XXXX account information via email. I 've gotten her account balances, her payment dates, her overdue notices, and more. 

Rather than just ignore the situation, I have tried to do the right thing for this complete stranger named XXXX XXXX. I have sent emails, written complaints, and spent hours on the phone on hold and with representatives. This should be one of the simplest problems in the world to resolve. That the issue could happen in the first place is forgivable. That Macy 's clearly has no mechanism in place to resolve what can not possibly be an isolated incident boggles the mind. I wonder how may other people 's personal financial details are being sent to strangers who did not have the time or inclination to report it. 

At this point, I am reaching out to you because I do not seem to be able to get through to Macy 's in any substantive way. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX

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