Consumer complaint received 2022-09-29
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Banking errors

Complaint:
This complaint is a culmination of a series of events that have transpired since XXXX of 2022. I had called citibank customer service on the last week of XX/XX/2022 to dispute charges that were made by XXXX and was given by the representative one dispute case number despite indicating and confirming with her that there were three transactions in total amounting to {$1900.00}. The breakdown of the transactions are as follows : {$1700.00}, {$170.00} and {$20.00}. Two letters from Citibank were generated and sent to me dated XXXX XXXX. The letter dated XX/XX/2022, informed me that my dispute has been opened for the {$1700.00} and the {$170.00} transactions. The 2nd letter, requested information regarding the disputed transaction for the {$170.00}. The letter stated that more information about the details of the inquiry was needed to obtain credit and for me to send an email or a signed letter explaining the dispute in detail and to include any related documentation. The letter also stated that IF I have a credit slip, credit memo or credit notification from the merchant, that I should include it. I sent a detailed lengthy letter to XXXX providing the details and reason for my dispute and attached several documentations to substantiate my reason to dispute the charges. Then another letter dated XX/XX/2022 that pertained to the {$1700.00} transaction arrived asking for more information to " help with the investigation '' particularly a credit slip again. I called customer service and asked to be transferred to the dispute department to confirm that they have received my letter which i was told that they did and that a credit will be provided back to my account for both the {$1700.00} and the {$170.00} but they no mention of the {$20.00} which I was told after will also be processed. Upon the receipt of the letter, I immediately wrote to XXXX to tell them that all pertinent information and documentation has already been submitted in my XXXX email to them. On the XXXX of XXXX, another letter requesting for the same information was sent to me so i called again to confirm that my letter was received and that an investigation regarding the issue is being done. I was told that there was no update yet regarding the investigation to my dispute. Then a letter dated XX/XX/XXXX arrived telling me that " since you can not provide proof the purchase was paid for using a payment method other than your account '', the {$170.00} provisional credit will be debited from my account. Confused by the letter, I, again, called customer service on the XXXX of XXXX and after being asked to explain the reason for my calling and explaining to the representative who claimed to be from the dispute department, my situation and getting a response that made me confused even more, I asked for a supervisor and was forwarded to a certain XXXX who then told me that the confusion resulted because I was not provided the proper Dispute claim numbers for each transaction namely the {$170.00} and the {$20.00} and that the documentation I sent was only applied to the {$1700.00} amount, which contradicts the first letter sent on XXXX documenting 2 amounts. He provided me with two more Dispute Claim numbers for the other amounts and instructed me to send another email appealing the result of the case and for it to be reopened and that he will also send a letter explaining the situation to whoever is handling the case. He also said that once the appeal is processed, the amount will be credited back to my account. I sent the letters with the corresponding reference numbers and included the original letter I sent together with the attachments since they all pertained to the same case I was disputing overall. After checking my account if the {$170.00} was credited back as i was told and not seeing it, I called to inquire again and this time I spoke to another supervisor called XXXX who informed me that the credit should have placed back in my account already but that there was no information regarding it was noted. He said that he will send an email to the people responsible for this and that he will call me back 24 to 48 hours from then between the hours of XXXX and XXXX EST to update me. Waited for his call but never heard from him again. Please note that at this point in time, I could not trust the words of any of the representatives and I also began to have doubts that my emails were being thoroughly read and the attachments reviewed properly as that would have provided them with all the necessary information to pursue the allegations of the fraudulent transaction that i was disputing. 
In the letter dated XX/XX/2022 that I received only yesterday, it said that " without a valid credit slip '', the provisional credit of {$1700.00} will be debited from my account and that the investigation is now closed. I called customer service with the sole intention to ask what " valid credit slip '' meant as it may be different from what I interpret it to be and after getting a response, i intended to be transferred to the dispute department. The first representative by the name of XXXX ( ID # XXXX ) who answered was mumbling her words and after deciphering that she was asking me for the name on the account for verification, I gave her my name which is the same name I have provided before to access my account. She claims that my name is not valid and that I should call again when i have the proper information. I tried to argue with her that the information provided was correct but she insisted that it was wrong and that i should call later with the correct information over and over again. How can I get my name wrong?! As I was continuing to plead my case, I finally asked for a supervisor because there was no point talking to this person. The supervisor probably wasn't aware that I could hear him telling the representative that she only needed to confirm my first and last name. He finally came on and said his name was XXXX. I asked for his identification number ' as I have started to do whenever i interacted with the CITI representatives so that I can better distinguish them from the people there who might have the same name but he refused to provide me with it even after explaining to him why I had the right to ask for it and for him to provide me with that information. He then hangs up the phone on me! I call again and as my experience has taught me, I asked for a supervisor, aware that my situation might be too complicated for the average representative and was answered by XXXX ( ID # XXXX ) who after hearing my complaint about the prior phone call and experience with the supervisor, filed a complaint for me and provided me with Complaint Number XXXX as its reference. XXXX and I were beginning to dissect the situation as to the validity of the bank debiting my account and closing the investigation citing that the credit slip which was being used as a reason could not be provided in the first place because that is specifically the reason why the dispute was made and that the merchant has refused to give back the money. This, to me, meant that XXXX actually read my explanation and went through the documents I sent. This is contrary to what another supervisor, named XXXX, has said after I have inquired about the meaning of a valid credit slip, he simply said that a credit slip is something that should state that the merchant is refunding the amount and without it there's nothing CITI can do regarding my dispute. I asked him what then is the purpose of disputing a charge that is considered fraudulent, sending all pertinent information, taking the time and effort to explain the situation in writing and the so called investigation you are conducting if all I had to do was get a credit slip? XXXX starts to mumble just like the very first representative i spoke with but ignores the question and presents an attitude as if he's tired of answering my questions and concerns. Unfortunately, after XXXX said that he needed to bring the subject to another colleague so that the proper corrections will be made, we were disconnected. I tried to call again to get transferred to him but the representative by the name of XXXX said that it couldn't be done. XXXX insisted that I tell him the situation and the reason for my call. I asked XXXX for his ID number and explained why since his name is especially very common but he declined to provide it and even laughed at me when I tried to persist. He even said while mocking me " you can ask my supervisor his ID number and he MAY give it to you but I'm not going to give you mine! ". Frustrated by all this, I hung up the phone before speaking to another supervisor that I requested. I finally had a chance to speak to an XXXX ( ID # XXXX ) who was pleasant enough to ask to allow him to assist me since he was with the dispute department and offer that if I should wish to, he can also connect me with another supervisor. his tone was pleasant enough that I allowed myself to explain again for the nth time the situation and he confirmed what XXXX and i had discussed regarding the credit slip and suggested that I send another letter which included the same attachments I sent the very first time as that was the proof needed and to appeal the case and to have it reopened again. He said not to worry about the {$170.00} as that has already been reopened and to just concentrate on the {$1700.00} which will be debited. I had told him that I would send the letter of appeal and just include the original letter plus the attachments with it and he said that it would be sufficient and for me to call in 48 hours to confirm that the documents submitted has been uploaded. Sadly, after everything that has been said and done, I'll believe it when it actually happens. 
My question is, with what XXXX has said, did anyone actually read and take into consideration the initial letter and the attached documents as proof that the transactions were legitimate or did the dispute department just simply rely on the 'valid credit slip ' that I could not possibly provide to make their decision? Is the Dispute Department being negligent to actually do their job of providing service for CITIbank clients and 'investigating ' the dispute with due diligence? I was on the phone trying to get some answers and correct what I perceive to be a mistake regarding the handling of my dispute for about three and a half hours yesterday and only a couple of people, out of the more than a dozen representatives and supervisors, gave me the courtesy to actually listen and address my concerns. But even then, because of the numerous contradicting information given to me, I have lost trust in your customer service and dispute department which is truly unfortunate because despite having some exceptional people in these departments, it has been marred by those that give false, incorrect, and deceptive information and additionally, the ones that would rather escalate an already sensitive situation with aggressive, arrogant, argumentative and dismissive behavior. Aside from the branch, these customer service people who answers the phone are at the forefront of representing CITIbank and if this attitude goes on without repercussion or accountability then it reflects the same attitude that the company has towards its clients.

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