Consumer complaint received 2015-09-03
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: MD
Product: Credit card
Issue: Payoff process

Complaint:
The issue is with the Macys Credit Card. 
( 1 ) I did not receive statements for two months after my purchase XXXX the card was acquired in-store as a discount offer for items purchased that same day - immediate credit was granted in the store_. 
( 2 ) When I finally received the statement, there were late fees, which I contested. In the end, I paid the full amount ( with the fees ). I had spent a few days on the phone with the company trying to iron out the problems. My payment was for the balance IN FULL, on the XXXX of the month ( XXXX ). The payment due date was the XXXX XXXX. I was concerned that I would receive another late fee ( recall that I had been on the phone with these folks for several days investigating and discussing this issue ). The manager with whom I was working ( ID # XXXX ) agreed no further late fees would be assessed ; I paid the balance in full and closed the card on the XXXX of that month. 
( 4 ) The next month, I received a statement with a late fee. I refused to pay it. The agent insisted that the company waived the XXXX late fee, but not the XXXX. I spelled out for the agent that I had paid the XXXX late fee ( and any late fees prior to XXXX, even though I did n't agree with them since I had not been notified of the amounts ). The waiver she was seeing was actually related to the XXXX late fee. 

***FINALLY I was able to get through to the rep ( ID # XXXX ) and she agreed that the late and interest fees were erroneous. She informed that all fees would be removed - but that " it would take time, '' and that " I SHOULD CALL BACK '' to confirm. ( at this point, I had been on the phone over an hour ). 

She denied me several requests to speak to her manager. I begged for the manager ID, b/c I had already had this conversation in XXXX and clearly it was not documented correctly. She refused. I had to tell her that I would sit on the phone until I got the manager ID. Finally, she gave it ( ID # XXXX ). 

However, I received no verification of their agreement on the issue. In XXXX, I had already gotten agreement from another manager to have the fee waived. That clearly was not processed correctly, and Macy 's continued to charge my account late fees and interest. Now, I was supposed to just trust they would get it correct this time -- - oh, and call back to confirm that they did their job correctly. Again, I refused to hang-up the phone until I received some sort of documentation on the request for removal of fees and interest that they supposedly submitted. FINALLY, I received an Operation ID ( XXXX ). I have no idea what this is, or if it will help me with future conversations, but it was all I could get. 

Resolving this issue has taken at least 10 hours over 2 months. I believe Macy 's is banking on the fact that most people will not spend the time or effort, but will just pay. 

( 3 ) The company also reported my 60 day late payment to the credit agencies WITHOUT ANY NOTICE TO ME that the account was in collections. They claimed their notice of Collections Activity is " This is friendly reminder that your payment has not been received. '' That does not legally qualify as notice that the account is in collections.

Company public response: Company chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief