Consumer complaint received 2020-08-19
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement
Sub-issue: Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement

Complaint:
XX/XX/2020, I used Citi Costco credit card to purchase 3 international air tickets to XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX, CA @ this online travel agency XXXX. The Covid shut down the United Airline cancelled my direct flights. On XX/XX/XXXX, this online travel agency emailed me stating the airline approved my refund but then 1 week later emailing me asking me to pay more $ $ for the new travel date and I must complete the travel byXX/XX/XXXX. 

Since this travel agency is deceptively manipulating offering what is completely different from the airline refund policy and XXXX XXXX XXXX, I escalated my charge to Citi Costo on XX/XX/XXXX. Since XX/XX/XXXX, Citi has lied to me numerous times, they issue conditional credit when I first file the dispute then reversing the credit when the merchant respond, then when I submitted to Citi for the information they asked they sent me 3 letters that they are re-issuing the conditional credits for 3 charges which in truth they only re-issue 1 conditional credit. Citi told me on their recorded call that my case won the Visa arbitration and I will see all the permanent credit by end of XX/XX/XXXX, but then 1 week later they said the merchant exploretrip refused to honor the request for 1 remaining tickets and I have to work w/the merchant to get it back. 

So I called the airline, they helped call this merchant exploretrip on XX/XX/XXXX, the merchant manager promise me i will see the remaining refund {$620.00} back in 30 days, after 30 days I still don't see the refund, so the airline calling them w/me again the merchant said 10 more days. XX/XX/XXXX, the merchant is once again emailing me that they tried to process the refund but cant due to there's a charge back on their account from the bank .... 

My dispute case supposed to close by XX/XX/XXXX, by now Citi still has it open. I don't know who have my $ XXXX Citi charged back the merchant and did not apply it to my account or the merchant is lying. I have been giving the around by these two. 

Per United airline they followed the XXXX XXXX  and issue the full refund back to the merchant for their bulk tickets already. Since I paid my tickets to this merchant exploretrip.com they are the one must issue the refund. 

Per CFPB /FTC laws that merchant are not allowed to keep consumer $ $ when service or products is not delivered. Citi and this merchant are so unethical and lying so many time. I need CFPB to help me w/Citi and ask why my dispute is still open and the merchant emailed me they received the charged back on their account. I've been calling and waiting for Citi to respond and heard nothing back from them. 

Citi Dispute Case still open after issued a permanent credit # XXXX ( for {$810.00} ) not showing balance in my card AND case # XXXX ( for {$620.00} ) still open and the balance is still showing on my card.

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