Consumer complaint received 2022-12-23
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: Overcharged for something you did purchase with the card

Complaint:
I was looking to purchase a Mattress for me and my husband in the month XXXX, XXXX. I had excellent credit because I try my best to keep mine and my husbands credit scores as high as possible, because credit is something that lives with you forever, and it comes in need very often. I didnt have all the cash to purchase the mattress that I was buying so the sales person offered me a credit card with benefits I could not refuse. I was told this credit card has absolutely No interest charges on any purchases for 12 months. I told my husband if he agreed because he was with me and we both agreed it was a good deal. The sales person ran my credit and approved me for a {$5000.00} limit and No interest on any purchases for 12 months, which would be XX/XX/XXXX. We purchased the mattress that we wanted, the total price was about {$1500.00}. And the first payment would be due in a month. A week or so later I received my credit card in the mail. Every month when my payment would be due I would make a payment of {$500.00} at the least. The minimum payment amount would only be {$55.00} or {$60.00} dollars. But Id always pay way more. Every now and then Id make a purchase online for something I needed or for my kids, or Id pay to get diesel in my truck. There were many times when my card would decline at the gas stations. Id call the credit card company, even though they would completely verify me and falsely tell my the card is working now, my credit card would Not work it would continue to decline, even though I would be way below my credit limit, still decline. I was put this this situation about 7 times. These were the worst of my days. I had never felt so helpless and embarrassed as this credit card put me in. Even late at night when driving home from work my card would decline at the gas pump. Id have to wake my husband and ask him to XXXX me some money to the bank account. Even he would be so disappointed because I would pay so much extra money every month on time towards my credit card and way below my limit and on top of that I had set my account up for Auto Pay. So they were sure that they would be getting there payments. A few times in XXXX month I used my credit card to pay for diesel fuel at the gas station, so my balance was up pretty high, still though I was not behind on payments or had not made a late payment or anything like that, I had auto pay set up for the minimum payment plus {$500.00} every month. So when my payment was due, the minimum amount plus {$500.00} was taken out plus another payment for over {$5000.00} dollars. Literally over {$5000.00} dollars taken from my account without my consent or knowledge, I new nothing about this. This money was there to cover the expenses for my truck insurance, {$1600.00} a month and truck payment which is {$3000.00} dollars a month. Now its gone, I couldnt use the card, they turned my card off and took the entire balance from a customer that was making every payment on the. There was a time when I made a {$2300.00} payment just to bring my balance down. After they took the {$5000.00} dollars out of my bank account, I called them several times literally begging them on the phone to return my money because my other important payments would get returned and if my business insurance gets returned, then my insurance will cancel which would then cancel all of my operating permits. The only reply I received from every customer support agent was we cant return any money at this time if anything, the system will possibly return it in 7 to 10 business days. I was broken hearted, the worries that this credit card put me in were outrageous. I am a mother of XXXX children, I manage my own XXXX and feed my children by myself because my the great husband that I have is XXXX. His XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX due to the fact that if he had kept his XXXX, he would of been XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX. Thank XXXX he made the correct decision. After the credit card company withdrew all my money, {$500.00} dollars plus the minimum payment plus another {$5400.00} XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX dollars, my bank charged me multiple fees for returned checks. I managed to get buy with the help of my father in law. He helped me pay for my business insurance and business payment. It had been about 15 days and by then next months payment was due. I couldnt believe my eyes when I opened my statement. This credit card company falsely claimed to have returned the {$5400.00} dollar and added that amount to my balance plus interest. I was no interest for XXXX entire year when I applied for my credit card, but the credit card company broke the contract rules because of there own doing, adding over {$5000.00} to my balance refusing to remove the interest. With the interest add my new payment was {$2400.00} dollars. This credit card company was literally robbing me. I should have No interest for XXXX year which should of been added in XXXX of XXXX, and an extra {$5400.00} dollars added to my balance. I literally cried for 3 days. Because I didnt know what to do. I was completely being taken advantage of and couldnt do anything about it. I made a payment of as much as money that I had at the time. I made a late mortgage payment for the first time in 13 years because of this credit card company. I searched online for someone to call that would help me. I found this website and here I am pleading my innocence. I had a credit score of close to XXXX, before I opened this credit card, I am to scared to even look up my credit report. I XXXX XXXX, a wife and a mother of my children am writing to you on behalf of what this credit card company has done to me and will continue doing unless I receive help. I will upload all the statements that I have received showing the payment amounts that Ive made and the negligence that this credit card company has been doing to me. I will provide you with any documentation of information that you ask me for. I am asking for your support so that I can prove to you how much advantage this credit card company has taken from me and my family. All the money that Ive already paid this credit card company and so much more they are taking from me. Please help me get some of my money back, You will be rewarded some day for giving me the chance to prove how much advantage was taken from me. Thank you very much

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