Consumer complaint received 2015-07-29
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: WY
Product: Credit card
Issue: Late fee

Complaint:
My credit card issuer, Citi Cards, has charged late fees and interest on a disputed item that Citi Cards itself later agreed was invalid. Although Citi Cards reversed the disputed charge, it refused to reverse the late fee charge and interest for nonpayment of the disputed charge. I paid all charges to my account, except one item I had previously disputed, and requested cancelation of the card. Citi Cards charged me a late fee and interest solely on the pending, disputed charge, and then in the same month agreed that my dispute was correct and reversed the charge but not the late fee and interest. 
Despite letters and phone calls, Citi Cards continues to add monthly late fee and interest for nonpayment of the initial late fee that never should have been charged. 
On one call XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX, however, Citi Cards representative agreed that the interest and late fee charges were solely on the reversed charge ; that the interest and fee charges were incorrect ; that the charges would be reversed in " XXXX days '' ; and that the account would be closed with XXXX balance due. Both my husband ( XXXX retired XXXX ) and I were on speaker phone and heard the representatives statements. None of promised actions were performed by Citi Cards. 
In all subsequent conversations and letters, Citi Cards has simply repeated " a late fee is assessed when your minimum payment is not received by the due date. '' Apparently Citi Cards takes the position that, as a matter of its policy, it does n't matter if the amount due or minimum payment is actually not due. 
Citi Cards has falsely reported the status of the account to credit reporting agencies. As of XX/XX/XXXX XXXX report on the account stated, " Account closed at consumer 's request and disputed investigation completed. Consumer disagrees. XXXX days past due as of XX/XX/XXXX. '' Citi Cards has failed to report on XX/XX/XXXX, it agreed that the disputed charge had been reversed. 
To substantiate my complaint I have included these documents : -Citi Cards XXXX Statement XX/XX/XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX, shows purchases of {$240.00} and an additional charge of {$95.00} for renewal of the card. Page 2 shows that the disputed seller XXXX had dropped XXXX of the disputed charge of {$190.00} or {$95.00} ; and that Citi Cards had extended " conditional credit for dispute '' of the other half or {$95.00}. 
-Citi Cards XXXX Statement for XX/XX/XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX shows payment of {$290.00}, which fully covered the purchases on previous statement of {$240.00} and the new purchases on this statement XXXX p 2 XXXX of {$55.00}. The subsequent statements show that there were no additional purchases on the account. Also on p.2 it states it determined dispute to be " a valid charge. '' The was the only notice I received from Citi Cards that the disputed charge was upheld. 
-Citi Cards XXXX Statement for XX/XX/XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX. The first charge of a late fee. Since at that time all purchases had been paid and the annual fee refunded, the late fee was for non-payment of the disputed {$99.00} that was reversed the previous month. 
-Citi Cards XXXX Statement for XX/XX/XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX. Citi Cards reversed its previous reversal and provided a credit for the disputed {$99.00}. It did not reverse the previous month 's late fee for nonpayment of the disputed {$99.00}. 
-Citi Cards XXXX Statement for XX/XX/XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX. Another late fee for nonpayment of the previous late fee for nonpayment of the disputed {$99.00}. Total now {$53.00}. 
-Citi Card letter of XX/XX/XXXX. 
-Citi Cards XXXX Statement for XX/XX/XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX. Another late fee. Total now {$89.00}. 
-Citi Card letter of XX/XX/XXXX 
-Citi Cards XXXX Statement for XX/XX/XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX. Another {$35.00} late fee. Total now {$120.00}. 
-My letter to Citi Cards of XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, and XX/XX/XXXX, explaining that the late fees and interest charges are solely for nonpayment of an amount that was not due.

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