Consumer complaint received 2018-10-31
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: OK
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:
I disputed 3 charges made by a scam company who never rendered the services paid for. The credit card issuer issuer is CitiBank. On XX/XX/2018 I disputed the 3 charges ( all made on the same day by the same company. I still do not know why they insisted on breaking it into 3 charges instead of one, because the payment was for one contract for services. ). The disputes were acknowledged by Citi and given 3 different dispute numbers by them. They issued conditional credits. The basis of my dispute is that the services paid for were not received in whole or in part On XX/XX/XXXX they sent 3 letters through their system ( which they can send correspondence through, but I cant reply through ), and oddly all 3 letters were different, but basically saying the investigation was closed and credit reversed and advising I could submit further information by XX/XX/2018. I'll try to attach copies of these letters. No merchant provided documents or information was provided to me at any time. 

I did submit more information by XX/XX/XXXX ; a letter dated XX/XX/XXXX and attachments of dispute letters, merchant contract, written communications with merchant by me, copy of cash payments, copy of unidentified trucks, copy of unidentified driver picture. I'll also try to attach a copy of this. 

XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX I then received surprising letters from Citi saying basically the merchant didnt agree to a credit, therefore the investigation was again closed. However, I also noticed 2 of the 3 charges were again credited to my account, so I thought maybe this was in response to my letter of XX/XX/XXXX. However, I again received last week, an email from Citi saying there was a message in their system. This message said again that the matter was resolved because the merchant refused to give a credit, therefore my remedies would have to be pursued against the merchant separately. 

I am certain the merchant can not prove they rendered the services because they ceased to exist during the time period they could have done so, because their principals were indicted by the XX/XX/XXXX for their scam practices at that same time, because in fact they did not render the services and because we paid thousands of dollars in cash to others, not affiliated with XXXX XXXX XXXX, to eventually ransom our things out of the hands of strangers. 

To see if I missed anything, and because this process has been so mystifying, I live-chatted with Citi today before filing. They again reiterated that they consider their function to be simply to contact the merchant and get a response, " not just give a credit. '' They have never provided documents provided by the merchant nor said anything contended by the merchant other than they refuse to give a credit. The burden of proof has oddly been on me the whole time, and they never said I did not prove my dispute, just that the merchant refused to give a credit. I am completely confused by this process ; how disputing a credit card charge became just the card issuer asking the merchant if they want to give a credit or not?!

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