Consumer complaint received 2021-01-21
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: OH
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:
Failed Dispute Center Citi Mastercard Citis Dispute Center system has failed me. Every customer service representative I have talked to, agrees that the documentation I have provided clearly proves the dispute in my favor. I provided the documentation per Citis requested timeline and have the email saved ( attached ) to prove that, however Citis current status says that the timeline has expired. 

On XXXX I purchased a XXXX XXXX gaming console for {$190.00}. The vendor shipped instead a phone case! The tracking number was used by the vendor to prove that a package was delivered. I was initially shocked receiving the package, but relieved when I recalled that my credit card has protection to prevent this type of fraud! I'll just file a claim -- - but here is where I learned that my credit card company is not organized well to act on my behalf. 

*I submitted all required documentation to Citi on their timeline. The agents tell me that they can clearly view the information that I sent, on the proper dates. However the official letters I receive from Citi declare that they received no response from me. 

*The Citi representatives are quite friendly and understand the dispute completely, however they have no decision authority and instead need to submit paperwork to the backoffice. 

*I have requested several times to speak to a manager, even once was told that a manager would call me backbut I have never been able to discuss my dispute with anyone beyond the 1st level of customer support. 

*I am told to wait 5-7 business days for any response.

*Many times the automated phone system hangs up on my call.

*A notice appears several clicks deep into My Citi Account, but despite having account alerts enabled, I am never emailed notification of these messages. 

On XXXX I filed dispute XXXX with Citibank, my credit card company. Citi requested all information for the dispute by XXXX. It seems that Citi did not file my paperwork on time with Mastercard, per the latest communication from them on XXXX, stating The time frame in which to resolve a dispute is established by Mastercard, not Citi and state that you must supply a response to the merchant 's rebuttal we sent to you within the specified time frame. We have no rights with which to compel the merchant to issue credit for this charge. Our investigation remains closed. 

On XXXX I emailed Citibank all documentation of the dispute XXXX attached ). This includes the vendor invoice, tracking number, XXXX tracking status showing that it was not a 4lb package but a 2oz envelope, photo showing the envelope with tracking number, photo of the envelope received with tracking number and phone case. On one occasion ( XXXX XXXX XX/XX/2020 ) an agent told me that my email was received but no images the contents of my letter provide a detailed enough description to fulfill the claim : the tracking number, 3rd party evidence from XXXX that the package weight was incorrect. On two other occasions the agents confirmed that my images were visible in the original email ( XXXX XXXX XX/XX/2020, XXXX XX/XX/2020 ) Chat transcript agent confirms documentation received in time. 

I am surprised that Citi has not engaged more on this dispute, as this scam/scammer seems to have slipped through their fraud detection. If Citi was truly acting in the best interest of its cardholders, Citi would want to learn as many details possible from new scams.

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