Consumer complaint received 2021-04-01
Product: Credit card or prepaid card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement — Card was charged for something you did not purchase with the card
Company: CITIBANK, N.A. (ME)

On XX/XX/2021 I was victim of a phishing scam. A pop up text appeared on my phone, from someone posing as a tech representative from XXXX. It said that my devices had been hacked, and all my financial accounts were in jeopardy. I was instructed to call a number, and they would help me. I was immediately in a state of stress and called the number. The man asked for access to my computer. I asked him for identification. He showed me an XXXX certificate, verifying his position and employ with the company. He identified as XXXX Agent XXXX. We proceeded, and I was on the phone with him for 4 hours. He convinced me to go to the XXXX XXXX in XXXX, Maine ( 30 miles away ) and purchase gift cards in the amount of {$6000.00} ( 6 {$500.00} cards from XXXX, 6 {$500.00} cards from XXXX ), using my Citicard credit card. He said it was to " lure the hackers, so we could catch them. '' I purchased the cards, sent him photos. By this time I was traumatized, terribly shaken, and cut him off. I drove home and immediately called Citicards Customer Service and asked them to cancel the card. I told them my story, and the representative assured me that I would not be charged for the transaction. I spent the following weeks changing my passwords, closing and reopening bank accounts, shutting down other accounts that the scammer had opened in my name without my authorization, reporting it the FTC and the State Police. I thought I had covered everything. 

I called Citicard again to be sure that all was ok. I was again reassured. Then my next credit card statement arrived, which included the {$6000.00} purchase. I paid everything else on the statement ( my usual small purchases for gas and other incidental purchases ), not including the {$6000.00} transaction. I wrote my first letter ( dated XXXX XXXX, 2021 ) to Citicard opening a dispute, sent it registered mail. Two weeks later I received an email saying they would contact me with their decision. I then received a letter from Citicard saying they would hold me responsible because I " authorized the purchase, owned the cards, etc. ) I wrote a second letter, explained that I never used the cards ( I had cut them up, but still had them ), and that I wanted to appeal their decision. Another Customer Service Rep told me on the phone that " there is no appeal process. '' I wrote a second letter ( dated XXXX. XXXX, 2021 ), stated that I could not, and would not pay. I reminded Citicards that their online advertisements say " we protect our customers before, during and after transactions '', and that they take fraud involving seniors seriously. The ads further explain that they monitor transactions, and when something seems irregular, they shut the transaction down. This did not happen for me. I never purchase gift cards. I never use my credit cards for large purchases. I have been a good customer of Citicards for 30 years. And now I'm being treated as if I am the criminal. I want this money credited to my account. There are too many of us, especially seniors, who are victimized by this kind of crime. We need help after the fact ; not just information about how to avoid such scams. It's not enough. I hope you can help me with this appeal to Citicards. I have not yet received a reply to my second letter.