Consumer complaint received 2024-10-02
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Deposits and withdrawals
Company: CITIBANK, N.A. (NY)

Dear CFPB, I am writing to seek your assistance in resolving a serious issue with Citibank involving unauthorized transfers and financial fraud. As a senior citizen, I believe this situation may also be affecting other seniors in our community.

In my case, Citibank allowed unauthorized payments and transfers from my account. Despite notifying them within the required 60-day period, they have not credited my account for the total amount of {$7700.00}. 
Additionally, Citibank mistakenly reversed a payment I made to the IRS, assuming it was fraudulent. They have acknowledged this error in writing. As a result, I was charged {$3900.00} in interest and penalties by the IRS. Under threat of property seizure, I paid these charges. However, Citibank has refused to reimburse me for this expense caused by their mistake. 
Furthermore, Citibank has ceased responding to my emails and phone calls, and they have not provided the legally required information regarding their investigation into the fraud. 
I am requesting your intervention to reach out to Citibank on my behalf. I am confident that this is not an isolated incident and that many of your constituents may be similarly affected. 
Below is a more detailed description. I am able to provide more detail. 
Contacts for Citibank are listed below. 
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. 
Best regards, XXXX XXXX XXXX On XX/XX/XXXX I noticed fraud on my Citibank checking account ending in XXXX. I immediately went over in detail with the Citibank representative a list of fraudulent charges and non-fraudulent charges. They would not accept a written list of fraudulent charges and only took a verbal report. Citibank investigated and was able to return some of the money that was taken from my account. However, not all of the money has been returned and Citibank made several mistakes resulting in additional costs to me as explained below. 
On XX/XX/XXXX I reported the fraud. Citibank made XXXX types of errors. They mistakenly said XXXX charges were fraudulent when I specifically told them they were not fraudulent and they did not record several fraudulent charges on the initial call despite me reporting them. 
On XX/XX/XXXX Citibank bank marked a payment of {$250000.00} I made to the IRS on XX/XX/XXXX and {$85000.00} I made to XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX as fraudulent. I specifically told Citibank it was not fraudulent. The IRS returned the money to Citibank but XXXX did not. 
Since the money from the IRS was returned, I was charged interest and penalties. I worked with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. Supervisor, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX at Citibank to get this resolved. It took some time for them to do this and finally I returned the funds to the IRS. Citibank provided me with a letter detailing how it was their fault and asked the IRS to waive the interest and penalties. The IRS did not and after I had asked for several times for a deferral, the IRS threatened me with a notice of intent to seize ( levy ) my property. I paid {$3900.00}. I am requesting that Citibank pay this back to me. 
Several of the fraudulent charges I reported on XX/XX/XXXX have not been credited to my account. They are listed below. 
XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Bank XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX In addition, the Citibank representative failed to record the following as fraudulent despite me reporting them on XX/XX/XXXX so I reported the following again. 
XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX The total for the fraudulent charges that have not been credited to my account total {$7700.00}. 
Citibank recommends that I contact the individual merchant to collect these funds but provides no description of how this can be done or contact information. I have requested copies of their investigation and attempts to retrieve these funds. Citibank states these should be provided by law but I have not received them. 
I am requesting that the interest and penalties charged by the IRS along with the fraudulent charges that are not reimbursed be credited to my account. 
I addition to multiple calls to the general Citibank line and Customer Service, I have been in contact with the following at Citibank : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Supervisor, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 
XXXX XXXX, TX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( he was replaced by XXXX XXXX XXXX above ) XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX Citibank , N.A . 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 
XXXX XXXX Texas XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  Citi XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, NY, XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  : XXXX ( TTY # XXXX ) XXXX XXXX XXXX