Consumer complaint received 2024-11-08
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement — Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement
Company: CITIBANK, N.A. (CA)

Dear Officer of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ) My name is XXXX XXXX, living in XXXX XXXX, CA XXXX. Ive lived in XXXX for more than 42 years and never moved out of XXXX and never experienced hurricane. 

XXXX VACATION SCAM DISPUTE 1 ) On XX/XX/XXXX I searched for 1st time XXXX vacation with XXXX. Its website does not mention anything about XXXX is a hurricane season. So I booked a vacation for two to XXXX from XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX for {$2700.00}. 

2 ) On XX/XX/XXXX : I tried to call XXXX Vacations to cancel my vacation due to severe hurricane season ( hurricane Helene hit XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX and caused heavy damage in XXXX ). No live agent. I talked to robot and got disconnected twice. 

3 ) Then I had to use chat. Only chat robot was online. I got disconnected twice.

4 ) Chat referred me back to online cancellation. No live agent to help me.

5 ) I had to cancel online. Their system was designed to take money only, no other reason for cancellation is considered. After I clicked cancel my vacation theyre not going to refund my money. 

6 ) On XX/XX/XXXX, at XXXX XXXX : I called Citi XXXX to report that scam and open dispute the whole amount of {$2700.00}. 

7 ) Then from XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX hurricane Milton hit XXXX and caused heavy damage. 

8 ) On XX/XX/XXXX : I called Citi XXXX to follow up with my dispute. Citis rep told me a letter was sent to me on XX/XX/XXXX and asked me to wait. 

9 ) On XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX AM : I called Citi XXXX 2nd time to follow up on existing dispute of {$2700.00} with XXXX Vacations scam. 

10 ) Citis rep again told me that a letter was sent out on XX/XX/XXXX, but I have not received it as of XX/XX/XXXX. Also I signed up for online communication but why the letter sent XX/XX/XXXX was not online. I asked Citis rep to email me that letter ; he said it would take 48 hrs. to process my request. It seems that Citi XXXX did not want to help me at all and wanted to force me to pay for that scam. 

11 ) On XX/XX/XXXX : After 3 days and I have not received any email from Citi XXXX. So I called Citi XXXX again at XXXXXXXX XXXX. The rep promised to send postal mail and email again. Call ended at XXXX XXXX 

This is a SCAM because if the website warned that XXXX is hurricane season, I would not have booked vacation in XXXX. Basically, anyone booked would have lost money 100 % because who would want to risk their lives going to XXXX during hurricane season. 

Lets say XXXX people booked XXXX vacation package with XXXX in XXXX, each cost averagely {$3000.00} ; 50 % bought vacation insurance ( {$300.00} x XXXX = {$450000.00} ) ; 50 % did not ( {$3000.00} x XXXX = {>= $1,000,000} ) So, when hurricane ( s ) hit that area, how many people do you think would be so stupid to still go into the Center of hurricane ( s ) for vacation? I think NONE. 

Then, XXXX would get a total FREE money of {>= $1,000,000} ( XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX dollars ) from cancelled vacations. 

How would you say its not a BIG SCAM??? 

So I would like to report this SCAM ( from XXXX ) and BAD BUSINESS practice ( from Citi XXXX citi.com ) to your agency for help resolving the matter. Also to prevent this from happening to others, I think the Government should do something about it. 

Thank you for your time and Im looking forward to your response. 

Best regards, XXXX XXXX.