Consumer complaint received 2024-07-29
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem using a debit or ATM card
Company: CITIBANK, N.A. (CA)

On Wednesday, XX/XX/XXXX at around XXXX, my SON XXXX ( I am a signer on this account with him woke up to multiple phone calls from the phone number XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX and a text message stating the following : CITIBANK : DID YOU SPEND {$980.00} PURCHACE @ XXXX # XXXX WITH CARD ENDING IN XXXX? Reply YES+1 / No+2. This is his accounting of what happened : After looking up the number and seeing that it was the 24-hour Citibank hotline , he answered the phone to see what the issue was. The woman on the line had first asked for my name for verification and proceeded to ask if I had made a charge of {$980.00} at a XXXX  on the East Coast of the USA ( I do not recall which state was mentioned ). After I told her I did not authorize this purchase, she proceeded to refer to transactions that I had made in the past, making me further believe that she was indeed a Citibank worker. She asked me if I had made purchases at the XXXX XXXX  in XXXX, CA, in which I told her yes. She then proceeded to inform me that there were two other transactions being made onto my account and that she would need me to authorize some transactions on my account so that she could reverse the transactions. She first had me go into my Citi app and create a XXXX  transaction for {$5000.00} to sent to recipient # 1 ( I am blocked out of my Citi account so I am unable to see the name of the recipient ). She stated that I needed to create the transaction so that she could cancel it on her end before the pending went through. The whole time I was confused and repeatedly asked Excuse me, but can you explain why this would reverse it? which she would then give an elaborate explanation that kept me in the call. After the zelle transaction, She then said that there was also wire transfer being sent for {$14000.00} and that I would have to do the same process for that transaction. After doing these transactions, the woman stated that I should get a confirmation text saying that the transactions had been canceled. She put me on hold for a few minutes before hanging up abruptly after roughly an hour on the phone. Confused, I instantly called the number back, which sent me to the automated 24-hour Citibank hotline XXXX I tried multiple times, but was unable to connect to anyone. At this point I was very scared and realized that the woman who originally called in the morning had scammed me. I then drove to my local Citibank and met with a banker named XXXX XXXX. I explained the story to her, in which she tried her best to help me with the issue. She helped me call the Citibank fraud helpline and helped block my account to help combat whoever had access to my account. After speaking to multiple fraud help workers, I was told that they would be conducting two investigations for the two separate transactions and could take up to 90 days to hear back on the matter. 

Then I called Citibank ( XXXX XXXX the XXXX for 3 days straight and each time I got someone telling me the funds would be returned and that wire had been cancelled and the XXXX had been cancelled and I just had to wait until the investigation was done to get the funds back. 

10 days later after no communication from Citi I got 2 letters of denial for a refund credit back to my acct for {$14000.00} and {$5000.00} leaving my son with his life savings gone. They took everything he had. Citibank did nothing to help no calls no e mails just the denial letter My son was at the bank within 1 hour of getting the text from Citi and they indicated to me by phone the next 3 days when I called in that he would be getting the funds back and then he never did. They should check their recorded calls with me on XXXX to see what they told me for reference. 

account # is XXXX. This is my sons life savings he is only XXXX XXXX XXXX please help him