Consumer complaint received 2024-05-14
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Deposits and withdrawals
Company: CITIBANK, N.A. ()

In XX/XX/XXXX, I filed a claim with Citibank ( XXXX ) as my checking account ending in XXXX was closed without my authorization. 

After a first investigation, Citibank informed that : " Our records indicate that on XX/XX/XXXX your Checking account ending in XXXX The fund in the amount of {$1600.00} was made as teller cash withdrawal. The details of the withdrawal are as follows : Amount of Transaction : XXXX. Time of Transaction ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX. Location : XXXX '' As I did not make this withdrawal, I filed a new claim due to an unauthorized transaction ( # XXXX ). Citibank answered this second claim initially on XX/XX/XXXX indicating that it was denied based on : " Information that shows that your card was used as a form of identification at the time of the withdrawal ( s ) using your personal identification number ''. After consulting with Customer Services, they informed by phone that my funds were withdrawn from my checking account and transferred to another account under my name. I informed Citibank that this is impossible as I do not have and have never had any other account with Citibank. Because of this, I was recommended to open a new claim for an Identity Theft this time ( XXXX XXXX ). 

This third investigation was delayed until XX/XX/XXXX as additional information was needed. All the documents requested, including a notarized affidavit of identity theft, was sent to Citibank in XX/XX/XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX Citibank denied the identity theft claim ( # XXXX ) for the following reasons : Information that was provided matches the information of file with Citibank used for the account opening / Account statements were sent to your address of record/ You are actively using the account by making deposit and performing transactions. I disputed this outcome as not true and challenged Citibank to provide such evidence ( see attached letter ), so they reopened the claim investigation. 

In XX/XX/XXXX, after many phone calls to Citibank I was informed that the Identity Theft claim # XXXX ( fourth investigation ) was closed as open in error as they manage to identify another person as the owner of the account were my funds were transferred to. Citibank refused to provide a letter with the outcome of this fourth investigation and recommended to re-open the original unauthorized transaction investigation ( # XXXX ) including a note with the outcome of claim # XXXX ( funds were " wrongly '' transferred to a third person account ). 

In XX/XX/XXXX Citibank informed that claim XXXX XXXX was denied, once again, as their fifth investigation could not find any new information for validating my claim. Since this answer does not make any sense ( the fourth investigation already showed that my funds were " wrongly '' transferred to a third person ) I have requested a review of the case. 

Citibank has now reopened the original unauthorized claim investigation # XXXX, for the third time in 9 months, which clearly indicates a poor handling of Customer Services and the Fraud Prevention unit of this case : XXXX different investigations for the Identity Theft claim to realize that the funds withdrawal from my account and transfer to a third person was " a mistake '' by Citibank and XXXX additional unauthorized transaction investigations without being able to connect the dots. 

In addition to the frustration, disappointment and exhaustion caused by the poor management of this case by Citibank, I have been denied the right of using my funds during a whole year, which have affected my financial situation and well being. All of this, due to the continuous mistakes and negligence of the claim investigators at Citibank.