Consumer complaint received 2024-06-02
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service — Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Fraud or scam — 
Company: CITIBANK, N.A. (NC)

The following is the letter I sent to Citibank XX/XX/XXXX Principal Nodal Officer Citibank Headquarters XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXk, NY XXXX Re : XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX {$2400.00} XXXX transaction Pay id XXXX XX/XX/XXXX {$2500.00} XXXX transaction Pay id XXXX XX/XX/XXXX {$2500.00} XXXX transaction Pay id XXXX  Dear Sir/Madame, Please read the explanations below, as well as the transcript/s for the above R numbers. I have contacted Citibank, on numerous dates in an effort to settle this dispute. I am hopeful that you can escalate this case, and get it cleared up. This accounting of events is from my memory today. Please refer to the initial accounting I had with the Fraud department on XX/XX/XXXX or XX/XX/XXXX. They told me I was being recorded. 

The following is an accounting of fraudulent transactions on my checking account listed above : On XX/XX/XXXX I received a text message. The message said it was from Citibank. It asked if I was trying to process a transaction of XXXX tickets for approximately {$300.00}. The message instructed me to answer Y for yes, and N for No. I was not trying to purchase these tickets, so I answered N. 

I then received a subsequent message that read, someone from Citibank would be contacting me within an hour to go through the process of blocking the charges for the airline tickets. 

Approximately 45 minutes later I indeed received a phone call. The person that called me represented himself as being from Citibank. He started the conversation by saying he would make sure that the airline tickets had been blocked, and that I would not be charged for them. 

Then he ( Citibank employee ) started talking about XXXX. He said I also had a large XXXX charge which was going to be charged on my account the next day. I responded I do no have any XXXX charges pending, and I had no idea what he was saying. Then he ( Citibank employee ) started to read off actual payments on XXXX that I had made, saying did you make these charges. Yes, indeed they were transactions I had made. 

I had not questioned that he was from Citibank as it was obvious that he was looking in my account and naming other transactions that I had made. He obviously had full access to my account, or he would have never known about those specific transactions. 

He said in order to block or reverse a XXXX charge, he ( Citibank employee ) would have to call XXXX while putting me on hold and explain to a supervisor at XXXX the issue at hand. Moments later he got back on to the phone and said he had spoken the XXXX Supervisor. She ( XXXX XXXX ) instructed him ( Citibank employee ) to have me ( XXXX XXXX ) follow these instructions. 
Go to the ICON of XXXX in my XXXX profiles I dont remember clearly, but I think he set the profile it up because I used the Citibank app, to see my account. Then on my screen while I was in my bank account there was an ICON in XXXX for XXXX ( XXXX XXXX ). 

He instructed me to enter {$7500.00} to XXXX XXXX. When I tried to do it, a message came back saying it was over the daily limit. He then said we would have to break it up into three transactions as follows : XX/XX/XXXX {$2400.00} and to mark it as Reversal number 1. The next two transactions would have to be dated the following two days. 
XX/XX/XXXX {$2500.00} Reversal number XXXX XX/XX/XXXX {$2500.00} Reversal number 3 As I was doing these transactions, it would ask me for an authorization code. I would then get a text message from Citibank and have to enter that code number the text was saying to enter. When I completed the transactions, he ( Citibank employee ) asked if there was anything else he could do for me. I asked his name. I knew it in XXXX, but you will have to go back to transcript for exact name. 

I was following my account the next couple of days. When I saw there was not a credit given back for these XXXX charges, I called the Citibank number on the back of my card. 

I told them what had happened. They transferred me to the Fraud Department. The person in the Fraud department said he took a full report which included the telephone number of the incoming call of the person representing himself as the Citibank employee. He said the funds should be back into my account in about 10 days. 
The money was returned to my bank account. 

On XX/XX/XXXX the charges were then taken back out of my account, and I received a letter saying that Citibank could not honor the request for reimbursement, stating it was consistent with your normal banking activities. Also included in the letter was a statement saying I have the right to request copies of the information used in the investigation.

I immediately contacted Citibank Fraud department. I was told over and over that I could ONLY leave a message, and that I could not talk directly with them. I then left a message saying I needed to get a transcript of my initial reporting to the Fraud Department. I wanted to make sure that there wasnt anything that was incorrect or omitted. Days later in the mail I received a letter called XXXX XXXX XXXX. 

All this report had on it was the exact three lines of the XXXX transfers. It was hardly a transcript that anyone could make any kind of decision! 

I am demanding that this money be put back into my account immediately! This could have never happened if my account at Citibank was safe from hackers. I do not know these scammers. I had absolutely NO involvement in this case other than following directions from someone representing themselves at an employee of Citibank. I have been short {$7500.00} in my account since XXXX. I have had an account with Citibank for 30 years. 

I thought my money would be safe! 

Please confirm receipt of this letter, as well as what steps will be taken to get this resolved. 

XXXX XXXX This is the email I received from them. I have emailed them asking for a status 3 times, with no response from them. 

Please use this email and unique reference number for all future correspondence *** Dear Client, Thank you for your email. 

We have received your inquiry under reference number XXXX. Your CitiService Officer will respond to your inquiry as soon as possible. 

Please quote the above reference number on all future correspondence relating to this inquiry. 

For any urgent matters, please call us on below given helpline numbers. 

Phone : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Toll Free Number : XXXX XXXX XXXX You can also check the progress of your payment and inquiry through our CitiDirect Portal Want to track a payment : In 3 Simple Steps, access Citi Payments Insights ( CPI ) CitiDirect -> Payments -> Payment Insights Need a quick status on your payment : Use our Citi Inquiry Resolution Portal Need answers to frequently asked questions : Visit our Client Knowledge Centre For us to assist with your inquiry in the most efficient and best manner, please provide the applicable information below, if you have not already included it in your original inquiry. 

Account Number or XXXX ID : Transaction or XXXX XXXXeference : Amount and currency : Value Date : Sincerely, CitiService Team Treasury & Trade Solutions | CitiService Do you know you can now search for any transaction Inquiry and get an instantaneous status response via our new self service capability Citi Inquiry Resolution Portal IMPORTANT NOTE : The information contained in this electronic message and any attachments ( the " Message '' ) is intended for one or more specific individuals or entities, and may be confidential, proprietary, privileged or otherwise protected by law. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately, delete this Message and do not disclose, distribute, or copy it to any third party or otherwise use this Message. Electronic messages are not secure or error free and can contain viruses or may be delayed, and Citi and its affiliates and/or the sender is not liable for any of these occurrences. Citi and its affiliates and/or the sender have no responsibility for unauthorized access and/or alteration to this communication, nor for any consequence based on or arising from your use of information that may have been illegitimately accessed or altered. The Citi and its affiliates and/or the sender reserve the right to monitor, record, transfer cross border and retain electronic messages.