Consumer complaint received 2024-04-26
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. (NY)

I am filing a complaint about Citibank not responding to my dispute cases seriously. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I fell victim to a scam. I made 3 transactions under the demand of the scammer : {$500.00} through XXXX, {$500.00} through XXXX, and another {$500.00} through XXXX. 

I realized that the person demanding the transactions was a scammer on XX/XX/XXXX after consulting a police XXXX. I filed a police report on the same day, and was advised to dispute the charges with my bank ( Citibank ). I called to request to dispute the charges on the same day. 

Of the three charges, Citibank refused to investigate the {$500.00} transferred through XXXX. I requested for information on their reason. In XXXX, Citibank responded in a letter saying that the transaction is conducted by me personally, and appears to be consistent with my usual activity. I have included a scan of the letter in the file Correspondence. 

I called to explain that I can offer evidence that the XXXX transaction was done due to a scam. I was allowed to appeal. However, my request was rejected again, and I was given the same reason when I requested for information again. I did not include this latter response by Citibank in this complaint because I was unable to remove the PIN for the secured pdf document in which it was sent. But the content is basically the same as their earlier response. 

The two charges done through XXXX reached the investigation phase, with reference numbers XXXX and XXXX. In late XXXX, I receiver XXXX request for information on the two cases, the deadline they set was XX/XX/XXXX ( the request letters are included in the file Correspondence ). 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I sent them all the evidence showing that I was scammed ( the records of my email is included in the file Correspondence ). In two separate emails, I included the exact same documents, differing only in the reference number. In this complaint, I have attached the documents I sent as evidence, combined into one pdf file, under the file name Evidence. I called on XX/XX/XXXX to make sure that Citibank has received my emails. 

Very soon after sending the information, in mid-XXXX, I received a letter from Citibank saying that they could not assist me further with the case XXXX ( their rejection letter is included in the file Correspondence ). 

In XXXX I received another letter from Citibank, telling me that the case XXXX has been resolved : my evidence supported my case, and they performed a chargeback. 

To summarize, I performed three transactions under the manipulation of a scammer. Of the three charges, Citibank refused to investigate one of them. Of the two disputes that they agreed to investigate, one was rejected, and the other one was successful, even when the exact same evidence was provided. 

In late XXXX I called Citibank to inquire about the case XXXX that they refused to chargeback on. They could not give me any clear reason, and agreed to let me file an appeal. They demanded that I send all the evidence that I have previously emailed them, this time through mail, to reopen the case. I sent the documents, together with a cover letter, immediately. 

In late XXXX, I received a letter by Citibank about the appeal. The case now is given a new reference number : XXXX. The letter asked me to fill in a form on some information about the case. Even though all the information inquired is already provided in the documents I sent them, I filled the form and sent it back ( a scan of the filled letter is included in the file Correspondence ). I paid for XXXX tracking when I sent back the form, the tracking number is XXXX. It was confirmed to be delivered on XX/XX/XXXX. So there is no way Citibank did not receive it. 

In early XXXX, I received another letter from Citibank. It was exactly the same as the previous one, asking me to fill in a form on the same information. The case number has changed again to XXXX for reasons unknown. 

At this point I dont think I am being taken seriously by Citibank anymore. So I hope the CFPB could help me with this. 

I have attached two documents in this complaint. One titled Correspondence, which includes the records of correspondence between Citibank and me. The other document is titled Evidence, which includes the evidence I have sent to Citibank proving that I was scammed. 

The file Correspondence includes the following documents : XXXX : XXXX response to why they refused to investigate the {$500.00} sent through XXXX XXXX : XXXX request for information on the case XXXX XXXX : XXXX request for information on the case XXXX XXXX : My email providing information for the case XXXX XXXX : My email providing information for the case XXXX XXXX : XXXX XXXX informing me that they refuse to chargeback for XXXX XXXX : XXXX XXXX informing me that the dispute case XXXX is successful XXXX : XXXX request for information on the appeal case XXXX, filled and signed XXXX : An exact same letter as above with a new reference number. 

The file Evidence includes the following documents : XXXX : Overview and Timeline of the Scam XXXX : Sublease Agreement signed by the summers XXXX : Scans of the fake check, the card of the officer who took my report, etc.. 
XXXX : Email records with the scammer XXXX : Text message records with the scammer