Consumer complaint received 2024-02-22
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service — Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Other transaction problem — 
Company: CITIBANK, N.A. (NC)

On XX/XX/2024 there were XXXX unauthorized wire transfers made from my Citi Business account ending in XXXX The unauthorized wire transfers were in the amounts of : {$4900.00}, {$4900.00}, {$4900.00}, and {$34000.00} On this same day I received a phone call from a Citibank representative telling me that there had been some suspicious activity on my account at an XXXX store in XXXX Texas. 
They told me that they would need to put a hold on my account. I checked the number they were calling from and saw that it was displaying the same number on the back of my business debit card : XXXX. 

I felt suspicious about this call as they were asking me if I would provide account information. I did not divulge account information to the caller. I hung up and tried to log into my account to check for any fraudulent expenses. I was unable to access my account. 
I tried to log into my account and change my password but was unable to access my account. When I attempted to change the password from the log in screen I received a message on-screen that " due to technical difficulties we can't complete your verification at this time. '' I called Citibank fraud prevention the next day and asked them to verify if any fraudulent charges had been made on my account from an XXXX store in XXXX TX. They did not see these transactions but they did inform me of the XXXX wire transfers. 
I informed them that I did not send these wire transfers and they were unauthorized. 
I asked that an immediate investigation be started. 

They opened a fraud case for each of the transactions and asked me to look out for an email that would contain XXXX affidavits that I would need to fill out and have notarized and sent back to the email provided. I did this. In each of the affidavits I explained that an unauthorized wire transfer had taken place. I did not give any details about activities that may have led to these transactions taking place. I was not contacted or asked any information about these transactions. 

I received a letter dated XX/XX/2024 that a decision had been reached on Fraud claim number XXXX. My fraud claim in the amount of {$48000.00} had been denied. 

The reason for denial was given as follows : The above-referenced transaction ( s ) were verified using an authenication process with your device ( s ) and/or confidential information. Pursuant to Citibank 's security procedures, the payment order was therefore accepted as your authenticated request. As such we are unable to honor your claim. 

I was never contacted by the Citibank fraud department for any follow up information about what might have occurred or how anyone was able to access my account. The investigation was based only on the affidavits that I sent. 

Wouldn't it be prudent of the bank to try to understand how these fraudulent transactions had been able to occur? 

Whenever I called the Citibank fraud prevention service I was shuffled through multiple offshore call attendants with a poor grasp of the english language. I felt unsafe in the hands of these offshore attendants, as their grasp of my requests very poor and I had to repeat myself several times for them to understand. I was repeatedly transferred amongst multiple attendants. 

The reason I signed up for a Citibank business account was for their promises of fraud protection. Instead they have denied protection or liability for {$48000.00}. I will now have to close my business. The stolen funds was the cash I was dependent upon to order inventory and run my business.