Consumer complaint received 2025-03-01 00:00:00
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.
State: NY

Complaint narrative:
Note that CitiBank is currently investigating, they said that I should know more by the first or second week of XXXX. I was told by my father to file a complaint here. 

In XX/XX/XXXX, we began using the services of a company, XXXX XXXX XXXX purposes. XXXX was to provide XXXX services to XXXX, these services included : discovering what XXXX options we were eligible for, guidance/assistance with the XXXX process in its entirety, document collection/verification, submission of our XXXX application by an XXXX  lawyer, career development, biometrics screenings, final XXXX  costs, etc., To begin the process, XXXX requested a total payment of {$1400.00} USD ( split into three payments, {$300.00}, {$580.00}, and {$610.00} ), which they said would cover the creation of our profiles with the government of XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX which XXXX options we would be eligible for, a formal evaluation, document collection/verification, and continual assistance and access to XXXX employees for guidance ). 

The first payment of {$300.00} USD occurred on XX/XX/XXXX, the second payment of {$580.00} USD occurred on XX/XX/XXXX, and the third payment of {$610.00} USD occurred on XX/XX/XXXX ( these payments were made using my Chase Debit Card ). 

On XX/XX/XXXX, we received our evaluation results, which provided more detail on the XXXX program we were eligible for, this was the XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. After which, we had a telephone conversation with our assigned Account XXXX, XXXX XXXX. It was during this telephone conversation that XXXX XXXX informed us that an additional payment of {$4200.00} USD would need to be submitted in order to move forward with XXXX  services and to receive our XXXX  as previously indicated, their services included : guidance/assistance with the XXXX process in its entirety, document collection/verification, submission of our XXXX  application by an XXXX lawyer, career development, biometrics screenings, final XXXX costs, etc., We had concerns with the price, {$4200.00} USD, as well as the previous price of {$1400.00} USD, which we stated to XXXX XXXX during our telephone XXXX and in the email sent to him on XX/XX/XXXX. We told XXXX XXXX that we felt the initial fee of {$1400.00} USD was too high as what XXXX had " completed '' for us was something we could have easily completed on our own ( without the use of a company such as XXXX  ). We also stated our concerns with using XXXX for this reason and asked XXXX XXXX why we would use their company over others or doing it on our own. In addition, we asked if there would be any additional fees after the {$1400.00} USD and {$4200.00} USD/if we should anticipate other fees outside of this amount, to which XXXX XXXX responded XXXX no, no more fees would be incurred. XXXX XXXX stated that if there were to be any additional fees, they would be covered by XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX exam, XXXX credentials, biometrics screeningsXXXX XXXX  etc., ). XXXX XXXX also explained that the {$4200.00} USD payment could be split in two, {$2100.00} USD required at that time, followed by another payment of {$2100.00} USD completed at a later point in time. As a result of this conversation and email, as well as XXXX XXXX assurance that XXXX could be trusted, that they would submit our XXXX application fully with no mistakes, and that there would be no more fees, we submitted our first payment of {$2100.00} USD. This payment was completed on XX/XX/XXXX using my CitiBank XXXX. The second payment of {$2100.00} USD was completed on XX/XX/XXXX using the same CitiBank XXXX. 

We started to become concerned and suspicious with XXXX and their business practices after completing our second payment of {$2100.00} USD on XX/XX/XXXX. The XXXX  team provided no proof that they had submitted anything on our behalf, they continually asked for more and more documentation ( documents that should have been requested at the beginning of this process back in XXXX ), and they had different people answer our phone calls each time that we called and expressed our concerns. It became impossible to get a hold of our Account Executive, XXXX XXXX, and according to the individuals that we spoke to, they did not know where XXXX XXXX was. XXXX also told us that we would be facing more fees, booking/scheduling the XXXX exam and receiving a XXXX credential for XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX fees that we were told that they would cover back in XXXX ). In addition, we were made aware that XXXX  is not registered with the XXXX and can not legally represent us or submit our application as that would be a violation of immigration law, another extremely disturbing thing to find out. They told us their work around for this was using an RCIC lawyer, XXXX XXXX ; however, they refused to provide any contact information for this lawyer, which we asked them to provide multiple times. Please also note that XXXX  records all of their phone calls ( they do not tell you that they are recording but we asked, and they confirmed ) meaning that there is even further documentation of the things we are reporting to you. 

After all of these revelations, we became even more concerned and sent several emails to XXXX/their team, as well as called their business multiple times. Again, we ended up speaking with a different person each time, these individuals claimed to not have access to our case or any answers to the questions we had written/asked ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, ). We kept asking to speak with our Account XXXX, XXXX XXXX, and were again told that he was not available, they could not track him down, and they did not know where he was. We finally ended up speaking with XXXX XXXX, who is apparently in charge of Customer Service. We again explained all the issues that we were having to XXXX XXXX and expressed our concerns with XXXX  and the numerous falsities we were told. XXXX XXXX was unprofessional and rude ; he was unhappy that we were calling to explain our issues and continually kept fighting us on the call. We explained to him that XXXX was in violation of our agreement and that the things we were told by our Account XXXX, XXXX XXXX, were not the case. XXXX XXXX continually made excuses and spoke over us, talking in circles. We explained to him that we needed to speak to him, as well as XXXX XXXX and that the games were no longer acceptable. We also requested a refund several times and explained that we needed the following items from XXXX and XXXX XXXX, which XXXX XXXX agreed to produce multiple times throughout our phone calls ( we also listed these items out in numerous emails to XXXX ), see below XXXX. Contact information ( phone number and email ) for the XXXX lawyer who is apparently submitting our case, XXXX XXXX. 
XXXX. Confirmation that any and all additional fees would be waived as promised ( these include the XXXX, XXXXXXXX XXXX and Biometrics ). 
XXXX. A written report and or statement regarding the status of XXXX 's efforts to date, and remaining steps to be completed. 
XXXX. Names and contact information for XXXX  staff responsible for completing all components of the immigration process. 
XXXX. An itemized report from XXXX on any work for our case to date ( task, hours spent, person involved, etc. ). XXXX XXXX said he had such a list at the beginning of our telephone conversation today. 
XXXX. Contact information for the XXXX XXXX XXXX of XXXX. 
XXXX. Allocation of a refund based on the significant problems that have evolved with XXXX including the excessive amount of time that we have expended in terms of performing the work that XXXX was to perform. At this point in time, I am expecting a full refund in the amount of {$4200.00} USD. I have not included the additional payment of {$1400.00} USD that was initially paid to you ( making the total cost of services {$5600.00} ), in which I questioned the services being provided as what had been completed could have easily been done by me and was done under false pretenses by XXXX ( using an XXXX score that I did not have ). {$570.00} USD will absolutely not suffice and is not commensurate with the work that has been " completed '' by XXXX ( if any ) to date.

XXXX. We need individuals present on the call who are actually working on our case and involved in what has been " completed '' to date. 

XXXX XXXX agreed to call us back on multiple occasions with XXXX XXXX, we even had scheduled calls ; however, he continually dodged each phone call and purposely was not available/having the XXXX staff hang up on us, ignore our calls, or pretend that they could not get ahold of XXXX XXXX or XXXX XXXX. 

The games have been going on for weeks now and we are reaching out as we are unable to get ahold of XXXX and seek ramifications. They continue to cancel scheduled calls, ignore our emXXXX XXXX XXXX all communication. 

We are reaching out to you for assistance and sincerely hope that you can help us resolve this matter. {$5600.00} USD is a lot of money for myself and my family. It is not money that is easy to come by and it would mean the world to us if you could help us get this credited back. We have a son, we want to put him into XXXX, we want him to have the best life possible, and getting this money back rather than getting scammed out of it would make a huge difference for us. We are asking you to help, to protect us, as well as others out there that are falling for this scheme. 

Please help us get back the full amount, {$5600.00} USD ( {$4200.00} USD from CitiBank Mastercard and {$1400.00} USD from XXXX Bank ) and protect others from this devious scam. We have tried reporting the company to XXXX and XXXX, but the company, XXXX continues to post fake positive reviews. XXXX XXXX is also operating as XXXX XXXXXXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX and others are facing the same issues. 

Help me recover my costs and protect others, I would be forever indebted to you.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief