Consumer complaint received 2025-05-09 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a company's investigation into an existing problem — Difficulty submitting a dispute or getting information about a dispute over the phone
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: WA

Complaint narrative:
MY LETTER TO CITIBANK/XXXX  XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Citibank / XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX  XXXX To Whom It May Concern, The purpose of this letter is to provide Citibank / XXXX XXXX with a final opportunity to resolve a credit card dispute that has been ongoing since XXXX, XXXX. This will be my final attempt to find resolution before I take legal action to remedy the damage I have suffered to my once-excellent credit score as a direct result of the incompetent handling of my billing dispute. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, we placed an order by phone to purchase XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX from XXXX XXXX for our XXXX XXXX. After XXXX no-shows for measurements ( we live XXXX hours from our XXXX XXXX ) we finally were accommodated. The order was charged to my XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX, for {$5000.00}. We were then notified that the installation would be delayed until late XXXX, and we explained that this would not be possible as the XXXX  was sitting empty and we needed to get it on the market. 

Because XXXX XXXX could not accommodate an earlier installation, we cancelled the order ) on XX/XX/XXXX and received a confirmation by email. Again, the delay in cancelling the order was because it took XXXX attempts to finally get a measurement and installation date. The manager at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX insisted that we would be charged a restocking fee of {$140.00}. We insisted that we should get a full refund, XXXX XXXX should be responsible for the delay, but she was firm. 

We received the XXXX XXXX credit card statement dated XX/XX/XXXX reflecting a credit of {$4800.00}, our purchase amount minus the restocking fee. I called XXXX to dispute the restocking fee. The new balance on the statement was {$2900.00} and I made a minimum payment of {$30.00}. 

I received a new XXXX XXXX credit card XXXX  XXXX. I then received a statement for that new account number dated XX/XX/XXXX with a balance of {$2900.00} and showing a pay-by-phone payment on XX/XX/XXXX of {$30.00}. It appears that the first card was cancelled and replaced by the new card ending # XXXX. 

I received a statement dated XX/XX/XXXX for account ending # XXXX listing transactions including a XX/XX/XXXX XXXX TRANS BAL BETWEEN XXXX ( XXXX ) for {$4800.00}. It appeared that the credit issued on the first account # XXXX had been transferred onto the new account # XXXX as a balance. The total due on this statement was {$4900.00}. I called Customer Service on XX/XX/XXXX and they agreed that it appeared that this was an error. I was given Client Partner Referral Dispute  Case # XXXX and was assured that it would take XXXX to XXXX business days to resolve. 

I received the XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX card statement for the new account ending # XXXX, which still reflected the {$4900.00} previous balance PLUS late fees and interest, now totaling {$5000.00}. I began to get collection calls and notices about this late unpaid balance. 

My XXXX  called on XX/XX/XXXX and spoke with XXXX in XXXX XXXX XXXX. She remarked that it looks like it was a debit, not a credit and that perhaps this was transferred from the old account to the new account, a misapplied payment. XXXX transferred me to XXXX who works in the XXXX XXXX  at Citibank who created a referral to XXXX, case # XXXX. XXXX assured my XXXX  that the problem would be resolved within XXXX business days. 

I received a phone call from a person trying to collect on this overdue account. I hope there is a recording of that call. Following the call, we received a letter dated XX/XX/XXXX explaining that they would no longer call to collect but that they may report your account as past due to the credit bureaus. 

We called again on XX/XX/XXXX and, after much effort, reached XXXX in the XXXX XXXX  referencing our XXXX case # XXXX. He was awful and unprofessional when speaking to my XXXX, mansplaining to her that he would re-route her to Customer Service and he refused to transfer us to his XXXX. Perhaps you have a recording of that call, I recommend that you review it. XXXX transferred us to XXXX, XXXX for Citibank XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX handed off the case to XXXX, XXXX in Customer  Service. XXXX reviewed the facts and submitted a dispute on the charge, case # XXXX. XXXX asked that we fax all of the relevant documents to XXXX, which we did ( XXXX pages ) and asked for our patience as this could take XXXX  days to resolve. 

I had been alerted by XXXX XXXX that my credit score had dropped XXXX points. 

We continued to receive late notices from Citibank and XXXX XXXX so we faxed these to XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX at the number above but received no response. This brought our total number of faxed pages to XXXX. We called on XX/XX/XXXX and spoke with XXXX who noted the details in our log. 

On XX/XX/XXXX we called XXXX at Citibank for XXXX XXXX XXXX. She transferred us to XXXX, a Customer Service XXXX. XXXX transferred us to XXXX. 

XXXX spoke with my XXXX  and assured her that the review group had ruled in my favor over the dispute. The amount of {$4900.00} would be adjusted in XXXX to XXXX  months and she claims that she initiated a correction to the XXXXedit Reporting Agencies while we were on the phone with her. 

I continued to receive notices from my credit card companies that my credit score had dropped due to XXXX XXXX reporting and my available credit plummeted. 

On XX/XX/XXXX we called XXXX at Customer Service. He transferred us to XXXX who transferred us to XXXX XXXX Customer Service. XXXX transferred us to XXXX in XXXX XXXX. XXXX or gave us the number to call XXXX. XXXX transferred us to XXXX in the Billing Department / Disputes. The call was disconnected and when we called back we reached a recording that the department is closed. 

The next day on XX/XX/XXXX we reached XXXX at XXXX who is in management for Citibank for XXXX XXXX. He advised that in our notes on XX/XX/XXXX it was noted unable to remove negative remarks to reporting agencies because there was no reason for it to be past due and he suggested that he submit another referral that he ( XXXX XXXX disagrees with the conclusion adding that it would take XXXX month to decide. This was unacceptable so XXXX offered to transfer us to Senior Specialists department. XXXX doesnt know to whom this group reports, but XXXX reports to that department. 

Eventually on XX/XX/XXXX we reached XXXX, Account Manager in the Senior Specialists group who told us that she reviewed all of our transactions and she concluded that we were wrong, we owed XXXX XXXX the amount as shown on the statements. She mentioned that a check had been sent to us in error so this was why we were charged. We have no recollection of any such check and can not figure out what happened and why no one seemed to be able to communicate accurately. We asked for a letter or email detailing why she was claiming that this is a legitimate charge, but she stated that we dont do that. XXXX offered that we should escalate in writing to this address. 

I will expect a communication from you within XXXX  days of receipt of this letter. If I owe this balance, I expect a written communication detailing why you believe that you are correct. If you can satisfactorily show a legitimate debt, I will pay the balance. Regardless, XXXX XXXX XXXX Citibanks handling of this matter is disgraceful and I expect that my credit be fully restored or I will have to take legal action. 

FOLLOW UP ACTIONS I have made payments on time since XX/XX/XXXX once Citibank communicated that they had reversed their earlier determination that the dispute had been resolved in our favor in XX/XX/XXXX. In XX/XX/XXXX they reversed their position and determined that we did owe the balance amount, although they still had not provided proof that it was owed. 

I am attempting to get a mortgage and was shocked to discover that the promise on XX/XX/XXXX to reverse negative reporting during the OPEN dispute had not happened. As a result, I submitted a formal request to Citibank to correct the negative credit reporting. Their reply to my request that they reverse the negative reporting came today : " Because the previous payments reflect the manner in which your account was maintained, we are unable to update the payment history. ''

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 non-monetary relief