Consumer complaint received 2025-06-01 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: CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
State: PA

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/XXXX, I attempted to purchase tickets to a XXXX play at XXXX XXXX XXXX in New York XXXX for a performance on XX/XX/XXXX. 
A XXXX search brought up a website with URL : www.wintergardentheatreny.com The site name appeared legitimate, so I ordered tickets for {$1200.00} that included a {$130.00} " cancellation fee. ' But something seemed off immediately after I purchased the tickets. My receipt came from a company not mentioned on the web platform, called Ticket Squeeze. 
( Listed as XXXX on my credit card bill ). Their email said the tickets would not be available until XXXX hours before the performance which was almost a month away. Having purchased tickets before, this did not sound legitimate to me. 

I immediately searched the email from Ticket Squeeze for contact information. The email on the receipt was : XXXX I sent an email to them requesting cancelation -- but I never received a response. I was not able to locate their phone number listed on the receipt or website. 

( Note : The FTCs Impersonator Rule protects consumers when a website impersonates a legitimate business as the fake site pretending to be XXXX XXXX XXXX did. From ftc.gov guidance : The new XXXX specifies that its a rule violation to materially and falsely pose as, directly or by implication, a business or official of that business ) I then called Citizens Bank XXXX using the phone number on the back of my credit card. The Citizens Bank employee said it was clear my card had been compromised since she saw XXXX additional unauthorized charges from the same fraudulent entity. The Citizens employee asked me to stop using my old credit card ending in XXXX. Citizens sent me a new card via FedEx Overnight. 

The Citizens employee said the charges of {$1200.00} would be refunded as a credit on my credit card. A letter dated XX/XX/XXXX, from Citizens confirmed that my account was credited {$1200.00}. 

Unfortunately, on XX/XX/XXXX, I received another letter ( dated XX/XX/XXXX ) from Citizens XXXX claiming they were reversing the temporary credit because the transaction was " authorized. '' I later learned this meant the transaction matched my IP address. Citizens apparently chose to ignore the notes from my initial phone call that resulted in a Citizens Bank XXXX employee canceling the old credit card and sending me a new one while voiding the XXXX charges. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called the Citizens Credit Card XXXX Department number as directed on the letter. After dialing the number, XXXX, a recording said, We are temporarily unable to take your call. Try back another time. There was no opportunity to call elsewhere or leave a message. I tried to reach someone at that number on XXXX more occasions on different days. The recording was always the same. They were never available and there was no opportunity to leave a message. 
I learned there was also a dispute charge phone number : XXXX. I provided detailed information to a Citizens employee through that number on several occasions between XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX, but there was never a follow-up phone call, email or letter as they promised. 

After XXXX of the phone calls to Citizens XXXX, the rep said I needed to go to the bank to verify my identity so she could discuss the case with me -- even though I had a Claim Number. So, I visited the local Citizens XXXX XXXX in XXXX XXXX, PA to verify my identity. 

The XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, did her best to contact someone within the XXXX division to help with my issue. I made trips to the bank on XX/XX/XXXX and again on XX/XX/XXXX. At that time, XXXX XXXX used a special internal phone contact to try to resolve this problem. During XXXX of the calls, XXXX XXXX handed the phone to me so that I could confirm the details of my complaint. XXXX said he would escalate the call and I would get a phone call back. I confirmed that he had the correct phone number. I never received a call back. 

I spoke to several Citizens employees including but not limited to : XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX and XXXX On XX/XX/XXXX I called XXXX. Spoke with XXXX for a second time. She put me on hold to talk to a supervisor. The supervisor, XXXX, came on the line and said I could send an email to : XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I mailed a letter with documentation to Citizens Bank, ATTN : Office of the Customer, XXXX Citizens Bank XXXX, XXXX, XXXX XXXX. I called XXXX of the other numbers provided to me and was given a different address : Credit Card XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX. Box XXXX, XXXX, CT XXXX. 

My mailed documents to Citizens Bank to the address at " XXXX Citizens Way '' closed with this statement : Given the circumstances outlined aboveincluding unauthorized transactions from an impersonating website, a pattern of fraudulent activity from that merchant, a lack of response from the XXXX respectfully request a review and reversal of the disputed charges ( {$1200.00} ) from Citizens Bank XXXX. 

I have not yet heard back from any of my inquiries to Citizens XXXX as of this writing. 

DETAILS in addition to those provided above : Original credit card number ending in XXXX, Expiration XX/XX/XXXX. ( XXXX was cancelled due to fraudulent transactions acknowledged by Citizens Bank XXXX staff. Replaced with new card ). 
Phone numbers called : XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX Claim # XXXX New Claim # XXXX Disputed Charges : {$1100.00} + {$130.00} ( cancellation insurance ) = {$1200.00} Thank you for your help with this. 

Best regards, XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief