Consumer complaint received 2024-09-11 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems — Other problem
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: OH

Complaint narrative:
In XXXX and XXXX of XXXX, the XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ) provides a lottery to allow visitors onto their reservation to view amazing waterfalls. The only time you can get dates for a trip is during this lottery. The XXXX village sits in a canyon ( think XXXX XXXX ) and the only way to access it is via an XXXX mile or by helicopter. Visitors are not allowed on the XXXX reservation unless they win this lottery. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I paid {$120.00} on my Citi credit card to be entered into the pre-sale lottery. There is no receipt for this, you just pay online and that is it. The credit card charge was sent to Citi for this case On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a notice from the XXXX XXXX, via email that I was entered into the presale lottery and would be notified no later than the XXXX if I won. This email was sent to Citi for this case On XX/XX/XXXX, I received confirmation, via email, I had won XXXX lodge rooms at the reservation for the dates of XXXX through the XXXX. This email was sent to Citi for this case On XX/XX/XXXX, I was also charged {$4500.00} on my Citi credit card for the cost of the two lodge rooms. There is no receipt from the XXXX XXXX for this, just the email confirming I won the rooms. This email was sent to Citi for this claim Those are literally, the only emails received from the XXXX XXXX  related to securing lodging on the Reservation On XX/XX/XXXX, flash flooding ripped through the XXXX XXXX ( a quick XXXX XXXX  will give you a plethora of information ). Unfortunately, it decimated the village, wiped out villages, caused XXXX XXXX, people were evacuated via XXXX helicopters ( the only way into the reservation is via an XXXX mile hike or a helicopter ), and XXXX eventually made it to the village to provide assistance. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I received an email from the XXXX XXXX  that the village was indefinitely closed to outsiders until further notice. This email was sent to Claim On XX/XX/XXXX, and based upon knowing the village would not open before my reservation would occur, I contacted the credit card ( Citi bank XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ) to invoke the trip insurance they are supposed to provide. I On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a letter from Citi about the claim being set up and replied the same day uploading the aforementioned documents along with additional information related to the closure. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a generic letter from Citi sating they are missing information related to the claim On XX/XX/XXXX, I also called Citi to discuss their generic letter. After finally getting to speak with a person by pressing random numbers since they didn't provide a prompt that related to my issue, the woman that provided assistance did a great job explaining the generic letter and even stated " They sent that letter out to try and get the person to call ''. This would appear to be a purposefully set roadblock by Citi to try and get people to stop trying to get the supposed benefit the card is supposed to provide. She stated there were two items I needed to type out ( literally one sentence each ) and upload. This appears beyond superfluous and another little roadblock Citi does to intimidate people. I uploaded those documents and the final document she stated she needed was the " receipt '' showing the charge. I explained they don't provide one and she stated that is what the adjuster was stating was needed. I asked to be transferred to the " adjuster '' handling the claim. They were ending their work day and stated they would call me the next day. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a call from the adjuster. I explained I uploaded the superfluous documents but there is nothing else I have from the XXXX XXXX. She stated they can't do anything without that documentation. I explained they are a XXXX XXXX, have been doing this the same way for decades, Citi has all the information I have ( and shows the dates and costs for the trip ). I was told it didn't matter and without it, Citi says tough luck. I asked to speak with a manager and explaining, again, there is no additional documentation, the reservation is a XXXX XXXX  that rarely communicates with visits in the best of times ( there is literally no phone number, everything is done by email and response could be 3 days, could be two weeks ). I got the same run around that they would deny the claim. I asked about appraisal or mediation and was brushed off. I asked for their legal contact information and was told I couldn't get it. I then asked them to provide the denial and I'll look at other legal avenues as this appears to be a purposeful tactic to make it as difficult as possible to receive the supposed benefits of the credit card. 
It was finally determined that the XXXX XXXX is going to stay closed the month of XXXX and will try to re-open XX/XX/XXXX. 

I am being denied the supposed benefits of this Citi credit card because they expect me to force an XXXX XXXX ( which is a XXXX XXXX  ) to change their practices they have been doing for decades, while they are dealing with a natural disaster, just so someone can " check a box '' to show a document, that doesn't exist, was received.

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 explanation