Consumer complaint received 2024-07-18 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — Store credit card
Issue: Incorrect information on your report — Information belongs to someone else
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: TX

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/year> I was notified through credit monitoring that there was a charge on an account called THDCBNA added to my XXXX credit report. The account was linked to Home Depot and was opened on XX/XX/year>. A hard inquiry into my credit history was made on the same day. I have never applied for a Home Depot credit card. I immediately filed an identity theft report with the Federal Trade Commission. The report number is XXXX. I then contacted the Home Depot on XX/XX/year>, through their corporate number XXXX. They told me they would cancel the card, and to let them know to contact their fraud department at XXXX. I did so, and the fraud department told me an investigation would be started and that they would be in touch. They did not provide me with a reference number. They confirmed the hard inquiry into my credit on XX/XX/year>, and the creation of a fraudulent card at a Home Depot in-store location, and the accumulation of over {$1000.00} in charges. 

I then contacted Home Depot credit services at XXXX, and spoke to supervisor XXXX, and obtained the following information : someone with a fake or duplicated copy of my driver 's license, in possession of my social security card number, my home address and phone number applied for a Home Depot credit card in person at The Home Depot located on XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX, TX XXXX on XX/XX/year> ; store phone number XXXX. They were approved, and immediately spent {$1000.00} on said card in the same store that same day. The final check-out time was XXXX on Thursday, XX/XX/XXXX. The cashier 's name was XXXX. 

I work in a recorded environment and can provide video evidence of physically being almost an hour 's drive away from the fraud location at the time of the fraud. 

I filed a police report with the XXXX Police Department in XXXX, TX on XX/XX/year>. The report number is : XXXX. The report was accepted by the police, but unfortunately I have never heard back. The XXXX XXXX phone number is XXXX. 

I submitted disputes with the other two credit bureaus, XXXX and XXXX on XX/XX/year>, on top of my original dispute with XXXX which was submitted on XX/XX/year>. 

The Home Depot fraud department told me they would be in touch with me to help conclude the investigation. They have never gotten in touch with me whatsoever. 

On XX/XX/year>, I called The Home Depot credit services as I was still getting persistent calls from the company about the balance on the account. I was informed that the investigation into the credit card was concluded with no evidence of fraud found. Upon checking my physical mail, The Home Depot has mailed me a written conclusion to their investigation which " does not support the claim that this account was fraudulently opened using personal information. '' The letter is dated XX/XX/year>. The letter goes to state that I am responsible for the balance and that the consumer reporting agencies XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX will all be informed as such. 

The written conclusion from The Home Depot does not provide any information about the nature of the investigation whatsoever. There is no evidence listed which places me at the location of the fraud on XX/XX/year>. When speaking to the Home Depot fraud department on XX/XX/year>, I was informed that the Home Depot does not scan-in photocopies of the driver 's license when such an account is opened. It is evident that they could not produce a copy of my signature, or video evidence placing me at the scene of the fraud. As such, I have a very difficult time believing whether or not a fraud investigation was actually undertaken, and whether Home Depot Credit Services have a thorough fraud prevention system for the approval of these credit cards. It can be inferred that it is no coincidence that their business was targeted in this identity theft case, given the apparent lack of a legitimate investigation. 

I checked the status of my disputes with the three credit bureaus on XX/XX/year>. Both XXXX and XXXX have closed my disputes due to the assurances of Home Depot Credit Services that no fraud took place. Strangely, my original dispute with XXXX submitted on XX/XX/year> was accepted, with the statement " THIS ITEM HAS BEEN DELETED FROM THE CREDIT FILE. '' XXXX now does not list this account on my credit report, while the other two agencies do.

I am still getting calls and text messages from The Home Depot about the balance on this fraudulent account. I now have to worry about my credit score being dramatically affected due to fraudulent activity on my XXXX and XXXX credit reports. 

All of this could have been prevented had Home Depot adequately investigated the fraud and correctly reported events to the credit bureaus.

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