Consumer complaint received 2025-03-03 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: WI

Complaint narrative:
Following our letters that were sent to Citibank, they have refused to remove these fraudulent charges. They have dragged their feet making me submit paperwork after paperwork and then putting the charges back on my account. Theres total incompetence with this credit card company and Citibank. Please read the following letters that were sent Complaint letter XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX WI XXXX To : Sears Credit Card Attention : security operations XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, SD XXXX Account ending in XXXX Claim number : XXXX To security operations : The following is a memorial of events and information all 5 fraudulent unauthorized charges from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX and XXXX of XXXX from the reference account. Charges : {$39.00}, {$99.00}, {$170.00}, {$220.00}, {$270.00} I never made these charges to this company and Im disputing all charges. I had used a website called XXXX I tried to purchase a XXXX tree and a XXXX XXXX. This company stole my credit card information and made unauthorized charges. I never received any items from XXXX XXXX or XXXX XXXX XXXX. Within a couple days I was contacted by Sears Credit Card security department. They told me that my card was frauded and that they were going to investigate, they then told me they were going to send me a new credit card which they did. I was told at the time that they would remove the charges in a couple days. This never happened. I called up again, and I was instructed to dispute the charges. I tried to go online to do this, and the charges were initially removed. Your website is impossible to maneuver and even more difficult to state the proper information. 
I then received a letter on XX/XX/XXXX dated XX/XX/XXXX stating that the investigation was closed because I gave my credit card information to XXXX XXXX XXXX, and stating that I was liable for the charges. This is absolutely ridiculous. How can I give my own credit card number to myself? You never investigated the company and or disputed the charges. Sears Credit Card company uses offshore people for their customer service. Many of these people do not speak XXXX properly and more than likely through this incompetence cause this travesty. You need to remove all these charges. I have spent close to 15 hours and 20+ phone calls to try to get this rectified on XX/XX/XXXX. I spoke to a representative XXXX. She told me that she would be reopening the case and to send this letter. There was another disputed charge from comfort and crafted for {$49.00} but I was told to put that on a different letter. The total disputed charges are for {$860.00} all these charges were unauthorized by me and I am not paying for these charges. I am protected by federal law I reported this fraudulent activity within 2 days well within the 60 day timeline. It is my opinion your department has really dropped the ball as they would say Im copying, and forwarding this letter to corporate Citibank. As I stated, I am a Citibank stockholder this type of behavior is going to affect the company one way or another. In closing, making your customer write a two page letter, not allowing email or call back phone calls is a big cause of concern for Citibank. utilizing offshore customer service people that are not trained or versed in handling this type of problem is probably at the core of giving customers sensitive information that should be protected. For this reason, I am escalating this to a formal complaint with Federal Trade Commission and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. 

Feel free to contact me by email XXXX or cell phone XXXX  Regards, ___________________________________ XXXX XXXX XXXX Complaint letter XXXX XX/XX/XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, WI XXXX To : Sears Credit Card Attention : security operations XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, SD XXXX Account ending in XXXX Claim number : XXXX To security operations : The following is a memorial of events and information all fraudulent unauthorized charges from comfort and crafted on XX/XX/XXXX from the reference account. Charges : {$49.00} I never made these charges to this company and Im disputing all charges. I had used a website called XXXX I tried to purchase a XXXX tree and a XXXX XXXX This company stole my credit card information and made unauthorized charges. I never received any items from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Within a couple days I was contacted by Sears Credit Card security department. They told me that my card was frauded and that they were going to investigate, they then told me they were going to send me a new credit card which they did. I was told at the time that they would remove the charges in a couple days. This never happened. I called up again, and I was instructed to dispute the charges. I tried to go online to do this, and the charges were initially removed. Your website is impossible to maneuver and even more difficult to state the proper information. 
I then received a letter on XX/XX/XXXX dated XX/XX/XXXX stating that the investigation was closed because I gave my credit card information to XXXX XXXX XXXX, and stating that I was liable for the charges. This is absolutely ridiculous. How can I give my own credit card number to myself? You never investigated the company and or disputed the charges. Sears Credit Card company uses offshore people for their customer service. Many of these people do not speak XXXX properly and more than likely through this incompetence cause this travesty. You need to remove all these charges. I have spent close to 15 hours and 20+ phone calls to try to get this rectified on XX/XX/XXXX. I spoke to a representative XXXX. She told me that she would be reopening the case and to send this letter. There was other disputed charges from fit in trendy, for {$39.00}, {$99.00}, {$170.00}, {$220.00}, {$270.00} but I was told to put that on a different letter. The total disputed charges are for {$860.00} all these charges were unauthorized by me and I am not paying for these charges. I am protected by federal law I reported this fraudulent activity within 2 days well within the 60 day timeline. It is my opinion your department has really dropped the ball as they would say Im copying, and forwarding this letter to corporate Citibank. As I stated, I am a Citibank stockholder this type of behavior is going to affect the company one way or another. In closing, making your customer write a two page letter, not allowing email or call back phone calls is a big cause of concern for Citibank. utilizing offshore customer service people that are not trained or versed in handling this type of problem is probably at the core of giving customers sensitive information that should be protected. For this reason, I am escalating this to a formal complaint with Federal Trade Commission and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. 

Feel free to contact me by email XXXX or cell phone XXXX Regards, ___________________________________ XXXX XXXX XXXX

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