Consumer complaint received 2024-04-29 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:
On XX/XX/2024 I placed order ( order # XXXX ) for XXXX XXXX treadmill with XXXX XXXX and charged it to my CITI card in amount of {$1800.00}. When I got confirmation email with my order info from the seller I got suspicion that the website was fake and the seller wasnt legitimate since the confirmation came from private email and there was no phone number listed for the seller. I followed up with the seller for update on shipping timeline of the treadmill after couple of days, on XX/XX/XXXX and didnt get any response. After few days the website and the page for my order information stopped working, the links were no longer valid and the website completely disappeared. 

I contacted CITI customer service and reported this charge as fraudulent dispute, dispute number : XXXX. In my opinion it was fraudulent charge since the person faked website to steal money from customers and never intended to ship any of the items that were listed. CITI issued new credit card for me and I was given conditional credit during the investigation. In middle of XXXX I received phone call from CITI representative asking if I authorized this charge and I replied that I authorized the charge but didnt get the item that I ordered and that XXXX still disputing the charge since I didnt receive the item. The CITI customer representative said that the investigation would continue. To my surprise I receive the notice two weeks later, on XX/XX/XXXX informing me that the merchant provided documentation that I authorized the charge, the investigation was closed and the charge was reversed back to my account. 

I called CITI customer service on XX/XX/XXXX and talked with the billing representative that told me that the dispute should have been opened as transactional dispute and not fraudulent since I never received the item. The billing representative opened correct dispute, dispute number : XXXX assured me that it will be investigated and I should get my money back. I received confirmation email for the transactional dispute and conditional credit on XX/XX/XXXX. And one day later received notice from CITI informing me that the investigation was complete and I was responsible for the charge for the item that I never received. 

I contacted executive response unit team and got response that because of conflicting statements CITI can't assist me with resolving my dispute. There is no conflicting statements, simple fact is I purchased item from the fraudulent seller without realizing it and never received the item. 

CITI didn't resolve my dispute and made me responsible for the charge for the purchase that I never received. CITI credit card is taking side with fake merchant that scams people out of money.

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