Consumer complaint received 2026-07-20 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem using a debit or ATM card
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: NJ

Complaint narrative:
I am submitting this complaint regarding Citibank 's handling of unauthorized transactions on my account and what I believe has been an unreasonably delayed, poorly managed, and inconsistent fraud investigation. On XX/XX/XXXX, while I was at work, three unauthorized transactions occurred on my Citibank account : An unauthorized debit transaction for {$9.00}. An unauthorized ATM withdrawal of {$300.00}. An unauthorized teller withdrawal of {$4300.00}. The most concerning transaction was the {$4300.00} teller withdrawal. According to Citibank 's own published procedures, a teller withdrawal requires a customer to present a valid government-issued photo ID and a Citibank debit card, or alternatively provide their debit card and PIN. Despite these security requirements, an unauthorized individual was permitted to withdraw {$4300.00} from my account without my knowledge or consent. Immediately after discovering the fraud, I contacted Citibank. My account was frozen, and three separate fraud investigations were opened for the unauthorized transactions. During that initial call, I was specifically informed that the investigations had been initiated and that no additional information was needed from me. I was also told that Citibank would be filing a police report regarding the fraudulent activity. To ensure everything was progressing appropriately, I also visited my local Citibank branch. I was again informed that no further documentation or action was required from me for the investigations to continue. However, on XX/XX/XXXX, I received a letter denying my fraud claim because Citibank claimed I had failed to submit a " Statement of Unauthorized Use. '' This was the first time I had ever been informed that such a document was required. At no point during my initial phone call or subsequent visit to the branch was I advised that this form needed to be completed. I immediately returned to the branch to reopen my case and submitted the required Statement of Unauthorized Use on XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, after hearing nothing further, I contacted Citibank for a status update. I was informed that there was no record of my investigation. I then visited my local branch, where employees confirmed that my Statement of Unauthorized Use had in fact been submitted but had never been processed. As a result, I personally had to call the disputes department again to reopen the investigation. At that point, nearly two months had passed with virtually no progress due solely to Citibank 's own internal failures. Even more troubling, I also learned that Citibank had never filed the police report that I had been told would be completed when I first reported the fraud. Relying on Citibank 's representations, I believed this important step had already been handled. Once I learned this had not occurred, I promptly filed a police report with my local police department. A detective later informed me that because the fraudulent teller withdrawal occurred at a different jurisdiction, it would have been preferable for a report to be filed with the police department where the branch is located. By that time, however, nearly three months had passed since the crime occurred. I had relied on Citibank 's assurances that they were handling the matter and was never informed otherwise. During my XX/XX/XXXX branch visit, I was advised that I should receive a final determination by XX/XX/XXXX. When that date passed without any communication, I contacted Citibank again and was then told the investigation could instead take XXXX to 60 days from the date the case was reopened, directly contradicting the timeline I had previously been given. After several months, Citibank issued provisional credits for the {$9.00} and {$300.00} unauthorized transactions. However, the unauthorized {$4300.00} teller withdrawal remains unresolved, and I have not received reimbursement for that loss. Throughout this process, I have experienced an extraordinary lack of communication and accountability. Every attempt to obtain a status update requires repeating my entire case from the beginning, verifying my identity multiple times, and being transferred between departments. Each representative provides different or conflicting information, and no one appears to have meaningful knowledge of the investigation 's status. I have emailed Citibank 's investigation department and never received a response. I have repeatedly requested to speak directly with the investigator assigned to my case and have been unable to do so. I have also requested that the investigator contact me directly. Although I was assured multiple times that someone would reach out, I have never received a call. It has now been approximately four months since I initially reported these unauthorized transactions. I believe Citibank has failed to properly investigate my claim in a timely manner, failed to communicate required documentation, failed to process documents that I submitted, failed to file the police report they represented they would file, repeatedly provided inconsistent information regarding my case, and failed to maintain reasonable communication throughout the investigation. I have been a Citibank customer for many years and expected my bank to protect my account and handle a fraud investigation professionally. Instead, I have experienced months of delays, conflicting information, broken commitments, and a complete lack of transparency. I am requesting the CFPB 's assistance in obtaining a fair and timely resolution. The financial loss has been compounded by the significant burden Citibank 's handling of this matter has placed on me. As a result of these unauthorized transactions, I was forced to close my original account and open a new account at my local branch. Because my banking information changed, I have had to make multiple trips to the branch simply to access or transfer deposits that were sent to my closed account, including my tax refund. Over the past four months, I have spent dozens of hours dealing with this matter. I have had to take time away from work, make repeated trips to the bank, and spend countless hours on the phone with Citibank 's fraud department. Nearly every call requires me to verify my identity, explain my case from the beginning, and then be transferred to another representative who is often unable to provide any meaningful update. Rather than focusing on resolving the fraud, I have repeatedly found myself trying to correct Citibank 's own administrative mistakes and inconsistent handling of my case. I have been a loyal Citibank customer since XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX yet throughout this process I have not felt that I have been treated like the victim of fraud. Instead, the prolonged investigation, repeated requests to reopen my claim, and conflicting information have left me feeling as though I have had to continually prove my innocence rather than receive the assistance and protection I expected from my bank. Citibank has repeatedly failed to follow through on commitments made to me. The most significant example is their representation that they would file a police report regarding the fraudulent activity. I relied on that assurance and later learned that no report had been filed. Because of that misinformation, valuable time was lost before law enforcement became involved, which I believe materially hindered the investigation. This was not an isolated incident. Throughout this process, I have repeatedly received inaccurate and contradictory information from Citibank representatives, making it nearly impossible to understand the true status of my claim or have confidence that it was being properly investigated. Most concerning is that Citibank has never acknowledged or adequately addressed the apparent breakdown in its own security procedures that allowed an unauthorized individual to complete a {$4300.00} teller withdrawal from my account. Rather than demonstrating urgency, transparency, or accountability for this serious security failure, Citibank has subjected me to months of delays, inconsistent communication, and an investigation that still remains unresolved.

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