Consumer complaint received 2025-06-06 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement — Card was charged for something you did not purchase with the card
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: IL

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/year> I was approached by XXXX individuals in front of a XXXX XXXX  at XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX. XXXX of the individuals explained that his XXXX  had recently been XXXX  and he was asking for donations to help pay the XXXX  costs. I learned later that this is a common deceptive practice. The man and the other younger boys were wearing badges on lanyards ( which were apparently fake ) that indicated their fund raising was authorized by the XXXX of XXXX, the XXXX of XXXX, and XXXX XXXX XXXX. He explained that he was only allowed to collect donations via credit card and asked me if I could donate {$5.00}. I agreed to donate {$5.00}. He entered {$5.00} into a handheld device, showed it to me his phone, which had a credit card scanner attached to it. I tapped my previous ( now cancelled ) card on the scanner after he showed me the amount {$5.00} on the screen. The XXXX younger men then attempted to distract me, and I looked away while the man apparently changed {$5.00} to {$5000.00} and attempted to process the charge more than once. XXXX of the boys had handed me a clipboard that showed a list of the other people who had supposedly donated and a pen that was not working. While trying to sign the document on the clipboard, the other older boy grabbed my phone from my hand and held it momentarily. It was in that moment that he was able to respond " yes '' to a text from CitiBank. My phone then died when I took it back as it was very low on charge. The XXXX of them then hurried away down the sidewalk. I knew I was the vicitim of a crime. 

I suspected immediately that I was the victim of a credit card fraud or deceptive practices crime. But my phone was now off and needed a few minutes to recharge. 

When my phone was sufficiently charged ( about XXXX minutes later ) I received a call from the Citibank XXXX XXXX department. I spoke with someone ( did not get a name ) who told me that they recognized the charge as suspicious/fraudulent charge, that it would be declined, and I told that person that I never authorized any charges of {$5000.00} to XXXX  * XXXX XXXX XXXX I was assured by the Citibank representative would be declined and removed from my account. And, confidently, that I did not need to worry because my account was protected by Citicard XXXX XXXX. Since then I have spoken with several other Citicard and Citi XXXX XXXX department who have all assured me that I would not be responsible for the charges, which were entered as {$5000.00}, not the {$5.00} I agreed to donate for the XXXX  's XXXX  costs. 

What I find to be CitiBank 's fault is that after recognizing the first {$5000.00} as fraudulent and declining the charge, and recommending I immediately cancel the card, which I did within a few minutes of the fraudulent transaction ( s ), Citi then processed XXXX more identical charges and transferred them to a new account they setup for me after cancelling the card that was used at the time of the incident. In their most recent letter they mentioned that the XXXX  and XXXX  charges were processed by them during a period of " security closure '' clearance, which was after the first charge was declined by CitiCard, and after the card presented at the time of the incident was cancelled. I received no notification from Citi of the XXXX and XXXX charges, but they themselves recognized the XXXX  charge of {$5000.00} was fraudulent and declined it. 

I have sent them numerous documents and have also engaged an attorney, XXXX XXXX to help me resolve this matter. I can provide all the documents to CFPB at your request. 

After CitiCard received the first communication from my attorney, which advised Citi to not contact me directly, they did call me directly anyway. 

Also, after the incident on XX/XX/XXXX, I had numerous calls and spoke with several representatives from CitiBank, who all told me I would not be held responsible for any of the XXXX {$5000.00} charges from XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX on the afternoon of XX/XX/XXXX. 

I have provided CFPB with several of the documents submitted as evidence that this was deceptive criminal practices, and that the first charge was declined by me on the phone and subsequently by CitiCards, within a few minutes of the incident, as I was in direct contact and received in person assistance from a Citicard representatives. 

At a different time I spoke with XXXX ( ID # XXXX ) at the Citi XXXX fraud team ( US phone number XXXX ). On that call and several others, CitiBank representatives told me that I would not be held be responsible for these charges. My credit card statement and written correspondence, received much later, confirm a different message. 

CitiCard continues to restate that since I was " scammed '' it was not a fraudulent charge, and that since I provided my card ( for a {$5.00} payment ) I am responsible for XXXX charges of {$5000.00}, the XXXX  of which CitiCards themselves recognized as fraudulent, and knew to decline. They called me minutes after the incident occured ( incoming phone record provided in attachments )- so CitiCards clearly recognized the XXXX  charge was fraudulent/suspicious activity. The XXXX  and XXXX  charges were processed by CitiCard with no notification or authorization by me, and after the card had been cancelled. Citi continues to assert that I approved the charges because I presented my credit card. This is puzzling ; I present my credit card at every in person transaction, but if any other store or vendor were to tell me something was {$5.00} and then attempt to charge me {$5000.00}, XXXX times, and they allowed it to go through, I would think Citi should understand this is the fault of their own processing systems.

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