Date Received: 2023-11-02
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement
Subissue: Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement
Consumer Complaint: I have been dealing with a very large dispute with Citibank and with an unlawful merchant in XXXX, XXXX since XXXX, 2023. In summary, I was manipulated to go into a storefront in XXXX, purchased one silk carpet for {$4500.00} and asked the merchant to hold XXXX other carpets for me while I travelled home to the XXXX to give me an opportunity to think about this very, very large purchase. These carpets were to be heirlooms for my daughter as I am XXXX and have XXXX XXXX. Once I arrived home, I paid for and had him send me those specific silk carpets he put aside for me. I received them and stored them in my garage unopened until I realized they were attempting to extort money from me. Once it hit me what they were trying to do, I then opened the packages to find they sent me cheap carpets, made of wool NOT SILK, and not even the same colors. I then asked for a refund and eventually the merchant agreed ( I have that specific XXXX text ). I initially asked that they please take back these carpets and send me the carpets I actually ordered, have a picture of and clearly had them hold for me. They refused. I want desperately to return these cheap wool carpets worth practically nothing and get my XXXX back from these scammers. I sent a XXXX page color document to Citibank via regular mail so both Cards dispute teams could physically see the DIFFERENT COLORS AND TEXTURES of what I ordered vs. what was delivered. As I understand it, when this document is scanned in, it turns to BLACK AND WHITE. In looking at the scanned document, Citi can not distinguish the COLORS. This makes for a difficult time actually SEEING what I ordered vs. what the vendor delivered. It is the most simple and clear case of bait and switch. I have spent hundreds of hours on a recorded line and sent in hundreds of pages of documents proving that I was deceived, scammed, and being taken advantage of, likely because of my age and XXXX. Citibank refuses to accept videos. I have a staged video of this merchant pretending to have his store shut down, in line with his story of tax evasion and imprisonment that he was being prosecuted for and threatening me trouble with our government if I didn't pay him {$81000.00} immediately. For nothing. This was his bold move at scamming me for EVEN MORE MONEY since he knows I'm XXXX. Citi won't accept my video from them proving what I have been saying since XXXX. Why? I have no idea how Citi continues to deny me protections against such blatant fraud. It seems like the initial calls in in XXXX, 2023, someone filed this case as a " return issue '' case. It isn't about a return. It's about the merchant sending cheap substitute carpets to scam me out of {$100000.00}. It is a clear case of " bait and switch ''. The merchant " befriended '' me and fully manipulated me to trust them. Knowing I am XXXX, they pulled this scam on me. I paid alot of money and they sent me alternate carpets of significantly less value. I believe they did so knowing my health history and knowing I have no time to fight a battle with them. I have made literally hundreds of calls into Citibank for both accounts, spent hundreds of hours on a recorded line sharing the exact same information time and time and time again, sent the same proof over and over again, and still Citi has continued to refuse to have the merchant refund me. I'm old, I have XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX am XXXX, and have many other medical issues outside of XXXX that I'm dealing with which are worsening due to the stress of this dispute, and I have clearly been taken advantage of by this merchant because of my obvious vulnerabilities. And Citi is doing nothing to help. I have contacted the FBI and filed a report. I have contacted econsumer.gov and filed a report. I need this money back. I need these carpets gone. I need this settled properly for myself and my XXXX year old daughter before I go. I have sent hundreds of documents to Citi, it's all there yet still they aren't doing the right thing. The entire basis of my dispute for all of these charges is that the merchant sent me carpets that I did not choose. They sent me WOOL carpets, Citi has the pictures from my garage, not the pink and blue SILK carpets I have shared in that one picture ( they are behind the scale ). That picture is all I have as proof of what I actually wanted sent to me when I returned to the XXXX. If I received what I actually had the merchant hold for me, I would NOT BE DISPUTING ANYTHING. This is not a case of, I dont like what they sent. Its a case of, They sent me something other than what I ordered. There is no question I wanted these silk pink and blue carpets in the attached photo sent with all of my other documentation. I believed, when I gave them all of this money, that I was paying for those pink and blue carpets specifically. I made the mistake of TRUSTING the merchant to send me the carpets we discussed and agreed upon when I was inside the actual store. The merchant and I confirmed this on several XXXX phone calls ( I have the proof of this also on my app/phone ). When the packages arrived here, I stored them in my garage, unopened, again TRUSTING they sent me what we had agreed upon in person and on multiple phone calls. I did so because I was in the process of getting hardwoods put into my home ( and carpet removed ) and was unsure where to put each of them post hardwood installation. I stored them in my garage fully packaged, unopened as I have shown in pictures. I only went to open all of the packages once I realized they were clearly trying to manipulate me into giving them money for nothing and threats and videos of the owner going to jail for some type of tax evasion story. I opened the packages and found out they were cheap wool carpets, NOT the ones I had selected when I was in the store. I immediately went to my local police department and to the FBI ( you have the original report to the FBI and the business card of my local police department. ) As I later learned, the merchant then FRAUDULENTLY USED MY CREDIT CARD RECEIPT, INVOICE, and SIGNATURE FROM THAT ONE IN STORE PURCHASE and the one credit card transaction prior to leaving XXXX, to send a few silk carpets, TO FRAUDULENTLY COPY IT AND MY SIGNATURE to supposedly invoice me for the next shipments to my home. I NEVER SIGNED ANYTHING after that {$4500.00} in store purchase and in-store deposit on the additional carpets AND I NEVER RECEIVED ANY ADDITIONAL INVOICES OR RECEIPTS as they have claimed. There were only wool carpets with no documentation whatsoever and not the carpets I had clearly selected. As you can see, on their invoice to you, they later put in carpet codes that matched what they sent me, NOT the codes for the carpets I asked them to hold for me and send once I was back in the states. I was told the paperwork would come with the shipments but they didnt. Now I see why. They are not what I ordered. This " bait and switch '' routine that is the basis for every one of these disputes. In the Sales Contract from XXXXXXXX XXXX ( interesting it isn't from XXXX XXXX XXXX where the charge was sent and I never stayed or even knew about ) you can see in their handwriting AFTER I filled out the form, the numbers were later put in. These false numbers are XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX. They simply copied my signature from the one I actually provided when buying the {$4500.00} carpet and fabricated FAKE invoices/receipts with my actual signature from my first purchases! I'm guessing the reason they didn't put the product numbers in was because of their plan to switch out the silk carpets with cheap wool ones and use those numbers to make it look legitimate. I see there are another set " carpet numbers '' on another invoice they made up/produced : These numbers, they say are XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX. Again, these numbers were produced later, when I was home in the XXXX. I ordered XXXX carpets to be delivered, why are there XXXX now according to their invoice? A mistake clearly on their part. The lies are stacking up. Between this man and his nephew, I have hundreds of texts as evidence of me asking for them to take these carpets back and send me what I ordered. After they attempted to extort me for {$81000.00} USD ( see XXXX Texts ), I no longer wanted the actual silk carpets I originally had them hold for me and wanted them to take their wool carpets back and refund me all I had spent. I kindly asked for a refund at that point. The owners response was, No way. Once this happened, the nephew deleted 90 % of the texts messages that I had previously screenshotted as I began to get the sense they were scamming me. He wanted NO EVIDENCE of the bait and switch, and extortion messages they sent. Im happy to show you the texts that prove that he deleted everything as soon as they realized I wasnt going for their scam. I have literally hundreds of documents that sent to Citibank. They are all there. Please lmk if you need me to send those.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: WA
Zip: 98029
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-11-02
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-11-02
Issue: Getting a credit card
Subissue: Card opened without my consent or knowledge
Consumer Complaint: I have hard inquiry in my credit report that i do not recognize, i have already contacted the bank with this inquiry and they do not have my personal information. And i would like this to be deleted
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: NY
Zip: 10455
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-11-02
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-11-02
Issue: Trouble using your card
Subissue: Can't use card to make purchases
Consumer Complaint: My original credit limit was {$10000.00}. I paid my balance down below 30 % and Citibank decreased my credit limit to {$5000.00}, which increased my usage percentage. I explained to Citibank representative and supervisor that this in not good customer service. This was very inconsiderate for Citibank to decrease my credit limit and making my credit usage increase drastically. I have always paid my account on time or no more than 10 days after the due date. This is horrible customer service and this will place a hardship on my credit score. Will someone please address this issue?
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: IL
Zip: 60637
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-11-02
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-11-02
Issue: Advertising and marketing, including promotional offers
Subissue: Didn't receive advertised or promotional terms
Consumer Complaint: This happened in XXXX or XXXX of XXXX, I had been a Citi Executive Card cardholder for years. In late XXXX or early XXXX when the pandemic hit I decided to transition from my Executive Card ( that gave access to the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX among other card perks with the airline ) to a Rewards Card as at that time I called to inquire if my {$550.00} to {$650.00} annual fee could be mitigated as ALL the XXXX XXXX where closed and I couldn't use that upmost important perk. They offer me the transition to the rewards card which I accepted. Time elapsed, the pandemic was officially through and the XXXX XXXX started opening again. Is then that I call Citi to inquire if I can reopen and migrate my Rewards Card back to my Executive Advantage Card and if I was eligible to receive the XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX promotion that required an amount to be spent during a specific timeframe. The Supervisor that handled my call then made an exhaustive / thorough check on the history of my account and said that enough time had elapsed for me to be eligible to get the incentive of XXXXXXXX XXXX miles. All of that was recorded and a transcript of that instance and conversation exists as revealed later by the last supervisor handling my situation. I got my card and used it for many purchases to reach the amount required during the specific timeframe in order to be eligible to receive the miles. A number of months transpired and the miles did not hit my account... I recently called back and that's when a supervisor by the name of XXXX was assigned to my case to review it in its entirety. It took XXXX about a week to listen to the recording and transcript of the original conversation to then call me back. At that time and yesterday, XX/XX/XXXX to be precise, he called me to tell me that in fact, I was right, and that the original agent had in fact admitted that I was eligible to receive the miles credit if I transitioned back from the Rewards to the Executive Advantage card, as enough time had elapsed, and that gave me the eligibility. However then he said the other agent was wrong and that he failed and gave me wrong information. This of course benefiting the bank and card as this new card has an annual fee of {$650.00} which the Rewards card don't have. Then XXXX says that providing misleading information isn't a reason to compensate for the XXXX miles at stake. That the only thing Citi would offer is a {$100.00} credit and XXXX miles to settle the dispute. I did not accepted and said will take action with the corresponding governmental body to investigate this case. I believe this practice and event is deceiving myself as a consumer to make a decision that benefits the institution while accepting that they are wrong about such mishandling a deception and offering a minuscular amount as a settlement. I want Consumer Finance to please investigate this event and make Citi install the XXXX miles they owe me for their own admitted mistake and wrongdoing.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: TX
Zip: 761XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-11-02
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-11-02
Issue: Trouble using your card
Subissue: Can't use card to make purchases
Consumer Complaint: My original credit limit was {$16000.00} and Citibank decreased my credit limit to {$15000.00} which will make my usage percentage high. I explained to Citibank representative and supervisor that I used the credit card to take care of business expenses. This was very inconsiderate for Citibank to decrease my credit limit and making my credit usage higher. The current state of the economy has brought my financial hardships and stress but I have always paid my account on time or no later than 10 days past the due date. This is horrible customer service and this will place a hardship on my credit score. Will someone please address this issue?
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: IL
Zip: 60637
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-11-02
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-11-02
Issue: Incorrect information on your report
Subissue: Account status incorrect
Consumer Complaint: Hi, I have had a creadit score around XXXX for over a year now. ( adding report attached ) I recently submitted a dispute through XXXX regarding what I believed to be the biggest reason why the score was not hitting XXXX, which was a false claim from AMEX/XXXX - Account XXXX. They posted that I have had a late payment 2 years ago. Today, I receive a notification from XXXX that my score decreased XXXX points. I suspect this is either an error or a result of actions of retaliation post my dispute either by XXXX or the AMEX account. .I was not offered information in regards to the decision either. I look forward to your help. I have worked very hard to build my score and this is beyond unacceptable. Thank you so much
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: FL
Zip: 33125
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-11-08
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-11-03
Issue: Problem when making payments
Subissue: Problem during payment process
Consumer Complaint: In XX/XX/2022, I requested a new credit card and new number. The replacement card was exactly the same ; and although nothing seemed wrong at first, Ive been unable to log into my account to pay bills online. I have called and written to regain access to my account but I have no online access. Ive had to request statements by mail, which has been problematic because there has been a significant amount of theft and mail tampering in my building.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: NY
Zip: 10460
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-11-03
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-10-29
Issue: Incorrect information on your report
Subissue: Information belongs to someone else
Consumer Complaint: To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to report an incident of identity theft that has had a significant impact on my life. I believe that the following information constitutes a clear case of identity theft, and I request the Federal Trade Commission 's assistance in resolving this matter. On XX/XX/2023, I became aware of the unauthorized activities and financial transactions on my account from citicards cbna, which I believe to be a result of identity theft. I noticed unapproved credit account in my name, and suspicious monthly payments as well as a incorrect address I never resided in.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: MI
Zip: 49503
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-10-29
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-11-01
Issue: Closing your account
Subissue: Company closed your account
Consumer Complaint: Citi bank Costco Credit Card. XXXX delivered a dishwasher that they installed. Their installer failed to hook up the return hose and water supply hoses flooding our kitchen and laundry and living room area further making us lose the ability to utilize our kitchen sink. XXXX failed to send a plumber to fix the issue. They documented and advised eventually for us to get our own plumber after several days and they documented that they would reimburse us but to date have failed to do so. We disputed the charge with the Citi Costco Card and submitted documentation requested by Citi customer service. The charge was ruled in our favor after providing the documentation. After completing this process in good faith and still not receiving any reimbursement or repairs from XXXX to date, we instead were retaliated against as Citi now closed our credit card last week citing the disputed charges. Following Citi 's own process for disputing a charge resulted in them discriminating and retaliating against us. I do not feel that what has transpired is right considering I was not warned of this and told disputing a charge would result in forfeiting points, rewards and annual fees. In addition as a result of this, Citi bank now cancelled my other XXXX XXXX card yet of course did not cancel the linked Citibank Savings account I have. I will be closing said account as a result of these actions. Further I would like to request that my annual fees be refunded that were charged that I do not have any benefit from without a working card. Is it best to get an attorney in this case?
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: TN
Zip: 37027
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-11-01
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-11-01
Issue: Problem with a lender or other company charging your account
Subissue: Transaction was not authorized
Consumer Complaint: XX/XX/. I went to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX California, i wanted to insure my new car, after all the paper work they then asked for XXXX $ from my debit card, i gave the girl my debit card she swiped it, i pushed my pin number, IT GOT DECLINED. I checked my bank, WHY IS XXXX $ GONE, i tell the lady " no it went through '' and she said " no it didn't '' i requested a receipt but she could not give me a receipt for what out of thin air no purchase or anything she just couldn't i didn't purchase anything. I call my citi bank right there sitting down around XXXX and to this day the bank has ignored me, made me redo about 10 claims like its going no where i just want my money back from the FRAUDULENT insurance place or the Loop hole master CITI BANK i didnt waste XXXX $ for no service and for fun please help
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: CA
Zip: 93313
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-11-01
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A