Maria Gomez

I have a Citibank AA I've had to file a dispute on a merchant due to non delivery.
I hired a contractor to do custom furniture i.e.: Live edge table, entertainment center, bathroom cabinet etc. The total was $15,000. As per the contract we made a 40% deposit to start the the work and then and additional 30%. The remaining 30% was due on the day of delivery and installation. The contract stated a lead time of 4 weeks. 5 months went by asking the merchant when can I expect my merchandise. All I got was runarounds and finally the last straw was when I went to see the merchant at his shop location. I was not allowed to enter the premises and was assaulted to were the police had to be called. Here is were CITIBANK comes in after all of this it's obvious this merchant has no intention on giving me any of my paid merchandise and I contacted CITIBANK for the dispute. I told them what was happening and the did the conditional credit. I mailed in everything including text messages of merchant for five months of asking for my stuff. I sent everything via mail and certified now CITI has reversed all the charges and their claim is the since the merchant responded that was it. The CSR actually told me yesterday that the merchant could send back a blank piece of paper and they would have to reverse the charge. WHAT?? am i crazy aren't they supposed to be on my side? are they supposed to investigate the dispute. The only thing that was sent back was the payment authorization verification. I never denied I made the payments. I NEVER RECEIVED MY MERCHANDISE. The merchant never sent proof of delivery and that's it. What it going on with CITI. If there is anyone the can help and give advice as what to do I would appreciate. This merchant has taken over $11,000 and given me nothing. I can't believe this is how CITIBANK handles these disputes

g8trgr8t

File a CFPB complaint ASAP would be my suggestion. Banks tend to look a little harder when they have to respond to them. Amex had over 200k of my points frozen for nearly 4 months and it was resolved with a week of filing the complaint.

bjdsave

please excuse my ignorance, but what is "CFPB complaint" and how is it done??


FWIW-
I had Citi Prestige card, cancelled it but still have Thank You acount due to other citi cards.
citi.com showed 2,262 TY points due to expire in 60 (Sept)days due to card cancellation.
I redemmed 2500 to take care of the expiring points, but it still showed 2,262 due to expire.
Have screen images of multiple chats discussing this, and have log of many phone calls, where citi always told me no other points due to expire until 2019, then they expired 55,000 points in Sept!!!! despite saying only 2,262 would expire and my redeeming even these.

I assume that the CFPB of which you speak would be appropriate.

Any help appreciated.

Thank You

mia

Begin here:

https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/

Often1

There has to be more to the story. It is untrue that Citi will accept a "blank piece of paper" and then sustain a charge (deny the chargeback dispute) so sounds like a bad employee.

Citi will provide the OP with a copy of the merchant's response on the OP's request.

Bear in mind that chargeback disputes are simply a way of resolving issues without litigation. This one sounds as though the issue is far beyond resolution, e.g. merchant called NYPD.

NYPD will have records here too.

If you have a valid claim, file a small claims complaint in your local court SCC. NYC's is active, easy to use and moves cases along.

Maria Gomez

Merchant is not the one that called the Police. I the buyer had to call the police after I was assaulted when I went to his shop trying to see and ask about the furniture I had bought. Yes there is a police report which shows me as the victim and I provided that to CITI already. I went to ASKCITI as someone suggested and got a specialist to call me they apologized for the response of the previous CSR. The issue I'm having with citi is apparently they tell me that whatever response the merchant send automatically reverses the chargeback. So I went through all the trouble of providing and proving that this merchant didn't send my furniture for nothing. The Merchants response was just a copy of the transaction nothing else, which is my frustration they provided no proof of delivery my chargeback and point is Yes I did make that payment I just never received the merchandise. Period! CITI DISPUTES is crazy they really don't investigate. they accept anything the merchant sends back. Know I have to do a 2nd chargeback. I already was able to recoup my $$ with AMEX within a month & BOFA.

mia

If you are not satisfied with Citi's handling of the dispute you can file a complaint with Consumer Financial Protection Bureau:

https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/

You may also find it helpful to read this information from the Federal Trade Commission:

https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/article...never-received

slivrflyr

+1 on CFPB

used them last year to prod Citi into giving my my TYP bonus points for opening Citigold.

After 3-4 months of back and forth w Citi they responded to my CFPB within 10 days and resolution was a couple of weeks later.

bigbuy

It is stories like this that make me always put any charge, that I think I may have a problem with, on AMEX.

mikesyr18

AMEX has been good to me with disputes; however, AMEX isn't as customer friendly as they once were with issues like this.

Would I trust them more than Citi? About a million times over. I wish customers would realize their customer service is one of the worst in the industry.

... And be prepared to have Citi close your account as soon as they receive notice that you're doing this.

mia

I believe the merchant would be the defendant, not Citi.

slivrflyr

except :

Travel. Citi prestige travel insurance is 1000x better than chase even and Amex doesn’t offer any.


Extended warranty: Citi’s new insurer, the Virginia surety company, is great. Plus the +24 months warranty is better than Amex. Amex language is “double the original manuf warranty upto an extra year”. Citi is +24 months, stackable on extended warranties.

Some items I’ve bought have 90d warranty. With Citi it’s 24 months on top.

Sketchy merchants or using the card abroad: Amex 100000x

Add the fact that AU have diff card numbers so not all the cards on the acct must be replaced in case of breach. Plus the ability to set limits on additional cards.

Nick92

I think I understand the blank piece of paper part. I have noticed that issuers don't seem to actually review the merchant response and ime just temporarily close out the dispute based on the fact the merchant responded. However the letter always says if you disagree and want to continue disputing, take these steps. I don't think they have the resources to review every document and just have an automated process until you re-open the claim and then it gets assigned to someone. I have always gotten a letter with the reps name and number.

Maria Gomez

When I first opened the case I called and asked for a specialist to be assigned because I knew it was a complicated case. I was told I was assigned one. I submitted all my info via email and Certified mail to cover myself. But apparently they didn't follow through. And you're correct they automate it and then gave me the opportunity to re-open but it shouldn't be like that. I called explained and sent all the info so their should have been and investigation period. Not only that but CITI gives the Merchant 90 DAYS! Visa only gives 30 days Amex says 6 weeks but usually faster. Citi 90 and they don't even investigate! yes great I'm doing a second chargeback but know it's another 90 DAYS because instead of investigating claims they cut corners to make it easy on themselves. So now I have to be in this limbo for 6 months.

I agree with everyone else from now on Amex all the way with them I opened and the merchant did respond they just asked me for some more info and boom done closed in my favor right in their 6 weeks timeline done.

CITI DISPUTES crazy!! Not customer friendly at all.

Nick92

In the interim, you should have a credit? Btw it might be Mastercard rules that allow 90 days. I do remember my Citi Prestige Mastercard dispute dragging out but was eventually resolved in my favor. I can say Chase also automates the process, similar situation as Citi with the close and re-open part.