Payday loan, title loan, or personal loan -- Problem when making payments -- Complaint #5339821
Complaint Overview
Complaint ID: 5339821
Company: Citibank, N.A.
Product: Payday loan, title loan, or personal loan
Sub-Product: Personal line of credit
Issue: Problem when making payments
State: Louisiana
ZIP Code: 70117
Date Received: 2022-03-18T12:00:00-05:00
Date Sent to Company: 2022-03-23T12:00:00-05:00
Company Response: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Submitted Via: Web
Consumer Narrative
Something that has happened to me makes me realize what can go wrong with Buy Now, Pay Later ( BNPL ) credit products : I am getting billed {$1800.00} for a fridge I do not have and there is no central point of responsibility in these BNPL schemes to fix the problem. I purchased a fridge from XXXX. XXXX on a BNPL scheme. I even bought the extended warranty. The fridge came with a broken cooling mechanism and could not get below 75 degrees. So, I invoked the warranty and found out I was really dealing with Summit Appliance because that is who made the model of the fridge I purchased. So far, so good. The fridge could not be repaired and so XXXX said they would process my claim for a full refund. I have that in writing. I never heard anything more from XXXX. XXXX or XXXX although I did call to confirm that my debt was erased. But now, I went to purchase a home and, like many Americans, find that BrandSource, which is the BNPL third party payment merchant, says I owe the full amount for the fridge. BrandSource is owned by Citi. Before taking up the matter with the credit reporting bureaus, I went to BrandSource and explained why I do not owe the charge and frankly, am surprised I even still have an account with them at all. BrandSource and Citi would not let me forward them the email trail where I have in writing that my debt was forgiven by XXXX XXXX. Instead of a low-cost email paper trail, they want me to print or fax my emails. Fax? I dont have a printer either. BrandSource also said the dispute could take 6-9 months to resolve by Citi, all the while it is on my credit report and could mean hundreds or thousands of more over the life of a home loan. I kept pressing over the course of many frustrating phone calls ( and you can not call Citis resolution department or BrandSources consumer payment department directly, let alone try to communicate with both parts of the company at the same time ). Finally, BrandSource ( Citi ) told me that they can not resolve the dispute at all because they do not have the records from XXXX. XXXX and that they consider my case closed. So, me, a consumer, is stuck trying to resolve a business-to-business records problem involving XXXX. XXXX, XXXX XXXX, BrandSource, and Citi. I am not empowered to resolve the problems in their business-to-business relationships and the peons they employ at customer service are not really empowered either. But Im still getting an {$1800.00} bill for a fridge which I do not have as well as a further unknown but potentially more costly hit on my credit reportId also like to buy a car My experience demonstrates the danger of getting that credit from a BNPL relationship because there is no central point of responsibility to the consumer if the goods are never delivered as promised.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Complaint #5339821 about?
Complaint #5339821 was filed against Citibank, N.A. regarding Payday loan, title loan, or personal loan specifically about Problem when making payments. It was received by the CFPB on 2022-03-18T12:00:00-05:00.
How did Citibank, N.A. respond to this complaint?
The company responded with: "Closed with explanation". The response was timely.
What is the risk level of this complaint?
See the risk assessment section for details on this complaint's risk profile.
How do I file a similar complaint?
You can file a complaint with the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint. Select the appropriate product category (Payday loan, title loan, or personal loan) and describe your issue in detail.
Can I see other complaints against Citibank, N.A.?
Yes, visit the Citibank, N.A. company profile at readthecomplaint.com/company/citibank-n-a to see all complaints, risk scores, and analysis.
Disclaimer
This analysis is AI-generated based on publicly available CFPB complaint data. It does not constitute financial or legal advice.