Consumer complaint received 2023-12-20
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: MA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Closing an account
Sub-issue: Can't close your account

Complaint:
Starting on XX/XX/XXXX I began to get text messages from Citi about potential fraud activity, By early XXXX I began to get calls from Citi about potential fraud activity. 
There were some fraudulent charges on my ATM that Citi, so they cancelled that ATM and sent a new one. 
Less than a week after getting the new card, activating it, Citi called again and there were a plethora of fraudulent activity including : Wire transfers, XXXX payments. So Citi had me close that account and open a new one, which we did. 

I received the new ATM card, activated it, but Citi hadnt moved my money, after another several hours on the phone they unlocked the old account and finally moved my money. Relocked old account. 
I began getting fraud alerts again. Called Citi and they placed a lock on the account. Before that happened, I had : - I logged in and noticed someone had changed my email and mailing address. 
- I changed them back. 
- I went to see when they had sent me checks for this new account ( so I could get my money out and into my new local bank account and saw that whoever had changed the mailing address had expressed checks to themselves at a XXXX address. I live in XXXX, MA. 
- I was then contacted that my Citi credit card had potential fraudulent activity, sure enough there were attempted charges to it, Citi cancelled that card and sent a new one. 

At this point I lost any faith that Citi had a handle and I just want my money out of the account so I can close it and be done with it. I was told a variety of options from Citibank : XXXX. I HAD to go to a branch to close my account. I couldnt close my account over the phone. ( The closest branch is a 4 hour drive each direction, not an option for me ) 2. Someone told me I could close the account over the phone and my options were : a. They could close and mail me a check it would take 10-15 days to receive a check b. My new bank could initiate a bank to bank transfer to request the funds out of my citi account to my local bank account ( XXXX XXXX ) c. I could write myself a check from this account to my new bank ( not an option since the checks hadnt arrived and still have not ( ordered XXXX, as of XX/XX/XXXX still havent arrived ) XXXX. I went to my new local bank and talked to them about the bank to bank wire transfer. I was told that they can not initiate it, it has to come from Citibank. 
4. I called Citibank again they told me they could not do the bank to bank transfer, my account is locked, when I asked them how I can get access to my money so I can pay my bills, etc. They had no answer for me.

5. I called another time, talked to someone named XXXX who said he could close the account and send me a check. I asked for confirmation that he could do this via email or a reference or transaction number, he said he couldnt provide that. But it would be 10-15 days for me to receive a check.

6. I waited a few days and decided to call back to check on the status. Told it was processing because there is a fraud investigation and it would not close until the fraud investigation is resolved.

7. I have no ability to use online banking to see what is happening with my accounts.

8. I have NO ACCESS TO MY MONEY. I can not pay my bills. Citi doesnt seem to care. 
9. I have spent over 20 hours on the phone with Citi customer service. I have had calls dropped, I have been transferred to supervisors who are not supervisors, I have begged multiple times for this to be escalated or sent to a US-based person who could help me navigate. They either refuse and just do not answer me. There is no one that can troubleshoot. Every time I have called I have to re-explain the situation over and over. I am bounced between Fraud and Customer Service often just sitting on hold with no response for 30+ minutes. More details, but thats as succinct as I can get.

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