Consumer complaint received 2024-01-30
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Funds not handled or disbursed as instructed

Complaint:
Citibank was offering a cashback bonus for opening a new account with them, the details of which are no longer on the Citi bank as it has since expired. I have paperwork ( attached ) as it was an in branch offer and am including a link that references it XXXX XXXX XXXX 

Some high level details of the offer and qualifying amounts are included below : " Open a new CitiBusiness ( Analyzed ), Streamlined, or Flexible Checking Account between XX/XX/XXXXXXXX  and XX/XX/XXXX, make a deposit within 30 days of account opening, and maintain your balance for 60 consecutive calendar days '' {$5000.00} {$19000.00} {$300.00} bonus {$20000.00} {$99000.00} {$750.00} bonus {$100000.00} {$190000.00} {$1500.00} bonus $ XXXX {$2000.00} bonus I went into the branch XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX CA XXXX and met with Banker : XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX to open the account. After completing the required paperwork etc. was informed that the account should be opened in the next few days, that they would call me and let me know when I could pick the debit card up. When I didn't hear back, I went into the branch on XX/XX/XXXX and was informed that the account was actually opened and that they would mail me the credit card. I wanted to ensure I qualified for the new account promo so made a deposit of {$22000.00} on that day ( within 30 days ). 

On XXXX after noticing that my cash bonus had not been deposited, I called Citi and basically got the runaround. The representative started out by telling me that there wasn't a cash bonus offer at that time. I had the paperwork in front of me and proceeded to read out the offer details at which point the rep claimed that it wasn't a legitimate offer as there needed to be an alphanumeric code for the promo ( which there wasn't in the paperwork provided to me on account opening ). I mentioned that the offer was referenced in various articles and blogs and the rep put me on hold for a few minutes and when she came back on the line told me that she had found my offer online. She claimed it was " for a {$100.00} '' and could possibly honor that. 

At this point, the rep had no idea of the amount I had deposited and which bonus I would qualify for. I thought that was odd and mentioned it to her. She proceeded to tell me that while cash bonuses used to be automatic, this was no longer the case due to a large number of new account openings. She also mentioned that when customers call asking for the cash bonuses that these offers are investigated which is how she was going to proceed. 

I called Citi late that day to inquire about the progress of the investigation and the rep had no clue about this and told me that they didn't have my W-9 and that I'd need to go into the bank in person and then only would I maybe get my bonus. I already took the required documents required for opening the account ( Passport, DL, EIN paperwork ) as referenced on their page and don't like that they are giving me the runaround with no solution in sight.

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 explanation