Consumer complaint received 2024-01-03
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CA
Product: Credit card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Trouble using your card
Sub-issue: Can't use card to make purchases

Complaint:
Citi Banks Fraud and Customer Service Department ( I am not sure if it is one company that does this for all banks or if Citi Bank has their own staff for this ) seems to be staffed with rogue employees who do what they want, refuse customer request to escalate the issue for resolution or pretend to log the issue and schedule a call back that never comes all seemingly to cover themselves for their behavior and locking the customer out of the account citing Possible Fraud while doing so. 

Keep in mind that neither before of after theyve stated Possible Fraud by phone ( this happens when they get challenge on issues with a pending purchase or account question ) they have never reached out to me prior via letter, phone or email warning me or asking me about any such activity. Then after they lock me out the account I still never receive and notice or warning of any such activity just a request to contact them to have the account reactivated. 

This happens repeatedly most recently on XXXX XXXX XXXX 
While out of state, on the day of the event just a couple of hours before its start I attempted to charge a concert ticket with the credit card and it was not approved. I phoned in to discuss and resolve this and got nothing but double talk from the customer service rep who would not share why the charge was not going through and would not escalate the call. I then asked to be transferred to the Citi Entertainment Department to discuss and resolve this and she claimed to not know what it was or that it existed even though I repeatedly get offer from them via traditional and email which I mentioned to her. 
She then instantly transferred me to the Fraud Department where it only escalated.

I pointed out the guy that this had happened before with then and it was now much closer to show time and I did not want to lose the seat. He would then repeated put me on hold for several long minutes and come back with same question or say that he needed to call me on my home phone. 

Id again tell him XXXX out of state and attempting to go to a show that was starting soon and hed then put me on hold easily XXXX minutes with me thinking he was unlocking the account only to come back with the same question or something else that did not make sense or explain why the other rep sent the call to the XXXX department. He just said to wait for a letter from Citi. I dont think that letter ever came but the previous one did and all it does is ask you to call in and very yourself and they reactivate the card. Again no explanation of any fraud or possible fraud just okay now you can use your card again. 

I eventually realized that Citi had XXXX interest in truly trying to assist me in this matter, ended the call and used a different credit card and attended the show. 

Once back home I reached out to Citi about this and requested that both a customer service manager and fraud department manager contact me so that I could make them aware of this because not only is it in appropriate it makes having their card useless to me because I never know when suddenly a charge wont go through and then when I contact them I will be asked to do something that I cant do and they wont look at the notes in the card history as I repeatedly request to see that this has happened before and then lock me out of the account citing possible fraudulent activity. When I ask when that activity took place not only will they not say I am never contacted or made aware of it as a customer. So how does that help me? 

Anyway I was told to expect a callback in 24 48 hours that did not come from either manager. Eventually a customer service did call me back and reference my request and offer to reactive the account. I declined and informed her that I want senior personnel to be aware of these shenanigans and the rep went on to apologize and tell me that the previous calls were not handled correctly by the rep and fraud person and what should have been done then again offered to reactive the account. 

I found this to be useless and quite annoying since the date of the event was long gone and had I not had another card to use ( they only take cards for entrance ) Id have missed the out of state show ; and since she too agrees that this was not handled correctly why is she trying to reactivate the account and move on as if nothing happened even with me telling her this has happened before? 

After the call and to date I have yet to hear from anyone from Citi Bank regarding any type of fraud or attempted fraud on the account. No management call back as requested and said to scheduled and I remain locked out of the account since XX/XX/2023 which you would think would cause someone there to contact me about. 

If I am not currently locked out of the account then it was reactivated without my knowledge, request or consent and again useless for the intended purpose. 

- if fraud is suspected on a customers account the customer should be made aware. 
- - If a customers account is locked or frozen the customer be made aware and not have to find out when attempting to make purchase. Then be forced to contact the back about it only to still be declined and told to wait 7-10 days for a letter that simply has you call in and have to account reactivated. 
- True senior management should be available for call escalation when requested by customers and have a 24-48 window for call back and that is if the customer service person will even agree to your request. Why does it take 24-48 for a call back? According to them because the managers have other calls ahead of mine to be returned first. Thats a glaring red flag. If a staff of reps has that many customers requiring call escalations for immediate resolution and or to report rogue rep behavior then youd think Citi would be looking into why. 
- If an account is lock you should not have to wait 7-10 days for a letter. They call and overnight letters daily there is no need to waste customers time and prevent them access to their accounts for extended periods under false pretenses simply because you can.

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 non-monetary relief