Consumer complaint received 2021-06-14
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems
Sub-issue: Other problem

Complaint:
On XX/XX/2021 I used the online chat to request and complete a product change from an existing Citi ThankYou Preferred Card to a Citi XXXX XXXX AAdvantage Platinum Select Card ( card number ending in XXXX ). The Citi agent who processed the product change did not ask my existing XXXX XXXX AAdvantage number ( XXXX ), and thus failed to associate it with my new credit card number. Because of this a new AAdvantage number ( XXXX ) was created and associated with my card. Despite several attempts by calling Citi and XXXX XXXX, I have been unable to find a fix to this issue. Each time I contacted Citi they said they were general customer service and I need to contact Citi XXXX XXXX Department and gave me a phone number for that department. I could never reach XXXX XXXX Department by calling the provided numbers because calling the numbers again connected me to general customer service. After repeating this process for a few time, this proved to be a futile and never-ending loop. I requested to talk to a supervisor which never materialized because either one was not available, or the agent decided to connect me to another department despite asking for a supervisor. 
One solution that a Citi agent proposed was to contact XXXX XXXX or use XXXX website to merge my two AAdvantage accounts. Although I dont believe it is XXXX XXXX responsibility to solve a problem that was created by Citi, I accepted to try this option but. Yet after trying to merge my two AAdvantage accounts, I was informed that they could not be merged because the information did not match between them. Apparently one or more piece ( s ) of information that was used to create the new AAdvantage account for my credit card is different from my existing AAdvantage account. I can not access the new AAdvantage account to check or change the information to resolve the mismatch. 
Because of this ordeal, I have been unable to use the advertised benefits of my card which has a {$99.00} annual fee. Specifically, I wanted, but was unable, to book Reduced Mileage Award tickets which are bookable only by credit card holders. The number of miles needed for these tickets have significantly increased during the days I have been unable to use the benefit. 
At this point, I have two requests. First and foremost, I want Citi to change the AAdvantage number associated with my Citi AAdvantage credit card from XXXX to XXXX. Citi may coordinate with their partner ( XXXX XXXX ) to make the change, if thats needed. 
In addition and considering the loss I incurred ( increase in the number of required miles ) while I was unable to use the advertised benefit of the card, I request Citi to waive or reimburse the upcoming annual fee of my AAdvantage credit card, or post a one-time credit of XXXX miles to my AAdvantage account ( number XXXX ).

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