Consumer complaint received 2023-04-15
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: TX
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Fees or interest
Sub-issue: Problem with fees

Complaint:
I have a Citibank Platinum AA Credit card which I do not currently use and received a {$99.00} annual fee in XX/XX/XXXX. I called Citibank to close the credit card and found a better option would be to change the account to a different card without annual fee and Citibank agreed to credit the {$99.00} fee. I also have an extended fraud alert with each of the three credit bureaus per identity theft in XXXX. 

XX/XX/XXXX Made initial call to Citibank to change the card per note above. The customer service rep then noted the fraud alert and that the contact phone numbers in the fraud alert ( old home number ) did not match Citi account phone number ( cell number ). He tried to call me on my hold home number to verify identity but did not work in their system to complete the card transfer. He noted that I needed to contact each of the three credit bureaus and update the contact information for fraud alert to match phone numbers. 

XX/XX/XXXX Completed fraud alert and credit report contact info updates for each credit bureau and requested they send out a refresh. Obtained case number for each update and provided to Citibank. Also confirmed the contact info for credit alerts already on file was the current cell number. Was told updated could take 24-72 hours to complete before Citibank would receive in their system. 

XX/XX/XXXX Called Citibank again to see if error corrected on fraud alert contact info. Citi Customer rep then told me the contact info they had on my credit card account was my hold home phone number. He would change their contact info to my current cell number and to call back in 24 hours and should be able to convert card. 
XX/XX/XXXX Called Citibank customer service again to check on phone number update and to convert credit card. After talking to several managers told me their system was still locked up and not allowing the conversation and to call back the next day. 
XX/XX/XXXX Called Citibank customer service again and went to three different managers who told me system was locked and could not convert the account. Finally talked with XXXX who told me there was still an error and the phone numbers were not coordinating and their internal system could not convert the card or cancel my card. She committed to elevating the situation to verify my identity and complete conversation and refunding the {$99.00} fee. XXXX told me would call me back at my cell number in 1-2 weeks. 

XX/XX/XXXX Called Citibank customer service again to check on status. After noting the same issue of fraud alert / phone number issue, The customer service rep would not connect me to a manager. After sitting on hold, the rep came back and told me she talked with her manage and I would have to wait up to 60 days and call back. I demanded a manager call me back to discuss. 

XX/XX/XXXX Never heard back from Citibank and had to pay the {$99.00} credit card fee to avoid late fees. 

As a victim of identity theft, I understand the importance of the extended fraud alert and precautions to confirm identity of consumers. This has gone to an unacceptable level with Citibank and am being held hostage by this situation as 1 ) can not close out card or 2 ) can not convert the card to a no-fee option as requested.

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