Consumer complaint received 2019-09-13
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: MI
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Store credit card
Issue: Fees or interest
Sub-issue: Problem with fees

Complaint:
I got a Brand Source Credit card from Citi when I purchased appliances from The XXXX XXXX in XXXX OH in XX/XX/2018 to take advantage of the 0 % 6 months promotion. I set up the credit card balance of {$8000.00} to paid in full in monthly installments starting in XXXX on the XXXX of every month using XXXX XXXX online bill pay. Each payment was {$1300.00} except for the last payment on XX/XX/XXXX being {$1300.00}. When I set up Brand Source as a biller in the XXXXXXXX XXXX online bill pay I only had to pick the biller and enter the account number which made me assume that the payments are going electronically and should be processed the same day. I had a problem before when using bill pay when payments went out as paper checks where the checks don't get processed on time and late fees would be charged. In that case I would normally set the payment date a few days earlier to avoid that. In XXXX the payment was processed late on XX/XX/XXXX and a {$27.00} late fee was charged. In XXXX the payment was processed late as well on XXXX   XXXX and a late payment fee of {$38.00} was charged. All the other payments were processed on time. Because of these late fees, which total {$65.00}, the account was not settled on XX/XX/XXXX at the end of the 0 % promotion and {$870.00} deferred interest was added to the account. In the next 2 months a {$71.00} late fees and {$51.00} interest were charged to the account. Starting on XX/XX/XXXX calls from the number ( XXXX ) XXXX XXXX began coming to my cell phone but were flagged as spam calls by my phone provider. Starting XX/XX/XXXX automated calls from the number ( XXXX ) XXXX XXXX stated coming to my cell phone. It would leave an automated message stating Thank you for being a part of the Citibank family. We know you're busy, but it's it's a log in at the website for your retail credit card issued by Citibank to review your account status. It would be appreciated. If you would prefer to call us, please feel free to as it is always great to get a chance to speak with. One of our valued clients are toll free number is one XXXX. Once again, thanks for being a valued Citibank customers.. I was out of the country at the time and was not able to call back till XX/XX/XXXX. When I called the number I got Citibank customer service had no idea what this message pertained to. I thought it pertained to a different citi card so I asked the agent to have that checked and stated the the account was current! When the calls kept coming back I realized that it may be for a different citi account and came to realize that it was pertaining to the BrandSource account. I called them on XX/XX/XXXX as soon as I realized what happened by logging into the account online. After talking to them for 33 min and 58 sec because the agent had technicall issues with the system and after putting me on hold multiple times they said that they can not help me at this point and that to call a different department later because their computer system is not operating properly. I called the other department and was told that they can only reverse the last late fees and interest charged.

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