Consumer complaint received 2020-07-06
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CO
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Closing an account
Sub-issue: Company closed your account

Complaint:
I am a retiree and living mostly in XXXX, XXXX but I travel constantly within and outside XXXX. At the time of the Covid 19 crisis I was about to leave for XXXX and then then planned to go to the US, but had to remain in XXXX. 
I have had checking and money market accounts, as well as a credit card with Citibank since the late XXXX, when I was living and working in XXXX XXXX  XXXX. This has been my main account and my sole US account through this whole period. All my income, coming from Social Security payments and from investment income, was deposited on a monthly basis into my checking account and from this account, I paid most of my expenses, including credit cards. While in XXXX, I was making cash withdrawals averaging {$300.00} to {$350.00} a week, to cover out of pocket expenses. 
On XX/XX/XXXX I tried to withdraw cash from my bank account through a XXXX bank ATM but my card was rejected by two different banks. I called Citibank and they informed me my accounts were being closed because of irregular transactions. They told me it was a decision of the Security Department but gave no specifics. I requested to talk to them, but they refused. They told me I could only act through a branch. I tried to call the branch where I had the account but no one answered the phone. I also called and sent mails to the branch in XXXX and XXXX, which is the one I mainly used, but no one answered the phone and the mails were rejected. I also sent a mail to XXXX XXXX XXXX my account manager, who works in XXXX XXXX Texas. She responded she did no know why they were closing my account but she presumed it must have been because of cash withdrawals from banks in XXXX. I asked my niece who was in XXXX and who has POA on my accounts to intervene on my behalf. She went to one of the local XXXX branches but was unable to help me. At the beginning of the week of XX/XX/XXXX, Citibank closed my accounts but left my Citi credit card with an outstanding balance of over {$2000.00} but with no means to pay this debt. Citibank has sent me checks for {$3900.00} and {$62000.00}, my outstanding balances in my checking and banking accounts respectively, at the time of closing. 
Citibank claims they sent me a notice dated XX/XX/XXXX via USPS to my US address in XXXX, where a close friend of mine lives, but no notice was ever received. Citibank never ever issued and alert or gave me any warning about irregular transactions during the time I had these spending patterns which dated back to XXXX, and even earlier. 
Luckily I had recently filed taxes with the IRS, but would have been unable to pay my taxes due. 
As I can not travel to the US, since then have tried to open an online account with other banks, but I have been unable to do so. I believe I have been black listed and no bank is willing to open an online account with me As a substitute, I opened and account with XXXX XXXX, which offers a debit card and check writing facilities but I am unable to link this account with my investment account in XXXX XXXX. I have requested my Social Security income to be deposited in my XXXX   bank account., but I can not have access to my investment income, nor pay my US credit card and other expenses.

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