Consumer complaint received 2019-05-09
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: MA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems
Sub-issue: Problem with rewards from credit card

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX, I contacted Citibank to open a Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select card in order to receive the benefits ( early boarding, free checked luggage ) for travel on XXXX XXXX flight # XXXX for a family vacation that we were taking the next day, XX/XX/XXXX, from XXXX to XXXX. While speaking to the Citibank representative, I learned that the benefits were only eligible for airline tickets purchased using the credit card and that I would need to have the card in my possession. As a result, I asked the Citibank representative to cancel my application ( Application ID XXXX ) and the representative confirmed that the account would not be opened. 

Upon return from our family vacation on the evening of XX/XX/XXXX and receiving our mail on XX/XX/XXXX ( the Tuesday after XXXX XXXX ), I received a credit card from Citi AAdvantage, card ending in XXXX. I immediately contacted Citibank and told them that the card should never have been issued, that the Citibank representative assured me that the account would not be opened and that the card and account were issued in error. Citibank closed the account immediately and I destroyed the card. The account was never used and was closed in XX/XX/XXXX, all of which is confirmed according to my XXXX Credit Report. 

In XX/XX/XXXX, I opened a Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select in order receive a promotional offer of XXXX   miles upon spending {$2500.00} within 3 months. I met all of the conditions but did not receive the miles and so I called Citi AAdvantage. I was told that " Special offers aren't available when an existing account in the same product has been approved or closed within 24 months. '' They referred to the account that they opened in XX/XX/XXXX. I explained that the account was opened without my authorization and they said they would refer the matter to the customer service team who would contact me by mail within 7 to 10 days. 

I received the letter from customer service today which simply repeated that I was not eligible for the offer because of the account they opened in XX/XX/XXXX. I called customer service and explained that the account was opened because of their error. The customer service representative put me on hold to speak to a supervisor/manager. The representative said they understood what happened but could not provide me with the special offer XXXX miles, but could offer me XXXX miles. I declined, explaining that I should not be penalized for their mistake and asked to speak to the supervisor. 

They confirmed my telephone number and said that a supervisor would call me back and that they would expedite my case but I have not heard back from anyone. 

I do not think it is legal for Citibank to open an account without my authorization, particularly when they acknowledged that they would not open the account. I also do not think it is fair to deny me the special offer because of a mistake that their employee made when I have met all of the conditions of the offer.

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