Consumer complaint received 2024-01-04
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: NY
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Cashing a check

Complaint:
On XX/XX/2023, I received a check from Citibank for funds that was owed to me due to a dispute I had made ( on XX/XX/2023 ) on my account in which the account was closed in XXXX. When I went to the Citibank branch closest to me ( on XXXX XXXX ) I waited so that a teller can see me. The teller in which her name was XXXX XXXX assisted me and asked me what I was in for. I told her that I wanted to cash the physical check in which my account was closed and this was funds due to me. She then proceeded to say that they were not going to be able to cash the check because my Citibank account was Closed and that she was going to double check with the manager on site which is the branch manager and her name was XXXX XXXX. She then took my check and went to the managers office and closed the door so I didnt know what they were saying, when XXXX came back to me she told me that they were not able to cash it due to the simple fact that I was not a client and that I would be able to cash it somewhere else. When I was explaining to her that this was funds that was old to me, she then proceeded to ask me if I had a bank account or an account with a routing and account number and I told her yes but I didnt want to deposit it because I knew it wouldve took a few days for it to be there Due to the amount being high ( {$1700.00} ). I then left and went to the nearest check cashing place and they told me that I wasnt able to cash the check and to go back to Citibank to see why I then went back to the same Citibank location and when I was waiting on the line, the manager had came out and asked me what I was in for and I told her that I was trying to cash a check that Citibank had sent me, but she wasnt letting me so she then proceeded to bring me into her office so that she can see and verify the check. When she looked up my account information and everything, she said that the dispute wasnt on my account and that shes not able to verify the check and thats when I had proceeded to tell her that the check was sent to me from Citibank for the funds that was due to me due to a dispute I had on my closed account. She then started to look at the check and there was a number behind the check and the check wasnt in the system I guess so I had called Citibank on my end to see what was going on. I didnt know what was going on as, XXXX didnt explain to me and help me understand that the check wasnt in the system and she then proceeded to catch an attitude and started to get very disrespectful which made me feel uncomfortable. She was getting disrespectful by talking to me with an attitude and making me feel like I didnt know what I was talking about. When I contacted Citibank customer service, I had gave her my phone and she then proceeded to tell me to put the phone on the table as if she didnt want to touch my phone but the way she said it was in a way that it was obvious she was frustrated and didnt want to continue to help me, she had a very nasty attitude to not only myself but to the representative that was on the phone and this is what made me feel like I was not part of the Citibank community XXXX Upon further investigation by the customer service representative over the phone, it was then explained to me correctly that the check wasnt in the system yet and I would have to call the number on the back of the check to see if it is in the system and then come back to the same branch this is the exact words that came out of XXXX mouth that I was able to call the number on the back of the check to verify if its in the system so that I can be able to come in into the Citibank branch and cash it to receive my funds The next day. The next day in which it was XX/XX/2023 I called the number in the back of the check and it was noted that the check was verified and that I was able to cash the check in the Citibank branch what XXXX had told me the day before she told me to come to the branch when I call the number to see if its verified and if its verified to come to the branch, I came to the branch and the person that assisted me was XXXX. I told her that the branch manager told me that once I called the number on the back of the check to verify if the check was able to be withdrawn or deposited that I can be able to come into the branch and cash the check and that is when XXXX proceeded to tell me that I wasnt able to cash the check because I wasnt a Citibank client and that the manager which was XXXX had called out due to an Emergency so they werent going to be able to cash the check. When I explained to her that XXXX told me that I was able to come into the branch to cash the check, she continued to laugh in my face and say that I wasnt able to because the branch manager wasnt there she then told me that I can go to another branch nearby, which was kind of far because I was taking public transportation. The one thing that really got me upset and made me feel uncomfortable was the fact that XXXX Proceeded to say, dont you have another account where you can be able to deposit the funds? Why dont you just deposit the funds and wait for it? In a shocked moment, I Shockingly, I replied, saying I do, but I know that it will take a while because of the amount and I know that it will take a few days in order for me to receive the full amount her response was what really made me feel like she did not want to help me at all, and she was basically gaslighting me. She said well, if you wouldve did it yesterday, the funds would have been there today me, knowing how long it couldve took if I wouldve deposited the funds in my account, I then replied to her saying that I needed the money to be able to pay for my schooling and other things that I had missed payments on and that I know it wouldve took long because of the amount. She then proceeded to have a smirk on her face, and that is when she told me that I can call another branch nearby to see if the manager is there, so I can be able to cash the check. I asked her what was the branch, and she then gave me the branch, while I was standing there, she was talking to other tellers behind the teller glass and was talking to them as if I wasnt there. I then left the Citibank branch and went to a check cashing place to see if I can cash the check spending almost an hour and a half in the check cashing place. I wasnt able to cash the check and even the teller in the check cash place Told me that I was able to cash the check in Citibank because it is a Citibank check and it was owed to me and my name was on the check so there shouldnt have been any problems. This took me approximately XXXX hours until I then went back to the Citibank location on XXXX XXXX. At this point I was frustrated and stressed out about the situation. When I got to the Citibank branch on XXXX once again, I then proceeded to talk to a young woman who, in fact, helped me throughout the whole process and was able to cast the check for me. Before being able to get my funds, I explained to her that the manager XXXX told me that I can call the number on the back of the check And if it was verified and in the system that I could come to the branch and I told her about the situation, and she didnt proceeded to tell me that she wasnt able to, but she can see what she can do. when she went to the back it took approximately XXXX minutes and when she came back to me, she told me that she spoke to XXXX And XXXX said that she can not be able to cash the check because I wasnt a Citibank customer. I then explain to the young woman that XXXX told me out of her mouth the day prior that I was able to so what has changed this. This had become a stressful situation, and the young lady proceeded to continue to help me and figure something out so that I can be able to withdraw the funds from the check. When the young woman was in the back, she asked XXXX a question to help me and XXXX blatantly said I dont know but in a tone where anyone couldve told that she didnt want to help me at all. The woman asked a question again, and she did the same thing with the same answer I dont know. About XXXX minutes later the young woman proceeded to help me and verify the check in the check was verified and she was able to help me withdraw the funds. Also prior to her being able to help me another teller in the branch ( I dont remember his name ) had told me that I wasnt able to cash the check because I wasnt a Citibank client andthat my account was closed and that the manager is not there so she wasnt able to even make a decision to even let me be able to cash the check. He also suggested that I give the check to someone to deposit in their account and this kind of got me upset because of the funds amount which was {$1700.00}. This happened in a matter of XXXX hours, and it resulted to me being able to cash the check in the branch where XXXX told me that I wasnt able to cash the check but I ended up cashing the check because the young woman her name was XXXX helped me. They were able to cash the check so this had made me feel not only better but my overall experience due to what I had to go through made me feel like they were enjoying the fact that I had to go through a lot to cash my check and it also made me feel like my concerns and what I wanted to get done wasnt valuable enough for them as they had put me through a lot and I had to waste time just to be able to cash the check in the branch near me..

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