Consumer complaint received 2022-01-31
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: TX
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Opening an account
Sub-issue: Didn't receive terms that were advertised

Complaint:
I opened an account with Citi XXXX as part of their promotion The terms stated the following : The more you deposit, the more you earn Chart MINIMUM DEPOSIT AND MINIMUM BALANCE CASH BONUS {$15000.00} - {$49000.00} {$300.00} {$50000.00} - {$190000.00} {$700.00} {$200000.00} or more {$1500.00} To enroll in this offer you must apply directly from this page. Opening an account does not guarantee that you meet eligibility requirements. We want you to have flexibility with this offer, so if you need to withdraw some of your funds during the balance maintenance period, just make sure you have at least {$15000.00} in your account to remain eligible to earn at least our minimum cash bonus of {$300.00}. See Terms and Conditions1 for full details. 

New to Citi Checking Cash Bonus Offer 1 TERMS AND CONDITIONS You can earn a {$300.00}, {$700.00} or {$1500.00} Bonus by opening a new Checking Account, funding it with New-to-Citibank Funds within 20 days, and maintaining that balance for another 60 days. 

Qualify So long as you have not owned a Citi checking account in the last 180 days, are at least 18 years old, and furnish or have a valid Form W-9 or Form W-8BEN on file with Citibank and are not subject to backup withholding, you can participate in the New to Citi Checking Cash Bonus Offer in select markets. Customers who open via phone or apply online with a residential/home ( not mailing ) address in an Eligible Location can qualify. Eligible Locations include Military Customers elsewhere in the Americas, Military Customers in XXXX, XXXX, XXXX or XXXX XXXX, AlaskaAK, AlabamaAL, Military Customers in the XXXX, ArkansasAR, American Samoa, ArizonaAZ, ColoradoCO, DelawareDE, GeorgiaGA, GuamGU, HawaiiHI, IowaIA, IdahoID, IndianaIN, KansasKS, KentuckyKY, LouisianaLA, MassachusettsMA, MaineME, MichiganMI, MinnesotaMN, MissouriMO, Northern Mariana Islands, MississippiMS, MontanaMT, North CarolinaNC, North DakotaND, NebraskaNE, New HampshireNH, New MexicoNM, OhioOH, OklahomaOK, OregonOR, PennsylvaniaPA, Puerto RicoPR, Rhode IslandRI, South CarolinaSC, South DakotaSD, TennesseeTN, TexasTX, UtahUT, Virgin IslandsVI, VermontVT, WashingtonWA, WisconsinWI, West VirginiaWV, WyomingWY and select markets in Florida and Illinois. 

Certain Checking Accounts are eligible for the New to Citi Checking Cash Bonus Offer. Your new Checking Account can be in either the Citigold Account Package, Citi Priority Package, Citibank Account Package, or Basic Banking Package ( only Regular Checking available for Basic ) from the time you open your account until you receive your Bonus. 

Checking Accounts that are living trust accounts and custodial accounts are eligible, but fiduciary, estate, business, retirement ( IRAs, SEPs, CESAs, money purchase pension plans and profit-sharing plans ), and other trust accounts will not qualify for this offer. 
International Personal Bank customers are not eligible for this offer. 

Second, so long as XX/XX/2022 has not passed, enroll in the New to Citi Checking Cash Bonus Offer on the same day you open your new Checking Account pursuant to the instructions provided. You can enroll online by clicking apply now and following the instructions for online account opening or by contacting a Citibank representative by phone and asking the representative to enroll you in the New to Citi Checking Cash Bonus Offer. However, if you open your account on citi.com by any other means than those described, you will not be eligible to earn the New to Citi Checking Cash Bonus Offer. 
Third, on the XXXX Day after you open your account, we will check your On Deposit balance in New-to-Citibank Funds which will determine the Maximum Bonus you can try to earn ( Balance ). Your Balance must be held in your eligible Checking Account. As long as you maintain at least a {$15000.00} Balance every day for 60 calendar days starting on the XXXX day after your XXXX Day ( Maintenance Period ) you will remain eligible for a Bonus, but please understand if your Balance falls into a lower Balance Tier for even one day during the Maintenance Period, your Maximum Bonus will change ( see Chart ). 
For example, if your Balance on the XXXX Day is {$200000.00}, the Maximum Bonus you can try to earn is {$1500.00}. If your Balance is {$150000.00} on day 45, however, the Maximum Bonus you can earn changes to {$700.00}. 
New-to-Citibank Funds are 1 ) funds deposited from external accounts or payees other than Citibank , N.A . and 2 ) must be deposited using domestic ACH transfer, Direct Deposit, checks drawn on banks other than Citibank , N.A . or wire transfer. Cash deposits, Citi Global Transfers, international ACH transfers, international wire transfers, and person-to-person transfer services such as XXXX XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX XXXX do not qualify as New-to-Citibank Funds. 
You can not use a Citi Accelerate Savings Account or a Citi Savings Account to maintain your Balance as part of this offer and still be eligible to earn the Bonus. 
XXXX Day means the XXXX calendar day after you open your Checking Account, but dont worry if your XXXX Day falls on a weekend or U.S. Federal holiday. If that happens, we will count the next Business Day as your XXXX Day instead. If you open your new Checking Account over the phone ( unless you use the XXXX  process ), we will look at the XXXX Calendar Day to determine your Maximum Bonus. 

I noticed back in XXXX that I was being charged fees and commented on the fees being charged, and the rep at the time stated it was a mistake and they would fix it. A couple months later I started to be charged the fee on a monthly basis again. 

The bonus should have been paid out no later than XXXX and it never was. 

I called again to attempt to remedy both issues ( the excess fees an the missing promotional bonus ). While speaking with the supervisor she realised that the representative I spoke with to open my account was opened the wrong account type. As a result the bonus was not paid out as it should have been. In addition I was charged {$30.00} fees each month in spite of meeting the monthly balance minimums. When I called Citi the supervisor told me I should have known that something was wrong by looking at the account statement because it states the account type. I'm not a banker or an expert on Citi account types, so I was not aware they had opened the wrong account. 

The Citi representative was very rude and dismissive of my complaint so I felt no choice but to file with the CFPB because Citi was not resolving my issue.

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