Consumer complaint received 2023-02-22
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: MD
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Money was not available when promised

Complaint:
I want to submit a complaint about Citibanks unwarranted delay my domestic wire transfer. The transfer amount was completed at a branch of Citi on XXXX, but Citi has not released it until today XX/XX/XXXX, without any reason. 

My husband and I have a joint account at Citibank, On XXXX XXXX, my husband went to the XXXX XXXX Branch of Citi located at XXXX XXXX  XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX DC, and got help from a staff XXXX XXXX to complete a wire transfer. The amount was {$100000.00} and Citi charged {$35.00} for the wire bank fee. My husband also provided XXXX Call Notice because the purpose of this transaction was for an investment to a company located in NJ. 
Generally the domestic wire transfer only needs 30 min to get to the recipient 's account. 

On XXXX XXXX the recipient told me the money hadnt arrived, so my husband made phone calls to XXXX XXXX and asked him to figure out the issue. On the final call, he told him that the delay was because of screening, but the screening was concluded and the money would be released on that day ( XXXX XXXX ) or by tomorrow ( XXXX XXXX ). 

However, the money wasnt released during that weekend. Today, XX/XX/XXXX, three weeks later, Citi still hasnt released our money. Even our request to cancel the transaction and get our money back has been delayed and no deadline has been given to us. 

Since XXXX XXXX, we have contacted Citi through the branch manager XXXX XXXX XXXX and the staff XXXX XXXX time and time again, including going to the branch have talked with them in person, making several calls inquiring the update, and writing two emails to XXXX XXXX. Citi didnt respond any more, and refused to give us any reason, either didnt ask us to provide additional information, just told us they were working on this. 

On XXXX XXXX, ten days later, after my husband sent his second email, the operation officer XXXX XXXX XXXX ( phone number XXXX ) gave a phone call back. The only explanation she gave is that we can not do business through the personal account. 

At this point, my husband response her includes two points. First, the money in our personal account is not directly used to do business like operating a factory or a restaurant. The wire transfer was just for investment, I dont think I should do this by establishing a business account at Citi XXXX Second, the more important thing is if that were the real reason, why hadnt Citi told us earlier? In the beginning, we made it very clear to XXXX XXXX that the money was transferred for investment. We also provided the capital call information to Citi. Why has Citi been holding money for such a long time? Why is Citi still answering our inquiries by saying the wire is under review? 
XXXX XXXX XXXX didnt give us a satisfactory explanation for our response, and since XXXX is not our mother language, we asked her to arrange for an interpreter or a Citi staff who can speak XXXX to give us a call. 

On XXXX, around XXXX, my husband received another call from a madam who can speak XXXX and said she was from a branch of Citi in Maryland. She just listened to his description of the whole thing and requests as well. She promised that she would make a report and would deal with the issue as soon as possible. 

However, on XXXX XXXX, after XXXXXXXX XXXX Day, nothing happened. No feedback, no calls, and none of my calls were answered. I went to the XXXX XXXX branch again and told XXXX XXXX, who was also very surprised to hear that the money hadnt been released, to help resolve this issue right at the office. He made a call to the wire team, the only answer was the money was under review, with no deadline for how long it would take. What is even more absurd is that the request for canceling the wire transfer and returning my money back was also refused. 
XXXX XXXX reported to his area manager, noted all our connect information such as emails, phone call numbers for both of us, promised his boss would feedback me soon. 
Still no feedback, no answers, till today, till now. 

We are extremely outraged. We have never experienced a bank service like this anywhere. Citi is simply only a bank, not a law enforcement agency. It does not have the right to hold our money for such a long time without any written explanation or any understandable and acceptable explanation. It does not have the right to refuse our request for canceling the wire.

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