Consumer complaint received 2020-03-15
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: GA
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report
Sub-issue: Reporting company used your report improperly

Complaint:
In XX/XX/XXXX I opened a Macy 's American Express Card issued by Department Stores National Bank with a {$2000.00} credit limit. Since I have had the card the company has on an continuous, irregular and spontaneous basis conducted so called " reviews '' of my account by obtaining copies of my credit report without notice to me and without my permission. Macy 's has used this information to decrease my credit limit from {$2000.00} to {$1900.00} in XX/XX/XXXX and again to decrease my credit limit from {$1900.00} to {$1800.00} in XX/XX/XXXX. In XX/XX/XXXX I was notified by Macy 's that my Macy 's AMX card would not be renewed beyond the expiration date of XX/XX/XXXX even though I have always paid by bill on time and never exceeded my credit limit. The company refuses to reconsider its decision or offer any type of appeals process to its decision. The company also refuses to allow me to close the account and or settle the account for less than the full balance. The company also refuses to remove the information from my credit file with the three major credit bureaus pursuant to 18 USC 1681i and 18 USC 1681s-2 ( b ). I also find it interesting that Macy 's is basing its decision on information from one credit bureau XX/XX/XXXX however, Macy 's is reporting information regarding this account to all three credit bureaus.

The only thing that Macys wants to do is offer and unhelpful, incomplete, generic, and cursory response stating that we are only doing what the Credit Card Agreement allows us to do written by an apathetic, heartless minion automaton. Macys refuses to disclose the qualifications or criteria to obtain or renew or maintain a Macys AMX card. Macys should be required by law to prominently and conspicuously disclose this clause to all applicants including at all Macys stores and point of sale systems.

A growing and popular trend among credit card companies is to frequently pull a credit report on a consumer to " review '' their account and then lower or decrease the credit limit closer to whatever the balance is on the card at the time of the " review '' and then complain that the consumer is using too much of the credit limit or that the proportion of balance to credit limit is too high. Then the credit card companies expect the consumer to pay the full balance while at the same time continuing to charge interest on an account the consumer may no longer be able to use and refuse to work with the consumer for an amicable solution. It's only when a corporation is sued or is subject to action taken by the government against the corporation, then the corporation wants to play the victim. At a time when Macy 's is struggling and is going through tough financial times and having to close stores and lay off employee I don't think upsetting and alienating the customers is a way to increase business and sales to help a company that is already struggling financially and prevent Macy 's from following behind Sears in filing bankruptcy and will probably go out of business in the next five years

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