Consumer complaint received 2021-10-10
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: MT
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Store credit card
Issue: Problem when making payments
Sub-issue: Problem during payment process

Complaint:
This is the 2nd phase of my on going issue with Citi Bank. Original complaint # XXXX, XXXX # XXXX it got worse since I file that complaint. 

Since I use the Costco Membership VISA Citi Bank credit card often and it has a low credit limit I want to pay it off sooner than my due date which is around the XXXX of the month. I have been an Executive level member of Costco for around 11 years. 

I called them using their XXXX number and they said my statement balance was around {$1500.00}. I made a payment early so I could continue to use their credit card without them telling me I was over my credit limit and then the card would be declined. I was shocked when I talked to a customer service rep that told me paying early wasn't going to happen and the check would be held until the due date. XXXX!!! I am being punished for paying early to keep from going over my credit limit and having any future charges declined? Insane!!! Guess they didn't like me filing the original complaint to me. 

Then in early XXXX I went to the bank to cash a small check and was told I had nothing in my checking account to cover that amount. I had thousands in my checking account and I wasn't able to cash a {$300.00} check? We made some transfer of funds form my saving account for the immediate action to cover any outstanding checks and I drove back home. 

Someone from Citi had tried on three consecutive days in XXXX to get almost {$4000.00} from my checking account without my permission or authorization. XXXX amount was {$1900.00} then the next day over {$1600.00} and change and the XXXX day was for {$26.00} and change or so. 

Yesterday I called CIti Bank to find out why they claimed my statement balance was almost {$6000.00}. They couldn't answer the question as to what happened to my early payment of aro9und {$1700.00} as it seemed it hadn't been credited to my account ever I disputed this excessive statement balance as there was only a few days between my early payment and their unauthorized attempt to take money form my checking account. Bounced checks and credit rating can be the next result effected by this action from Citi Bank. They admitted they attempted to get these` three days amounts but claimed they received no money in payment form my XXXX XXXX . Now we know who was responsible for this illegal act. 

No way I went from paying {$1700.00} early for them to claim I owed them almost {$6000.00} in that short period of time. 

I wasn't able to use their credit card to make a gasoline purchase at Costco or even buy a {$1.00} hot dog and drink for dinner Friday night. I had to drive to XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX to gas up to get back home..50 miles away on a Friday night. 

As I suggested these credit card companies need to be streamlined and monitored for excessive mistreatment of their customers especially when their card is the only one Costco authorizes to use at their stores. They recently changed the company credit card for their members in the past few years. I wonder how many other Citi Bank Costco Club members have similar issues as I do?

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