Consumer complaint received 2021-02-09
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: NC
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Store credit card
Issue: Struggling to pay your bill
Sub-issue: Credit card company won't work with you while you're going through financial hardship

Complaint:
I have been a Best Buy credit card customer since XXXX. XXXX was the bank that initially issued my Best Buy credit card. Around XXXX, XXXX XXXX acquired XXXX XXXX Best Buy credit card portfolio, and then just two years later, it sold it to Citigroup. Twelve years and three banks later, I never had an issue paying my Best Buy credit card. Even through the recession following the XXXX financial crisis and the four terrible years of the Trump administration 's repressive economic policies, which sought to make the rich reacher and the poor poorer, I kept making timely monthly payments, without fail. However, the COVID-19 global pandemic had a profound impact on my family and me. In its wake, I was left almost homeless and destitute. Like most Americans, I am now facing extreme financial hardship, barely surviving and struggling to provide for my XXXX young children. 
Before the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc in our lives, I had a XXXX  and modest XXXX  where I provided various XXXX XXXX to individuals and XXXX  XXXX. The problems started right away in XXXX of XXXX with the implementation of curfews and restrictions. Once that happened, a lot of people, like myself, were put out of business. Not only was the person to person contact restricted and even wholly prohibited, but the demand for any kind of services dwindled because everyone limited their spending to the bare essentials. I immediately contacted Citi about the situation via their website. Phone service with Citigroup was not available for a very long time. Initially, I received minimum payment deferral for two months ( or two payments ). After that, I asked Citigroup for additional help via their website, but they refused to work with me. Instead of improving, the COVID-19 situation deteriorated for many people such as myself. I attempted to contact Citigroup by phone to talk to them about the financial hardship that I am facing. Still, I couldn't, because their customer service was overwhelmed with other customers ' phone calls. I logged on online to my account via their website and sent them multiple detailed messages. However, all I received were the letters that I attached to this complaint. No one from Citigroup wanted to work with me. Instead, Citigroup continued to add interest and fees to my account. 
Citigroup closed my account without notice and removed my access to the online messaging system not to contact them via their website anymore. Finally, on XX/XX/XXXX, I got through to customer service via phone. The customer service agent that answered the phone spoke English with a strong foreign accent, and we could barely understand each other. He refused to provide me with his name and only gave me an ID number, namely XXXX. I had to make the agent repeat the numbers several times so that I could understand them. If someone listens to the phone recording, they will realize how poorly this man spoke English and how difficult it is for customers to obtain service from him. Judging from his rather bizarre behavior, I can only conclude that I talked to someone located in another country. 
I explained that I am trying to work with Citigroup to make a payment plan because I face financial hardship. He told me to hold and transferred me to an " Account Specialist. '' This " Account Specialist '' said that her name is XXXX, and her ID number is XXXX. I explained to Mrs. XXXX that I have tried to reach out to Citigroup via their website and phone to tell them about my financial hardship situation. I could only send messages via their website and not speak with anyone over the phone. She apologized that they didn't have sufficient personnel but that they are available now. I explained to Mrs. XXXX from Citigroup that I was facing financial hardship and asked her if they were willing to work with me. She said that I would have to pay {$210.00} for 58 months and that only if I would pay this amount Citi would work with me. I asked her kindly to reconsider because Citi added about {$2000.00} in interest and fees after repeatedly telling them that I am facing financial hardship. Even worse, they added more interest and fees after they closed my account. She said that she noted my concern, but I would have to pay that as well. I kindly explained that I can not make that kind of monthly commitment and that I don't owe Citigroup {$12000.00}, but instead {$8900.00}. She said that I would have to pay everything with fees and interest, and if I don't, they will come after me and face legal action and severe consequences. Seeing how she was unwilling to work with me, I asked her when the account would charge off, and she said that she couldn't tell me. She said she made it very clear that Citigroup is not interested in working with me during my financial hardship and wished me good luck, and hanged up the phone. 
I have to say that I have never dealt with a bank like Citigroup before. They did not want to work with me at all during my financial hardship. COVID-19 impacted most regular people in more ways than just economically. I am now facing XXXX XXXX XXXX, a XXXX XXXX in my XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, and no financial means to pay for medical treatment. As losing my job and a business that I loved is not enough, Citigroup is also threatening me. I repeatedly contacted them and told them about my problems. Not once did they even attempt to work with me? They did not offer me a decent payment plan option but instead inflated the amount that I owe them with interest and fees, just like predatory lenders do. When I spoke to Mrs. XXXX, she said they didn't even want to consider a settlement offer. I am sorry. However, I can not pay for everything that they want me to pay. Not only does Citigroup expect me to deliver everything that I owe them, but on top of that, they want me to pay over XXXX XXXX dollars in interest and fees. However, I told them about my financial hardship for months, and I repeatedly attempted to work with them to find an amicable solution to pay them. I have XXXX beautiful young children, and before my health, before anything else, they come first. It is of the utmost importance for me to provide them with a roof over their head and food on the table, even if I have to do it from a wheelchair. With that said, I am still desperately seeking to work with Citigroup to find a solution to pay them. However, I want Citigroup to treat me like a human being, rather than just another account number that they can milk into oblivion.

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