Consumer complaint received 2019-07-08
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: NY
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Closing your account
Sub-issue: Company closed your account

Complaint:
Racial and Age Discrimination Complaint Citibank I am not in the habit of constructing communications of complaint to corporate boards or government agencies. However, in this instance, I am compelled to act because what has transpired via my interface with Citibank. Over the past month, I have received a number of notices stipulating that many of my credit cards, financially authorized by Citibank, have been cancelled. Those cards include XXXX XXXX Advantage, Costco, Home Depot, Bloomingdales, Macys and Citibank Diamond. Coincidently, when all of these cards were cancelled, it adversely impacted my credit score to such an extent that my status has been downgraded extensively. 

I have reviewed all of the aforementioned accounts and all the credit cards were in good standing. I had either paid off the credit card or established a monthly online payment cycle and none of the credit cards were in a delinquent status. To that end, given my age, race and history dealing with many financial institutions around this country, I have seen and fought these type of actions before. My 40 years of extensive business and corporate experience enforces my belief that Citibanks actions are rooted in discriminatory practices base on race and age but disguised as a companys business practice On XX/XX/2019 I called Citibanks customer service unit and spoke to a representative who was rather lethargic and somewhat pedestrian in explaining what was transpiring with all of these closures. The representative stated to the best of her ability that the reason all of my accounts were being closed is ( 1 ) I had a dormant card which was not being utilized, ( 2 ) I had opened too many credit cards in the past 11 months, which I might add, included 4 of Citibanks cards ( 3 ) my usable credit lines seemed to be too high. So, she states Citibank had made a business decision to extinguish any financial ties with me notwithstanding paying off the balances. 

In my attempt to enlighten the representative, I shared with her that my wife and I have a sound financial strategy that encompasses taking advantage of the various balance transfer offers presented by financial institutions as well as paying off credit card balances while purchasing goods to acquire travel points, hotel rooms and the like. As a senior citizen, I use any and all financial components available to me to live as good of a life as I can. 

The actions taken by Citibank seems to be demonstratively punitive for reasons that belies a consumer doing what any financial institution would do, i.e, construct a good economic strategy Too many times in this country, XXXX XXXX and particularly senior citizens who are XXXX XXXX are impacted negatively and categorically by the actions of financial institutions who camouflaged their execution as a legitimate business decisions. However, I am positive that upon your review, you will find that the actions Citibank has initiated disproportionately targets XXXX XXXX  and senior citizens. Perhaps, they view our station as one without reverence I submit that the actions Citibank has taken towards me is a judgement that is explicit and can not go unchallenged. To that end, I am seeking your intervention for me but also all the disadvantaged people impacted by this bank. I hope this issue can be addressed by the Federal Reserve Bank. 

XXXX XXXX

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