Consumer complaint received 2018-12-26
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Opening an account
Sub-issue: Didn't receive terms that were advertised

Complaint:
In response to a bonus offer of {$400.00} for opening a new checking account and funding with {$15000.00} and opening a savings account within 30 days of opening the account and then maintaining the balances for 60 days, within 90 days of these terms being met, the deposit of {$400.00} was to be released to the checking account. FYI, my husband opened an account at the same time as me and had the exact same problem. He ultimately was able to get them to review the account AFTER 12 phone calls and numerous threats of filing legal action against Citibank, and they finally released the bonus. 

I opened my account with Citibank on XX/XX/2018 and funded my Citibank checking account on XX/XX/2018 with {$15000.00}. I also funded my Citibank savings account with {$100.00} on the same day. These funds are still there and have been there untouched since XX/XX/XXXX. 

I contacted Citibank 7 times by telephone regarding this matter. Most of the times I did not record a customer service agent name because they claimed my account had met the terms and the bonus was being processed and would be released within a few days. By XX/XX/2018 I was fed up with their lies and asked for a supervisor. I spoke with XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. He apologized many times telling me that I had indeed met the terms of the offer and he didn't know why it was taking so long. He put me on hold for a long time while he said he was talking with the bonus department. When he returned to the call he said they told him it was being processed and the problem was they were overloaded with bonus accounts and it was taking longer than expected. He said to give them 5 business days and it should be in the account. 
I was out of the country for most of XXXX and when I returned, still no bonus or communications from this terrible deceitful organization. I called yet again for the 7th time on XX/XX/XXXX. Immediately upon the customer service agent answering I demanded to speak to a manager. I was transferred to XXXX. I went through the issue again with all details. XXXX looks at the account and tells me all the agents before me told me the wrong information. He now said that I needed to meet the requirements within 30 days of opening the account - which I did. He then said I needed to maintain the balances for 60 days - which I did. He then said Citibank has the option to wait the full 90 days after that before they had to pay the bonus, but usually pay it sooner - apparently not in my case. He now told me that the bonus was due, according to his " math '', on XX/XX/18. After that he said they were definitely out of terms. I was absolutely fed up and demanded to open a case dispute. He refused. He said, sorry but since Citibank is not out terms yet, I can't open a dispute. 
So I waited until XX/XX/XXXX - no bonus. It is now XX/XX/XXXX - no bonus. 
I can not continue to waste my valuable time trying to get this awful company to live up to their published offer. As I said, it took my husband 12 phone calls and the threat of getting an attorney to get them to complete the transaction. I am not interested in speaking with them again, banking with them, or quite frankly ever seeing the name Citibank ever again either. I want my bonus as I met the contractual requirements of their published offer and then I will be immediately closing my account and NEVER bank with them again.

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 monetary relief