Consumer complaint received 2023-05-13
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: FL
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Savings account
Issue: Opening an account
Sub-issue: Didn't receive terms that were advertised

Complaint:
RE : Is it a false or at least misleading advertisement of Citi Savings Account Promotion Bonus Program? 

I have been a Citibank customer years since XXXX. I didnt expect something like this. 

Early in XX/XX/XXXX, I logged into my account in the Citi mobile app, to check my accounts as usual. I saw an offer for a cash bonus if I open a new Citi Accelerate Savings account, complete certain requirements. 

By then I already had a Citi Accelerate Savings account ( and I liked it ), so I was wondering why the advertisement was still pushed to existing account owner like me. I wasnt sure that I was eligible, so I used the online chat support in the Citi mobile app, a Citi agent confirmed my eligibility, saying that as long as I open a new account, deposit NEW money, and complete all required activities, I will get the bonus. ( I believe that Citi can check the chat history before I opened the new account, the chat conversation record can surely be found. ) Based on this information, I went ahead and opened a new Citi Accelerate Savings account ( ending in XXXX ), and used the online chat support again to confirm the bonus promo code ( XXXX ) was successfully applied to the new account. ( Attached screen shot file : XXXX ) Soon I deposited total XXXX XXXX  new money ( not small amount for sure ) to the new account. And to double confirm everything is ok, I used the mobile apps chat support once again, another agent double-confirmed the program requirements and my bonus promo code, and said if I met all the requirements I would receive the bonus by XX/XX/XXXX. ( Attached screen shot files : XXXX and XXXX ) So I maintained the balance for sixty days, based on the bonus programs requirements. But on XX/XX/XXXX, the bonus wasnt posted as expected. A couple of days later, I contacted Citi again, an agent acknowledged that my account was registered with the bonus program and I met the requirements but the bonus was not posted as expected, she immediately raised an internal dispute case ( XXXX ) for me even without my asking to dispute, and said I would be kept posted. ( Attached screen shot files : XXXX and XXXX ) Then after waiting for several days, I received a paper letter in my mail box. The letter says that the Citi Accelerate Savings account has to be in the Access Account Package to be eligible for the concerned bonus program, my account is in the Citi Priority Account Package and thus not eligible. 

That obviously surprised me to an extent beyond speech when I was reading the letter! 

I really dont recall the Access Account Package language in the offer advertisement. And I doubt it was there. I have questions for Citi as below : XXXX ) Why did the Citi mobile app pushed the offer advertisement to my account in the first place? If my Account Package wasnt the intended customer segment? And there was no warning about so called Account Package at all? 

XXXX ) During my multiple correspondences with Citi please refer to the attached screen shots - before opening the new account, after opening the account, before finishing all the required activities, and after finishing the required activities, why all the agents consistently confirmed my promo code and the required activities, but none of them mentioned the Account Package language, or at least give me some warning about it? 

These really make me think like : Was Citi trying to attract new deposit by false or at least mis-leading advertisement? I certainly hope it is not. I hope that Citi will review my case and honor their commitment to issue the bonus to me. It's concerning to think that this may have been a case of false or misleading advertising, and I hope that Citi takes steps to ensure that their promotions are clear and transparent in the future.

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