Consumer complaint received 2020-05-03
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CA
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a credit reporting company's investigation into an existing problem
Sub-issue: Problem with personal statement of dispute

Complaint:
This is the correspondence I sent to Citibank who still continues to not investigate their own actions and merely responds with a format letter and not a specific response to my particular personal issue : Dear Citi Card ; I am writing today because I am extremely upset with how my new secure credit card account with Citi Card has been handled and the fact that it has been closed due to an error. I have been a long-time Citibank customer and the recent actions by Citi Card are calling into question whether or not I will even continue banking at Citibank. It is my goal to lay out the issues to Citi Card in this correspondence with the success action point expected of Citi Card apologizing, reopening my account and reactivating my card. If this matter is not resolved from this correspondence, I will file various complaints, including but not limited to filing a complaint with Citibank, the Federal Trade Commission ( FTC ), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, XXXX XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX, as well as pursue all remedies afforded to me as a consumer under the laws of the state of California. 

I first came to learn of the Citi Card as a recommendation from XXXX XXXX to assist me in improving my credit history and credit score. I was excited when I was approved for a secured line of credit in the amount of {$300.00}. I made the deposit by transferring funds from my Citibank account to Citi Card. I used the card for months with no issue, always paid more than the minimum payment and watched my credit score increase. 

Then on or about XX/XX/2020, I made a payment in the amount of {$100.00}. I originally tried to do so with a live representative, but the hold time was taking too long, so I went online to make the payment. I then tried to make the payment by merely putting in my bank account information, but for some technical reason the system would only accept my payment if I linked my bank account to my Citi Card account. Although I have three ( 3 ) bank accounts with three ( 3 ) different banking institutions, I felt it mutually beneficial to link my Citibank account to my Citi Card. Here is where the problem lies, and the stories between my account and Citi Card differ but what is not disputable is that a MISTAKE was made somewhere. When I input my bank account information online, and double-checked it, the numbers were typed correctly. The system accepted the payment and a confirmation was emailed to me. Days later I received an email that seemed fraudulent that said in pertinent part : Hi, XXXX. Your recent payment of {$100.00} that was scheduled for XX/XX/2020 could not be processed. This could have occurred for various reasons.

Turns out it was not fraud so on or about XX/XX/XXXX, I went back online and hit the saved card information and once again the payment went through and a payment confirmation was emailed to me. It left a balance of about {$25.00}. All was well.

Shockingly, on or about XX/XX/XXXX, just six ( 6 ) days later I received a very disturbing correspondence that stated : Hi XXXX. We frequently review cardmember accounts a recent review of our account shows one or more late or returned payments in the past six months. Due to this, we had to close your Citi Mastercard account Needless to say, I was livid! I have only had the account for three months, paid all of my bills on time, paid more than the minimum, and never charged the full limit. I called Customer Service and spoke to several people, each knowing less than the one before. It was the worst customer service I have experienced in quite some time, of any kind. After several tries, I finally spoke to a Supervisor who identified himself as XXXX, employee ID XXXX who shared with me the payment process that has two faults. He indicated that the first try for the payment I put in 12 numbers when the bank account only has 11 numbers. He furthered that my second input was 11 numbers which was the accurate banking account number. 1 ) Most systems, if the cardholder were to possibly input the wrong information, the online payment processing system lets the cardholder know, immediately, in real time that there is an error. It will not process the information if there is any error. This did not happen. 2 ) When I went online to re do the payment, I didnt retype my card number. It was already saved in the system so all I did was resubmit the information. I didnt retype the card number. So it is my contention that the SYSTEM and not me committed an error in reversing the acceptance of the payment. Citi Cards position is that when I went online to re do the payment, I typed in 11 numbers which was the accurate number for the corresponding bank account. Whether it was 11 numbers typed in or 12 is in dispute, but what we know for a fact that is not in dispute is that the input issue was AN ACCIDENT. It was either an error on my part with typing 1 extra number or the systems part in coding an extra number of system error in the processing. Either way, the issue was an innocent mistake. To have my account closed based on a blameless mistake is ludicrous. 

Beyond the preposterous closing of a well-maintained account, Citi Cards actions in closing the account has put me in a worst position than I was in before opening said account and has caused more damage to my credit score causing it to drop 73 points!!! 

The point of applying for the card was to build my credit history and Citi Card assured me by written instrument that monthly notifications to the credit bureaus about my account would be provided to help build my credit history. Citi Mastercard further noted that by my choosing the Citi Card I would receive protection benefits, and worldwide acceptance. The goal of both parties was that opening a Citi Card would be a beneficial tool, mechanism, vehicle and platform to be of assistance, not to embark on something that was going to be gravely detrimental. This has been a horrible experience.

I am requesting Citi Card reopen my account. This has been beyond an ordeal and an unfair one at that. I will consider arbitration and other legal remedies including the possibility of filing this matter in Court in order to properly resolve the reopening my account. The only other alternative I will consider is Citi removing this account from the credit bureau reporting altogether. 

Under the circumstances, as a new business customer having suffered through this ordeal, both are viable options and the strongest solutions that would be asked for as judgment by the Courts, or via an arbitrator along with any monetary damages the Court may deem appropriate from the damage to my credit. 

During this fragile and tumultuous time, I have looked to my credit to see what lending options might be available to me. To have my score plummet so quickly and deeply has been injurious to my personal life and my small business operating options. 

Literally my payments for the Citi card were coming from my linked Citibank checking account. The irony that it is that account they " say '' they couldn't locate. The very banking account ALREADY in the system in my account!!! I didn't miss any payments, paid more than was the minimum and you closed my account and reporting it the same as you would of an account that had a poor payment or returned payments for lack of funds. THAT was not my case. I should never have been treated as such. In conclusion, this has been quite the ordeal!! Its been personally frustrating getting the run around with off-shore to on-shore assistance ; consistently inconsistent information being told to me about the appeal process and who and where I can send this correspondence. I had to do the research myself. In good faith, I opened my account with Citi because I felt I could depend on its stellar reputation, and because of my affiliation and long-standing positive relationship with its banking institution, I felt I would be treated fairly, equitably with respect and in a nondiscriminatory fashion. I found none of those characteristics to be true! And now time is of the essence. I am trying to make sure this blemish on my credit history is cleared off my record within the next 30 days and my resolution reflected on the next reporting cycle to the bureaus without the need for stronger legal intervention. I trust that this is feasible. 

Im happy to talk with you further anytime, as expeditious resolution of this urgent matter is best for both of us. 



Respectfully requested,

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