Consumer complaint received 2020-12-11
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: NY
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Store credit card
Issue: Trouble using your card
Sub-issue: Can't use card to make purchases

Complaint:
I was in XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/2020 to replace a leaking refrigerator. Having recently losing my job due to the pandemic and also being a single parent replacement of the refrigerator was going to cause financial hardship but was a necessity. While I was in the store I learned that the Home Depot Credit Card from Citibank was offering a great financing option of 24 months and {$100.00} off of my purchase which was expiring on this night ( the promo on the appliances expired that night as well ). This offer made the purchase much less devastating so I agreed to apply for the card knowing that I would be approved because I am extremely cautious to ensure that my credit it always excellent. As expected I was approved for a {$6000.00} credit limit. As I attempted to make my purchase the clerk was asked to call to verify that I was a legitimate customer. First of all, I was not happy at all that I had to use the public store phone during a pandemic to speak with Citibank. That was way out of my comfort zone due to my underlying health issues. Being that I had to supply personal information I did not have the option of using speakerphone in the store. I was asked if I had my cell phone with me and I did not, I had inadvertently run out without it. Usually when I have to verify my identity the ask me a series of random questions based on my credit history, such as, Who do you have a car loan with?, What town have you lived in etc. That did not happen. I was asked if I have another Credit Card with Citibank, which I do not. That was it. I couldnt verify by Cell Phone and I didnt have another Citibank Credit Card therefore I was told I could not verify and could not use the credit card that I was just approved for and would have to wait for a letter to arrive to my home with a confirmation code. WHAT???? Had I been told prior to applying for the card that these were the only means for verification I certainly would have never agreed to have a Hard Hit on my credit report. I need to replace my refrigerator that day, I was told that a letter would be mailed in 1 week to 10 days ... are they kidding me! All promotions end that day and I needed a replacement refridgerator! I quickly ran home to retrieve my cell phone. Again going through the checkout process and the call for verification and once again contact with the public store phone. I now had my phone in hand and was ready to verify. I was asked if the phone account was in my name ... why is that relevant??? I have the phone that is associated with my account. I have a family plan with my sisters family in order to receive her military discount. This apparently, once again made me ineligible to verify my identity ... because my cell phone account is in my brother-in-laws name???!!!! What kind of ridiculous, inefficient system do they have to verify people. I spoke to a supervisor who told me there was no other way to be verified. I am beyond furious I now have a hard hit to my credit report for a card that I was approved for but was blocked by Citibank from using! I spoke with a very rude and passive aggressive woman at Citibank named XXXX at Citibank Executive Offices who advised me that the offer to resolve the issue was to cancel my card but she still refused to remove the Hard Hit from my credit report. THIS IS COMPLELY UNACCEPTABLE. They did not disclose their verification process prior to the application process and therefore are very deceptive to their potential customers. I was approved for the card and was blocked from using it. My request is that card cancelled immediately and I want the hit to my credit reversed and removed immediately their inefficiency to devise a program to verify legitimate customers should not be the problem of the legitimate customer. I will never, ever do business with Citibank. Not only did they not offer a reasonable resolution but their customer service is deplorable.

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