Consumer complaint received 2021-03-05
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: MA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Trouble using your card
Sub-issue: Can't use card to make purchases

Complaint:
I had two active cards with citi Bank diamond and citi bank double cash .i was affected by covid and i could only pay the minimum and when I received other money i would send extra. I was trying to get my usage down so 1. So can get my credit rating backup due to a XXXX breach of my personal info that caused an avalanche of credit problems with XXXX XXXX, ( who is going through problems that has affected many of their consumers ) this breach causing me to fall behind because many of my payments were sent back to my creditors unknown to me. XXXX i could not reach citibank until XXXX of XXXX. When i did reach them I asked Citi Bank how were they assisting their customers during the pandemic since i am XXXX XXXX and following the rules that the governor set? They offer two months and i managed to pay extra, my accounts were over the limits due to interest fees late fees and usage. We were in a global pandemic, i had to feed my children and help them adjust to remote learning at home, this was the first time i had to have fourteen computers on in one location ; needless to say it did not work so I had to set7 computer in one location and7computers at another location so everyone would have access ; I soon learned that access in XXXX, XXXX and areas outside XXXX, XXXX, ( underserved communities ) were different. I had difficulty reaching citibank, i could not reach by phone and when i did i would be on hold for hours and could not access them through internetcausing late fees in XXXX and XXXX. This was by design. I informed them this was not my fault.During the reopening process i was able to reopen my buisness at 25 % capacity, my tenants were not able to pay rent and in Massachusetts they ( we ) were protected under the moratorium. In XXXX from non eviction ... no income from income property and yet i manage to pay and on time when they could be reached. The problem is, as i paid they decreased my credit limit on the Citibank diamond they lower my balance and when i called them and asked why they were setting me up to fail they closed the account on the credit report but not on my statement making me think i can use the card ... unfair practice ( translation -do as i say, not as i do ). The double cash card they just lowered the availability as i used it. My usage is at a 100 % when i have paid this account. They have been unfair to me during a time of uncertainty. They lowered my credit limit onXXXX again ... so no matter what i do if i pay the minimum i will be at 100 % usage and pay more fees over time and if i pay a lump they would lower credit limit and i would be at a hundred %. I pay. A lump sum thinking if i need to buy something i could ... wrong you cant. I know i am not the only one trying to balance during this global pandemic.

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