Consumer complaint received 2017-09-16
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems
Sub-issue: Problem with rewards from credit card

Complaint:
I recently responded to a Citicards offer which advertised a XXXX mile Aadvantage bonus with the activation of a new card and purchases totaling over {$3000.00} within the first three months. On XX/XX/XXXX I heard from XXXX XXXX XXXX of the Citicards President 's office who was responding to the XX/XX/XXXX email I sent to their CEO ( see below ) complaining about my surprising discovery that I was not going to receive the offered miles even though I had been approved for the card, received the card, and fulfilled the required purchase amount. XXXX XXXX told me that he was confirming that I would not receive those miles ... ..even when I obliged him to confirm that the representative with whom I spoke during the approval process was directed to NOT share any specific information with the applicant that would indicate ineligibility for the award miles. He said that awarding those miles to me would not be fair to other customers. ( In my words : if they are cheating me, they must be cheating other applicants as well. ) In retrospect, the online offer did include fine print advising that the miles would not be applicable if the applicant had opened or closed a Citicard in the previous 24 months. I knew I had not opened a new card and had no recollection of canceling a card, a cancellation action which Citicards could/would not document to me. Again, during the telephone application review with Citicards, a previous active card was discussed but there was NO reference to a canceled card or any ineligibility for the mileage award with the new card. This was a complete reversal from a previous application when I was informed during that phone call that I was ineligible for a mileage bonus since I 'd opened a new card within the last 24 months and, therefore, canceled the application. I believe I had every right to expect the same qualification process to be in effect. In my opinion, this new policy is intended to deceive and result in newly issued credit card accounts for Citibank shades of XXXX XXXX. 

Thank you for taking the time to consider this issue. I look forward to hearing from you. 


Copy of my XX/XX/XXXX email to Citicards CEO : XXXX XXXX XXXX, Chief Executive Officer Citicards Corporation XXXX XXXX, NY Dear XXXX XXXX, Re : New Citi Aadvantage Credit Card ending in XXXX My husband and I have been loyal Aadvantage Citicards members for over thirty ( 30 ) years. 

In XX/XX/XXXX, we received a Citicards offer : Open a new Citicards credit card, spend {$3000.00} in the first three months and receive XXXX Aadvantage Frequent Flyer Miles. This sounded really good. So I applied ... .I applied in the name of XXXX XXXX . After filling out the application, I received an email asking me to call with additional information. I called as requested. I spoke with a Citicards representative. I was asked about transferring some credit dollars from an older card to the new card, which I agreed to do. All good. I discussed the XXXX Frequent Flyer Bonus miles I would receive with the agent. I requested that Citicards be sure that my Aadvantage number would be printed on my new card. I also pointed out that we had been disappointed recently with the elevated amount of miles XXXX was requiring for flights. The Citicards rep made a note of that comment and said she would pass it on. At no time was I asked any questions or given any information about previous Citicards transactions. An email followed shortly on XX/XX/XXXX announcing approval of the new card. The card arrived within a few days. Unfortunately, despite the conversation I had with the agent when applying for the card, the new card arrived without my Aadvantage number & I did have to call back in to have this corrected. 

I was diligent about making sure our upcoming vacation was charged to my new card and I have already surpassed the required {$3000.00} minimum on the card within the first three months. 

Not long after receiving my card, I misread my account information online, and thought I was reading that I had missed missed my first payment, which I knew was not correct as we had not even received our first bill yet. To verify this, I called Citicards on XX/XX/XXXX. In speaking with your customer service representative, I was able to confirm that there was NO missed payment. 

HOWEVER ... in making that call on XX/XX/XXXX to double check that I had done nothing to negatively impact the award of the XXXX promised miles, I was shocked to be told that I was not eligible for this award. What?!? How can that be possible? How can I apply for a new card with one of your representatives AFTER confirming with that same representative that I would receive the XXXX mileage promo you advertise, after receiving my new card, and then satisfy the {$3000.00} requirement within the first 3 months .... and THEN be told by a customer service representative ( XXXX ) on XX/XX/XXXX that I am ineligible for the bonus award? 

That customer service rep ( XXXX ) said it had something to do with canceling a previous card in XXXX, but the rep was unable to provide details. At this point the call was escalated to XXXX. On this call on XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX said he would open a complaint with your Rewards Dispute Team and we should hear back within 30 days. On XX/XX/XXXX, an unsigned denial form letter was mailed to me. 

XXXX, when I spoke with the original agent in XXXX regarding the card application, not one word or question was raised or provided about previous activity. I specifically remember a previous Citicards bonus mileage offer for which I applied and the application agent was immediately forthcoming with the information that I was not eligible for that new offer based on having opened an account within the previous 24 months. No such information was discussed or provided to me during this XX/XX/XXXX conversation about the new XXXX mile bonus offer. The application was approved with no reference to the fact that this new card would not entitle me to the promised XXXX mile bonus. Honestly, this seems like a lie by omission. Based on my previous Citicards experience, I had every right to expect that any bonus mile exclusion would be communicated during the application phone conversation with Citicards. Clearly, the only reason for my application for a new card was to enjoy the XXXX mile bonus. This appears to be a very deceptive new policy on the part of Citicards ... .a policy which perhaps improves some new account sales quota? ( Shades of XXXX XXXX? ) XXXX XXXX, I received no request for information or documentation about the dispute. The denial was printed within 24 hours of the conversation with XXXX XXXX XXXX. Clearly, that time frame does not represent a sincere effort to evaluate and consider the issue. I certainly believe I was enticed to pursue opening a new card by the XXXX mile promo, and I was then deceived on the phone into opening the new account with the promise of enjoying the advertised bonus miles a bonus which now has been denied. 

Can you please help me? I look forward to hearing from you. Your help is much appreciated.

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