Consumer complaint received 2021-09-08
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: PA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Store credit card
Issue: Getting a credit card
Sub-issue: Application denied

Complaint:
I applied online for a Home Depot credit card just to be able to get the deals they were offering for major purchases. I have a rental property with several units. I also have a fulltime job. The rental property is extra income. 

I applied for a Home Depot credit card around XXXX XXXX XXXX I say around because I was only able to complete 3 of 4 steps online and never received an email confirmation stating what the problem was with step # 4. My credit report was viewed because I received word from XXXX stating such. I had to proceed with phone calls to attempt to find out what was going on. 

At that time I was not able to send or receive texts on the XXXX cell phone number ( talk only ), but I was in to process of getting another phone that would allow me to text. I called Home Depot 's telephone number to find out why I was having problems completing the application. From what I understood Home Depot 's representatives say, I needed to give a text number they could contact me with while I was on my landline phone ( XXXX ) with them. I was unable to complete because they were unable to text me while on the telephone to them. 

That Home Depot rep placed me on hold and checked with another person for another way for me to proceed in the application process. I was instructed by that rep to call another Home Depot phone number and have have them speak with me at the same time on both my landline and my cell phone. I called the phone number I was given and explained what the rep I spoke with before stated needed to be done and immediately she stated " declined ''! I asked " Why? ". She refused to give me the reason why I was delined, stating I would have to wait for a letter to be sent. 

More than a week later I finally received the letter stating why I was " declined ''. The reason : " Could not verify my identity ''. 

I called as instructed in order to have my identity verified, and stated what the rep before her asked me to have the next rep call me both on my landline and my cell phone number simultaneously so that I could be heard on both calls, but the last Home Depot rep was unwilling to follow the instructions of the rep before her. She just ended the process right there! 

I gave Home Depot two telephone numbers ( perhaps more than many of their credit card customers have ) , street mailing address ( not po box ), SS #, and yet they couldn't verify my identity! 

Something must have been identified concerning me because I received a phone call from XXXX that Home Depot looked at my credit report. XXXX had no problem verifying my identity! 

I just got a small loan for income producing property this past spring ( XXXX  ) from XXXX XXXX XXXX Bank ( with payments < $ XXXX/month ). XXXX XXXX XXXX had no problem verifying my identity. 

I also have a four major credit cards ( one of them personal and a business credit card ), and these companies have had no problems with verifying my identity. I also pay off all credit card balances each month and have my vehicles paid off. I've proven I can handle credit responsibly. Loans and credit card balances can not be the issue here. 

The last FICO score on my one statement was XXXX. At the time of writing this, it is still XXXX. 

I have even had the same address for 20 years, own my income producing property with no mortgage ( paid off years ago ). 

This last Home Depot rep I spoke with gave me no chance to " verify '' my " identity ''. She wouldn't even try what the rep before her suggested. 

I encourage Home Depot management to listen to all the phone recordings of my calls to all their representatives. Doing so will will prove that everything I am writing here is correct. 

Do other Home Depot credit card holders have credit rating 's and FICO score 's that measure up to mine? Do I have more ways to be contacted and to verify my identity than perhaps other Home Depot card holders. Was I declined for some other reason? 
Does Home Depot 's credit card issuing practice deserve a full investigation?

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