Consumer complaint received 2021-09-15
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: IN
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Closing an account
Sub-issue: Company closed your account

Complaint:
SITUATION : XX/XX/XXXX blocked, XX/XX/XXXX closed. My newly opened checking account was suddenly closed by the fraud team. I've been a Citi credit card customer for years. 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION : 1. On XX/XX/XXXX, I saw a bonus offer for opening a checking account. I tried doing it through the Web. The web crashed in the mid. When I tried again, the offer won't apply. 
2. So I called to open the account and asked for the offer. It took one hour or so. The agent told me I would need to provide utility bill or something to prove my address later. 
3. In mid XXXX, the card not arrived yet. I moved at beginning of XXXX. I asked my friend still living at the old address to check the mail. So I called Citi. The agent told me the card mail was returned by post office because the address in Citi system does not have an apt number. But I obviously had provided my apt number in the call. and I was told to wait after 30 days to request a replacement card. 
4. 30 days after I opened the account. I called for an expedited replacement card. 
5. I received the card. Then I realized I had no PIN. Then I called again for a PIN mailer. The previous agent didn't told me I would need a PIN mailer, nor did he tell me there was an expedite fee. And the newly opened account was overdrafted. 
6. I also got to know I'm not eligible for the bonus offer because I didn't fund it within 30 days. I don't have any account information until I receive the card. How could I fund it? 
7. At early XXXX, the account was linked to my online banking. Then I tried to pull money from XXXX XXXX. I was told there is a block on my account. I was required to submit some docs. That's OK. But it asked for both a utility/statement and a paystub, which was not told to me when I opened the account and not necessary for a checking account in my opinion. I called the department for new account again, the agent assured me it should not ask for paystub. I can just ignore that part or upload a blank document. I followed his advice and only provided a bank statement. This is likely the reason of closure by fraud team. But the docs passed requirement by the new account team. 
8. It seemed fine after I uploaded the docs. The money transfer was completed. But then on XX/XX/XXXX, the account was first blocked and then closed. When I call the fraud team. They wouldn't provide any information but just ask me to wait for mail. 

I don't even know whether the mail would make it to me or not since I'm not sure whether my address is corrected in citi system. If everything worked out correctly, I would spend weeks waiting for the mail and get my money back. But I didn't do anything wrong in the whole process. 

What CITI did WRONG : 1. The first agent didn't put my address correctly, causing me to wait for extended time and lose eligibility for the bonus. 
2. The agent for expedite card didn't provide me complete information and didn't remind me about the fee. 
3. The agent provided me with wrong information about verification documents.

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 monetary relief