Consumer complaint received 2021-11-29
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: OR
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Problem using a debit or ATM card

Complaint:
BACKGROUND TIMELINEXX/XX/XXXX : I began registration process with Citi for the XXXX Account package. I was unable to sign up online. I called to ask questions, to get help signing up and to make sure this was the best package for me. From day one I explained that I am opening this checking account so that I could use this account while I am traveling out of the country. I made it clear nearly every conversation I had, that I am opening this account for the international ATM transaction fees to be reversed. Each time I asked for this information to be clarified, they said it is not a problem and, yes, your international ATM transaction fees will be reversed. 
XX/XX/XXXX : Spoke to XXXX at XXXX XXXX. I spent nearly two hours trying to get a hold of a customer rep to help me register. She told me I couldnt register online until paperwork was sent in and a debit card was sent to me. The call dropped three times while I tried to speak to a customer rep. 
XX/XX/XXXX : Tried to register again. It would not allow me to register. XXXX from account servicing told me there is a hold on my account and they need to talk to me. She was unable to help me. Once again, I explained that I am opening this checking account so that I could use this account while I am traveling out of the country ; clarifying that I am opening this account for the international ATM transaction fees to be reversed. I feel that an account manager should have reached out to me before I called them to find out what the problem was. Not once did I receive an email with any hello, welcome, or on status of account. I also explained how concern I am because this is taking so long to register, and I am leaving town in 9 days. 
XX/XX/XXXX : Received return check # XXXX for {$15000.00} from CITI. Our first attempt to fund the account per instructions in WELCOME package sent to me. 
XX/XX/XXXX : Spoke to a customer rep, he stated he would put in a request to release the locked account, send me a pin and debt card. He requested the back-office email me with verification. No one ever reached out. Spent another hour and half trying to reach a customer rep. and the phone line dropped two times. 
XX/XX/XXXX : Once I got a hold of a customer rep., I was directed to Account Services after the first call was dropped. She confirmed the debt card was sent out, possibly arriving on XX/XX/XX/XX/XXXX. I asked to speak to their supervisor, they left me on hold and phone dropped. Another 90 minutes spent trying to reach Citi Customer service rep and to get any help. 
XX/XX/XXXX : I tried to link an external account to Citi Account. A few days later deposits were made to external account. The website would not let me verify the deposits. Two people hung up on me with that particular time. I found it very difficult to understand their dialect but also the phone line was so poor, I think it played a bigger role in me not being able to understand what they were saying. Spoke to a XXXX, he did nothing to help and either hung up or the phone line dropped. Tried one more time to reach someone, the CITI wire specialists hung up on me too. No one could or would help. Another two hours wasted trying to get help with opening my CITI XXXX Account Package before I left out of town. This was becoming extremely stressful and frustrating. 
XX/XX/XXXX : Husband, XXXX XXXX XXXX, tried to get information from account reps. on the quickest way to get money into this new account before we leave. 
XX/XX/XXXX: After spending over an hour trying to speak to someone to help us figure the fastest way to send money to fund the account before we leave, the phone being dropped more than once and having to start the call all over again, I spoke to XXXX, Account Specialist. Unbelievably he said, give me your check #, routing #, etc., he said he would make the transfer in 3-5 business days. I was shocked because we had already wasted so many days and time trying to get someone to do this very same thing. No one would do it, they kept saying you had to wire money or send in a check. Unbelievable he just nonchalantly said OK and started the request. Since we were having so much trouble every step of the way from getting any logical help, registration, to verifying external accounts, to funding the account ; we were not sure if XXXX was for real or just another CITI employee lying. We were leaving in two days and very stressed, not sure if this really going to happen. Nothing from our experience gave us any confidence they would do what they say. 
XX/XX/XXXX : Spoke to XXXX. My online access would not allow me to verify the deposits in external account. Said they were invalid, even though I saw the deposits and was not making them up. Just would not except deposit verification. 
XX/XX/XXXX: My husband, XXXX XXXX XXXX, took the check information I gave XXXX. Our bank said they ( CITI ) could not take money out of our account without approval. It was not legal for CITI to do so. So, we decided to wire money into CITI account thru our bank. 
XX/XX/XXXX: Home from our travels. We have called CITI to reverse the international ATM transaction fees as they said they would do. She said they could only approve a few. When I told her that was unacceptable, she went silent and there was no longer anyone on the line, the phone dropped and went dead. 
DATE AMOUNT OF international ATM transaction FEE BANK REVERSED/ NOT REVERSED XXXX XXXX, XXXX {$18.00} XXXX XXXX NOT REVERSED XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX$17.00} XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX NOT REVERSED XXXX XXXX, XXXX  {$11.00} XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX  {$11.00} XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX {$26.00} XXXX XXXX NOT REVERSED XXXX XXXX, XXXX  {$37.00} XXXX XXXX NOT REVERSED XXXX XXXX, XXXX  {$37.00} XXXX XXXX NOT REVERSED XXXX XXXX, XXXX  {$3.00} XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX {$2.00} XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX  {$2.00} XXXX XXXX XXXX : Somewhere between the XXXX XXXX XXXX I called again requesting the international ATM transaction fees be reversed. They denied my request and said this account does not have this service. I complained that this is not what CITI told me from day one and now the truth come out. 
XX/XX/2021 : Spoke to XXXX # XXXX. I requested the remainder of the international ATM transaction fees be reversed. They denied my request. She said they had reached its limit ; the fees are limited and that these were appropriate CITI Bank fees. I said this is not what you told me. I have made it extremely clear why I was opening this account. I asked questions regarding to why I wanted to open this account from the very beginning. I find it unacceptable that this is the time they tell me this account does not have this service of reversing international ATM transaction fees even though I specifically asked this more than once throughout the entire process. 


COMPLAINT CONCERN Citi employees are very challenging to hear and understand. I believe they are hard to understand because CITI has an extremely poor phone service/connection. The sound is mottled, low volume, and it left the speaker to sound like they are mumbling. I dont think the customer reps knew what they were talking about since many of them either repeated talking points which in the moment really didnt make sense with the question I was asking ; individual reps gave out different information and clearly they were not helping or had the knowledge to resolve the issue and at the very least give me correct information for me to base my decisions from. CITI Sales Reps talk over you, mainly repeating their talking points given to them. All of CITI staff would try to kick the can down the road by referring me to a branch office ( there are none in the state of Oregon ) or by finding another department less likely equipped to help me or they would go silent and hang up on me. Something is seriously wrong with their online processes, customer support training, and COMMUNICATION. I believe they that CITI intentionally gave me wrong information so that I would sign up for this product whether it met my criteria or not. No resolution ever came about and they accepted the fee charges from me even though they told me something completely different. I asked for them to tell me what page I could find this information in the WELCOME package sent and the first rep said it is not written down and the second rep I spoke to said it is in there but not sure where. I have read the book and can not find anything describing the amount they charge for international ATM transaction fees. 

WHAT I AM REQUESTING I am asking CITI Bank to reverse the international transaction fees that they verbally said was available to me with the XXXX checking package. I am not asking for anything more than what I asked of them from day one and they said they would do. 

It is really hard for me to accept their apologies that someone did not tell me the correct answer to my very specific question and for the only reason I chose to open this account in over a two month period of asking the very specific question does this account waive international ATM fees?. Every answer was yes, and never once did I hear there was going to be any charge.

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