Consumer complaint received 2020-04-29
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: PA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Trouble using your card
Sub-issue: Credit card company won't increase or decrease your credit limit

Complaint:
In XX/XX/XXXX, I opened a 0 % Citibank credit card account, in order to transfer some of my higher balances. The credit limit was {$4500.00}. I transferred balances and since opening the account, I have paid every payment on time. There have been times that I paid over what was due to bring down my balance. Without my asking, Citibank increased my credit limit to {$8200.00}, I believe in late XXXX. In XX/XX/XXXX, they again increased my credit limit to {$8700.00}. 

I have not used the card since XX/XX/XXXX, because I wanted to bring my usage percentage down. My current balance is {$4600.00}. With a credit limit of {$8700.00}, my usage percentage was about 53 %. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a XXXX XXXX alert, stating that Citibank had lowered my credit limit to {$4900.00}! Owing {$4600.00}. on a {$4900.00}, credit limit increased my usage on the card to 94 %!! 

I called Citibank and the agent told me that I was sent a notice via USPS on XX/XX/XXXX. I haven't received it. But I also moved to a new house. 

I asked the agent why Citibank lowered my limit. She stated that my credit usage was too high overall. I explained that my usage has only increased by a little, over the past few years, and asked why the limit wasn't lowered before. For this, she had no answer. I also explained that I have paid all of my credit cards on time, and almost always pay over what it due on each card. ( I monitor my credit score every month! ) I complained to the agent that we are in the middle of a Pandemic, and many people are not working and have to use their credit cards for present. I stated that all over social media, Citibank has bragged that they are helping customers, who are having trouble making their credit card or loan payments by using deferment, credit limit increases and other methods. At the same time, they have lowered my credit limit. I have not asked for their help with my payments, and have continued to pay what is due during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

I feel that Citibank has unfairly taken advantage of customers like me, who haven't asked for help and who continue to pay their credit card bill during this crisis. Their action in lowering my credit limit has set a precedent for my other credit card companies to do the same. This would wreak havoc on my credit score, which will sorely disable me for my future. 

As it stands, due to Citibank 's harsh decision, I learned on XX/XX/XXXX that my credit score went down 27 points this month!!! I am totally disheartened, as I have worked so hard to build my credit since my divorce from a financially irresponsible husband! 
I ask : Why bother paying my credit cards on time and pay extra, if I am going to be penalized unjustly anyway? I wouldn't even have lost that many points on my credit score if I paid one, two or maybe three payments late! Would I have been better off, if I had asked Citibank to help me with my payments, rather than continue to pay on time? I don't know. But lowering my credit limit is very unfair and hurts me and my family. 

I read Citibank 's many reviews and saw that during this pandemic, their overall rating is one star. I saw that a few other consumers have suffered the same fate as I have. All of the reviews were from disgruntled customers. I am also going to write a review. 

I received no satisfaction from my call to Citibank to resolve the issue. The agent told me that the only thing I could do was to contact XXXX, where they received my information. That same information has been there all along, since I opened the card. Why lower my credit limit now? I will contact XXXX. But XXXX  did not make the decision to lower my credit limit, Citibank did!! 

I appreciate your assistance in helping to resolve this issue and ultimately, get my credit score back up and in good standing. 

Thank you.

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