Consumer complaint received 2021-03-26
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Store credit card
Issue: Advertising and marketing, including promotional offers
Sub-issue: Didn't receive advertised or promotional terms

Complaint:
To Whom it May Concern, I am writing to express the DECEPTIVE and PREDATORY practices that HomeDepot implements on harding working XXXX families. 

I have recently been charged an interests rate of {$1000.00} on a promotion balance of {$2800.00} on my HomeDepot credit card. That is 37 %! 

I had paid the full balance before the due date but some of the amount paid was applied to the revolving balance versus my promotional balance and thus not listed in the promotional balance section of your credit card website. 

A similar situation happened back in XX/XX/XXXX where my payment was returned to me because of some technicality on behalf of HomeDepot website and I was charged the interest rate. Luckily, I was able to get the interest rate reverse. HomeDepot only allows one reversal every 12 months, so now I am being forced to pay {$1000.00} in interest because of HomeDepots DECEPTIVE and PREDATORY methods and not being transparent with their customers as to where their credit card payments are being allocated. 

When I called the HomeDepot credit card services on XX/XX/XXXX and talked to XXXX in the Client Advocacy Unit Team XXXX in your Idaho Office, he said nothing could be done to help me. This is EXTREMELY alarming and disheartening considering the fact that HomeDepot prides itself in superior customer service and supporting local communities but when time comes to put your money where your mouth is NOTHING. NO help. This is living proof that corporate XXXX DOES NOT care about the working class who are the consumers that keep your companies afloat with while making record profits.

When time comes to help a customer, who ALWAYS makes their monthly payments on time, and is constantly shopping at your stores over a technicality NOTHING can be done to help them. Thus proving, that once again the little man has to swallow their pride and face the consequences. This is a prime example of the LACK of humanity and understanding that corporations have towards the average consumer and their ability to flex their superiority because what leverage does the everyday XXXX have against a giant, untouchable, multi billion, dollar corporation? Not much beyond using my words to let other average XXXX and XXXX know about my experiences with the HomeDepot and convincing them that they have a choice to shop elsewhere. 

Being that average XXXX, I have everything to loose. Paying {$1000.00} in interest at a 37 % rate of the initial balance is A LOT of money and has HUGE financial implications for me. On the contrary, reversing this interest fee has minimal loss implications for the HomeDepot in comparison to daily profits the company makes.

I am writing ASKING, IMPLORING, BEGGING for you to help me and see if anything can be done to avoid me having to pay this fee and to bring this situation to your attention in order to help other customers avoid being caught in this vicious web of DECEITFUL, CRUEL, and PREDATORY practices. 

I would appreciate any assistance or help in this matter. 

You average everyday XXXX, XXXX XXXX

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