Consumer complaint received 2023-07-19
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: ID
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Trouble using your card
Sub-issue: Can't use card to make purchases

Complaint:
It all began with me receiving an email from CITI on XXXX saying I needed to use my card otherwise my account would close due to inactivity. Since this is the card that I have had for 20 years and my oldest card, for my credit score sake, I thought I would keep it open, so I went to add it to my Apple Pay on XX/XX/XXXX on my laptop to use it. It would not work, so I opened the chat and the person told me the last three digits of my card was the security code. It was not. So it wouldn't work. I then decided to call customer service for help since the chat misled me into entering incorrect information and probably started this whole situation. The customer service person immediately transferred me without telling me why and all of a sudden I was talking to someone in Fraud. That person said they needed to verify me and asked me for my landline phone number and what other accounts I had with CITI. I don't have demand depository accounts with CITI, so apparently I was not eligible to be verified. There was no option for a One Time Passcode or other method of authentication that any other financial institution uses. Instead I was told I would have a letter mailed to me. No instructions on what to do with the letter or anything. Just I had to wait for a letter. I asked to be transferred to the complaints department and was told that was impossible and I would be provided a physical address to mail them a letter. So I hung up and dialed customer service again and was given phone number XXXX to call and log a complaint. I called the complaints number and they told me they couldn't talk to me unless I had a landline or accounts with Citi, otherwise, I would need to wait until I received the letter. She wouldn't even LISTEN to me and attempt to hear me out. She told me it was absolutely impossible to get help on the same day. She also told me that she would have a supervisor call me that same day ( I confirmed it would be the same day ). I did not hear from anyone. At this point, I decided to call back and close my account because I would rather have my credit score lowered than to deal with CITI ever again in my life. No one was willing to help me or escalate my issue or make any attempt to provide assistance. They told me I couldn't close my account or even log a complaint. She told me I had to wait for the letter to come in the mail in 5-7 business days and she wasn't even able to see any of my customer profile. She did at least tell me what the letter was for and that it would have a reference number that I would need when I call back in. I finally received the letter on XX/XX/XXXX and called in to close my card. The automated service automatically transferred me to the fraud department which verified me from the code in the letter. I told them I wanted to close my account because of the terrible experience and I think they closed it, but the representative was not clear and did not provide me a confirmation. I asked again to be transferred to a complaints department and was hung up on. I then called back again to the general customer service number XXXX and was told I could file a complaint with them. However after I shared my story, the representative again placed me on hold and then hung up on me again before any confirmation of receipt of next steps. I am unclear of whether or not my account is closed or if my complaint has been filed. It seems to be misleading and deceitful to require a customer to have depository accounts with a financial institution in order to get help with a product.

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