Consumer complaint received 2020-10-22
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems
Sub-issue: Problem with rewards from credit card

Complaint:
I opened a Citi XXXX XXXX XXXX credit card account on approximately XX/XX/XXXX. I opened the account using a promotion whereby I would receive XXXX bonus points after spending {$4000.00} in the first three months. I reached the {$4000.00} spending limit on approximately XX/XX/XXXX. However I never received my bonus points. 

I first contacted Citi by chat on XX/XX/XXXX to inquire about the bonus. They confirmed the {$4000.00} spending limit had been reached and I would receive the bonus points when my XXXX statement posted. That did not happen. 

I then contacted Citi by chat on XX/XX/XXXX and they said there was no record of a promotion being tied to my account, in direct contrast to the first chat session on XX/XX/XXXX. They asked that I email " XXXX '' asking for the bous with a screenshot of the XXXX bonus point offer, which I did on XX/XX/XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I still had not received the bonus points or a response to my email sent to Citi, so I called Citi to ask about the issue by phone. I spoke to XXXX, ID # XXXX, Call Ref. No. XXXX, who told me that he would send this issue to the back office to investigate and they would get back to me. I have not yet heard from them via phone. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a letter in the mail from Citi, apparently in response to my my email from XX/XX/XXXX. Their letter rejected my request for the XXXX bonus points, stating : " Terms and conditions state Acquisition Special Offers will not apply if customers have existing accounts in the same product approved or closed within the last 24 months. '' In response to that term and condition : I did not close or open a Citi XXXX XXXX XXXX card in the past 24 months, however I did open a Citi XXXX  account on approximately XX/XX/XXXX via a product change from a Citi Aadvantage card that I had prior.

HOWEVER : the critical point is that the term and condition referenced in Citi 's letter is very different from the actual language on the Citi webpage for the XXXX bonus offer for the Citi XXXX XXXX XXXX of the Citi Bank website ( see : XXXX : XXXX? XXXX & XXXX & XXXX & XXXX & XXXX & XXXX ) The language on that webpage states : " Bonus ThankYou Points are not available if you received a new cardmember bonus for Citi XXXX, Citi XXXX XXXX, Citi XXXX XXXX XXXX or Citi XXXX, or if you have closed any of these accounts XXXX in the past 24 months. '' Crucially, I have never received a new cardmember bonus for any of the cards listed, nor have I ever closed any of the cards listed. Therefore, based on the terms and conditions stated on the website, which were those in effect when I opened the account, I am objectively 100 % eligible for the XXXX bonus thank you points. 

Therefore I ask for the following immediately : 1. Please Issue my XXXX bonus points as promised, as I am objectively eligible for them based on the language on the Citi offer webpage. 

2. Additionally, I request a {$100.00} statement credit, or XXXX Bonus Points, for the following reasons. a ) I have wasted hours of my time contacting Citi chat ( twice ), Citi phone ( once ), Citi email ( once ), and now lodging a complaint with the CFPB to get a points bonus I should have gotten automatically, and that time has great value to me, and b ) Because my bonus points have not yet come, even though they were due weeks or months ago, I was unable to book a trip I planned to book using these points, which ruined my vacation plans and caused undue psychological harm via stress and anxiety. 

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 non-monetary relief