Consumer complaint received 2019-10-28
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CO
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX I let CitiBank know that there were some unauthorized charges on my account for around {$1400.00} and they promptly closed my debit card and issued a new one. I was able to access my funds and use it which I took out of the account because I was opening a new one. 

Note : I was still able to access my account after these disputes and add a new debit card to XXXX Pay. Which gave me access to my funds. 

On XX/XX/XXXX More charges popped up from the same merchant and I filed another dispute and it went through seamlessly for around {$700.00}. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I noticed more pending charges post to my account from the cancelled debit card on XX/XX/XXXX and they refunded this charge as well but took longer than the first dispute. 

I also lost full access to my account and I asked them how I could access my funds, the representative told me that there was no way to access funds, make transfers or use my money in the account until I received a new debit card. 

Note : I was not able to have full access to my account, it was restricted, only could view balances. 

They issued me another card because the banker who took my dispute cancelled my NEW debit card I had just received from the first dispute becusae she thought the charges were on the new card that I just got in the mail, she didn't even ask or respond. Then she said she was going to order another debit card for me I said fine, we all make mistakes and let it go. 

Two days later on XX/XX/XXXX I still had not got an e-mail saying my debit card had been shipped which I thought odd, so I called in and Citi Bank representative said the card had not been ordered and she would send one out promptly. At this point I was livid, they cancelled a new card that had never been used, and then had not sent out another one, and I had to call to get it ordered. On top of that it was a Friday so they said it would not be coming until Tuesday with overnight delivery, so I was out of access to my funds for over a week. 

While your debit card is being processed or shipped to you, CitiBank policy is to restrict your account access, you can not transfer funds, use services or pay bills. You can pretty much look at your account balance only and statements. I thought it was crazy but they said that was their policy to secure your account. 

While waiting for my debit card to arrive, I noticed someone had logged into the account and made XXXX transactions. WHILE the account was restricted. So, I thought maybe they sent out another card and it was compromised. 

I called into Citibank right-away let them know I didn't have account access to mobile or anything and why were there XXXX transactions being made. They were baffled what was going on and they put a hold on XXXX transfers and said they would file a dispute for the unauthorized charges. 

The lady that filed my dispute said that there should be no way anyone can access anything without a debit card because to luse Citi Bank accounts you have to have a debit cad number and pin or account number to register. Mine was still in transit when the XXXX transactions happened. I finally got my card and was able to login, all my funds were gone at this point. 

Two days, on XX/XX/XXXX later I call to find out whats going on and why I have not received provisionally credit and tried to login to my account and it was frozen. I could not even access the restricted version of the website, any banking statements, or secure messages they had been sending me. 

I called in XX/XX/XXXX since I had a busy work week and the lady transferred me to dispute team, the dispute team said my account was being " foreclosed '' and wouldn't tell me why. I demanded to know why because I had been without access to my funds for more almost 2 weeks now of disputed charges for XXXX, and they said the account was closed for fraudulent activity. And that " I should know why the account is closed. '' I asked them what do you mean I should know, she said your fraudulent activity. 

THEY CALLED ME A FRAUDSTER over the phone I demanded a supervisor. 

I was transferred to the fraud department and verified all my info and she basically asked me if I had added my debit card o XXXX pay on XXXX. I said I had added my previous card ending in XXXX to it because you are allowed to do that through the mobile app. ( This was before my account was restricted or had any funds in it. ) When I received provisional credit I was able to access money through XXXX Pay, and those charges were never disputed. IT was XXXX that I didn't use. She insisted on asking me that questions. I let her know the card I used with XXXX Pay was cancelled and a new one ending in XXXX was issued and I had not even got it yet and said I have the tracking number to prove it was in transit when the charges happened. 

I told her, if you determined that my account was fraudulent and that I made the charges, how would that be fraud ... I made the charges it's my account she had no explanation. I also explained to her, this is CITI BANKS responsibility to safeguard my money, not mine. 

I couldn't even change my password to my account without a debit card. Yet, they allowed someone when the account was restricted and my debit card was in transit to empty my account, again, that is their responsibility, doesn't matter who what when or where, the account was restricted, nothing should have been authorized without me having full online access. 

Citi Bank closed my account now for over 3 weeks, I have not had access to my statement ( s ) to see if there were other charges, I have not had access to my money and they have not sent me an explanation of why they declined the XXXX transactions. Other than, they determined the transfers were " legitimate '' but then closed my account because of " fraud '' which one is it. 

Furthermore, they said that the account takes 60 days to close and that I would receive a check after that, so still do not have full access to my funds while a dispute was happening, and no way to look at statements online as they do not have a branch here in the state of XXXX. 

Again, Citi Bank failed with their security procedures and then closed my account as a way to silence me and keep them from refunding transactions that occurred during a time of restricted account use and no access device to use funds. 

Their restricted site doesn't even have a XXXX link on it. And you can not access the mobile device whatsoever even restricted

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