Consumer complaint received 2020-04-15
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: OR
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem when making payments
Sub-issue: Problem during payment process

Complaint:
Since around XX/XX/2019 I have been trying to submit payment on my Costco Account with Citi Bank. On several occasions I have went online as well as called to make payment. Apparently when I was going online to make payment my payments were not being saved nor was my updated payment method. 

I have attempted on several occasions to contact Citi Bank and was given a general messages that I should call back later. Also when I have have attempted multiple times to pay online I would get errors from their online website. They use an automated calling system which I assumed was a telemarketing call. I ended up blocking the number because each time I would answer and hear a robot voice not a human voice. Come to find out it was City bank calling me to tell me that my payment was late. Again I had blocked the number as I do with many creditors because they are constantly trying to up sell me new loans. 

It is interesting though that they had my email and sent me email occasionally. More recently on XX/XX/XXXX they pitch me their online mobile app, between payment reminders. In fact every time I get an email notification I would logon when it would let me and attempt to make payment. 

My concerns : This creditor adverse reporting on my credit while they can not provided an effective online platform to submit payment. 

This creditor pitching credit service email with payment email and delay in email reminding customer of balance due. 

This creditor never sending written communication notifying of delinquent payment. 

This creditor using robo call methods to collecting debt in a world where ; I, the customer blocks such calls because of the problem with robocall abuse. 

My main concern is that this creditor benefits in charging late fees and negative credit reporting because their processes are inept. 

I have paid the late fees on a lousy {$60.00} annual fee for my Costco membership. For what its worth I have been a costco member for years I don't use their contract creditors much more than required for the annual membership fee. That said they  have changed their contract creditors maybe twice. City being the worst. 

My goal is to make certain that my credit is not affected by negative credit reporting. As far as the late fee I was inclined to pay so that I could close the account with XXXX balance. 

For what it is worth I have exceptional credit. In my opinion this Creditor has built a process that is so difficult to pay that they benefit from the late fee charges. 

I expect that any negative reporting be removed from this creditor. It would be wise to investigate to see if there is a pattern of difficulty submitting payment and excessive late fees. 

I was working with XXXX XXXX According to XXXX because of Citi bank and their delinquency it was more likely than not reported negatively on my credit. He made the excuse since I signed up with paperless reporting so they wouldn't have sent me a paper notification. 

I have exceptional credit I have never had such a hard time paying a {$60.00} bill.

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