Consumer complaint received 2016-12-02
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: GA
Product: Prepaid card
Sub-product: Gift or merchant card
Issue: Managing, opening, or closing account

Complaint:
I had a " Thanks for Sharing '' card from Macy 's with {$94.00} on it that Macy 's is unable to release funds for. The card was received in XXXX and does not have an expiration. I was charged {$25.00} to enroll in this rewards program, and the funds were earned as 10 % of purchases made in XXXX on my Macy 's card. While they can see the funds on the card and say it has n't expired, there is a block on the card as they need to activate it via the card that accrued the points, however they are unable to find my Macy 's card in their system as its been inactive too long. After several attempts with them unable to pull up my Macy 's card info, they 've told me they 've gone ahead and removed the block and I can go into Macy 's to redeem it, only to have it rejected during checkout and finding out a block is still in place. We 've been in Macy 's 4 times in attempts to use this card, each time being told its been unlocked and ready to use only to be unable to use it. My mother who I was giving the card to does not drive and lives 30 minutes from Macy 's, so this is a hardship for her to get transportation there only to be unable to redeem it. It 's been about 6 months of attempting to use this card, with no resolution on Macy 's end. I was first told the block was removed in XXXX by a card activation associate " XXXX '', but my mother was still unable to use it later that month. On XX/XX/XXXX I was in Florida with my mother with both cards in-hand ( I had the original Macy 's Card, she had the Thanks for Sharing card we are attempting to redeem ), so I called back in to get this straightened out. I was told by " XXXX '' that she sees the block was removed XXXX, but put back by someone on their end on XX/XX/XXXX. She told me she 's removed the block again, entering in account notes not to reactivate the block, and that we can now redeem it. Within a few hours, we went to Macy 's however upon checking out, the card would n't go through with a notation for the sales associate to call the card department. Upon speaking with someone from their loyalty department ( XX/XX/XXXX approx XXXX ) I was told that she is unable to release the funds on the Thanks for Sharing card without an active card, however she attempted to get me to open a new credit card account saying that this would resolve the issue. Skeptical of this as I was previously told it was a security feature that the original card that accrued the points was needed to active the Sharing card, both myself and XXXX, a sales Manager at the XXXX Fl location questioned this, only to be told that this might not work. ( Note, I believe offering a false promise of compensation/consideration for opening a line of credit is against UDAAP guidelines ). At this point I was put in touch with her supervisor XXXX ( employee XXXX ), who informed me that she did not know how to remove the block, but would make inquiries on their end and get back to me within 3 days. On XX/XX/XXXX without hearing back, I 've called Macy 's and been put in touch with XXXX ( ID # XXXX ) who says he is unable to see any holds on their end stopping me from using the Sharing card, it must be user error at the store and I can go in and use it. Going back to Macy 's on XX/XX/XXXX, they are still unable to use the card, but a store manager said she 's seen this issue several times with the Thanks for Sharing card, and exchanged the card for " Macy 's Money '' coupons telling me I should be able to use that. Note : I typically do not shop Macy 's as I find them to be more expensive than other stores, but made additional purchases in XXXX with the understanding that I was earning money back on my Thanks for Sharing card. 
I feel their behavior and unwillingness to adequately resolve this is in violation of the Unfair & Deceptive Abusive Acts & Practices.

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