Consumer complaint received 2021-01-10
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: PA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Closing your account
Sub-issue: Company closed your account

Complaint:
On XX/XX/2020, my husband, XXXX XXXX. XXXX, died while in the hospital. We both had Citi Costco Visa credit cards under our individual credit accounts. On XX/XX/XXXX, I called our Citi Costco Visa to pay off the balance ( s ) on both cards as we had recently purchased a furnace installation service ( app. {$7000.00} ) and I did not want interest to accrue nor pay the bill late. At first, the customer service representative at the credit card company gave me my balance and processed the payment for my card but when she heard my husband had died, she did not tell me his balance and immediately closed his account ( ( # XXXX XXXX. When I insisted she just tell me the balance so I could at least just pay it, she further closed MY Citi Costco Visa card ( # XXXX ) even though this card was not attached to his credit card account. When I insisted that this card was under my own individual account, she passed my call on to her supervisor. This supervisor verified that I was right and informed me that the account would be re-opened and a new card issued by that Monday, XX/XX/XXXX. I told her I needed to have that card because I was going to pay for my husband 's funeral on Monday ( at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX, PA. XXXX She assured me the card would arrive in time. It did not. Moreover, when I attempted to purchase a new cell phone that day at Best Buy ( in XXXX XXXX, PA XXXX and use a different credit card ( also a Citi Mastercard XXXX, it was unexplainably denied. My daughter had to purchase the phone with her credit card. A few days later, when the card still did not arrive, I again called Citi Costco Visa and received the same information ( that my credit account was closed in error ; a new card was being issued, etc. ) At that point, I decided to open a new credit card online on XX/XX/XXXX with Citi DoubleCash Mastercard. I knew I had an excellent credit rating ( between XXXX ). It was automatically denied ( attached to this complaint ) because " [ T ] he credit privileges on your existing account ( s ) are currently restricted. '' I was puzzled as to what this meant but very sure that Citi Costco Visa was the cause. I called them again and -again- assured that their Recovery Department was reviewing the case and I would receive their decision within a month. At that point I realized all the assurances I was given by the previous two supervisors were completely -and deliberately- false. There were/are no credit cards on their way to me. I was also worried that the denial of the Citi cards ( both at Best Buy and online application ) were affecting my credit rating. So, on XX/XX/XXXX XXXX the day after my husband 's funeral ) I logged into XXXX XXXX and pulled my credit report. I confirmed that Citi 's actions did indeed negatively affect my credit rating, bringing it down between XXXX points. Citi reported that the credit card was closed at THEIR request, XXXX the reduction of my credit rating. Furthermore, whatever they erroneously reported to the credit agencies have restricted all of my credit so I am currently being denied new credit cards AND WORSE, I can not use any existing card ( s ) that I have! Today, my daughter again called Citi Costco Visa [ ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX to demand an explanation for their outrageous actions. The representative that answered the call XXXX XXXX XXXX confirmed the facts I'm claiming here but told me the case was still being reviewed by their Recovery Department and they would re-open and re-issue the credit card ( if warranted ) but that there was no time frame she could give me. I find this situation incredible- not only was my card cancelled but Citi 's actions have, and are continuing to, damage my ability to pay bills and maintain my life, now unfortunately, completely on my own. I understand obtaining credit cards are a privilege but no company has the right to lie and unjustifiably damage a citizen 's credit reputation and impede their ability to maintain their lifestyle. A lifetime of excellent credit enables one to open cell phone accounts, gas and electric accounts, internet accounts, and obtain loans at the lowest interest rate available and/or without collateral. Now that I have to proceed to remove my husband 's name from my house deed, and all my utility accounts, I need my excellent credit rating, which I have rightfully earned, to continue my life. It should not be held hostage to a company that not only erred, but LIED to me, and is continuing to cause damage to me. I respectfully request your assistance as my repeated phone calls have not resolved this problem at all. I have attached any paperwork I have. I also hope that you can obtain the recordings of the phone calls I made to Citi ( their automated voice system says " all calls are being recorded ... '' ) to further verify elements of my complaint.

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