Consumer complaint received 2023-03-09
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: TX
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
I bank with CitiBank. I was expecting to receive my income tax refund. I went online to check my bank account to see if it had been deposited yet. One of the security measures to getting access to your online account is for them to send a code to your phone. I could not get the code because my phone number had changed. I called the bank and over the phone changed my phone number on the account my phone number went from a regular phone number to a Wi-Fi number. I was told nothing about it being a problem at this time and was allowed access into my account. I did some shopping on Friday the XXXX of XXXX and the morning of Saturday XXXX the XXXX my card no longer worked nor could I get online access to my account. I called the bank again and was told I needed to be transferred to the security or fraud department and they wanted to verify my account. They got to the part of my phone number and told me since I did not have a phone number that was of public record because it was Wi-Fi number that they could not send me a code and therefore would have to send me a letter in the mail with a code. I explained to them I could not wait for this and ask to speak to a supervisor, I was then hung up on. I called back just minutes later and got another fraud department or security specialist on the phone and she was very nice and was able to go a step further and ask for the CVV code on the back of my debit card and was able to turn my account back on that way. At that time I was able to pay my water bill online and do some shopping that day. The very next day Sunday XX/XX/XXXX my card was shut off again and no online access either. When I spoke to them this time they told me the same thing because of my phone number I would have to wait to get this code in the mail. I reluctantly relented because they will not get me a supervisor on the phone they hang up on you or tell you they're not available. I wait several days for the code to come actually I waited four days. I waited until Thursday it would be XX/XX/2023, and I was told it was mailed from XXXX XXXX Texas to my address in XXXX XXXX which should only take 4 days at the most and I still did not have the letter at this time. I'm becoming very upset because they're going to cut my water off. Although I was able to pay the bill online Saturday because it was still in pending status when my card was shut off again it did not get paid. Again I asked to speak to a supervisor and I'm hung up on I am told that verifying your phone is the only way to verify ones identity which is preposterous that seems like a really dumb way to prove someone's identity is by a phone number. I'm advised to wait for the letter they have sent because it can take 7 to 10 days to get to me. 0I digress and I wait over the weekend. I wait Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday I call back on Thursday XX/XX/XXXX after the mail came,. I advised them that I still had not received any letter with a code .I was very upset at this point and told them all of my money is their bank I have no way to pay my bills or feed my XXXX mother with XXXX that I take care of, my water is going to be shut off on Monday and I still don't have a way to prove my identity because I don't have a phone number that is a public record and I have not received a letter in the mail from them with a code and these are the only options they give me to prove my identity to unlock my account. Saturday the XXXX I borrowed some money and went to XXXX and got an account in my name and called the bank back with my new number that say XXXX phone number attached to my name and they still said they didn't find it in public record. Again they're mailing me a letter with a code for me to call with. I called them Sunday the XXXX very angry very upset that the phone number I spent money on still did not work for them and that my water was going to be cut off and I could not pay my bills or feed my family and that they were holding my money from me what I thought to be very unjustly because there are so many ways you can prove someone's identity. There are live visual services over the phone you can do and show your identification hold it up next to your face the the credit bureaus will ask you questions that are of public record of places you've lived what streets you've lived on in the past what cars you owned in the past in your name to identify your identity so why this Bank hangs everything on a telephone number is beyond me. On Sunday the XXXX of XXXX they told me they were mailing another letter with the code for me in the meantime Tuesday XXXX the XXXX my water was cut off so I'm in a home with no running water and a XXXX XXXX XXXX mother with XXXX hardly any food in the house my mother is probably going to get ill from XXXX and as of today Thursday the XXXX I still don't have a letter with a code and no money to feed my family and I'm going to have to pay extra money to get my water turned back on. I don't even know what to do at this point or how to get my account unfroze and get access to my money that I so desperately need. Citibank is supposed to be the fourth largest financial institution in our country or whatever I would think they would have better business practices than this. Because this does not work this is causing serious financial issues for me and my family and possibly health issues as well.

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