Consumer complaint received 2021-05-13
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: NY
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems
Sub-issue: Problem with balance transfer

Complaint:
XX/XX/XXXX From : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX Ph : XXXX Email : XXXX Dear Sir, Madam : I am very hopeful that you will be able to help me to resolve this problem and despite that amount seems to be small it is causing a sufficient financial burden in my case. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, based on the offer from the XXXX XXXX application, I decided to apply for a City Bank credit card and make a balance transfer of my debt from XXXX XXXX. The debt on the credit card of the XXXX XXXX at that moment was {$1.00} and when I entered the information, I indicated the routing number and account information. At that moment I haven't noticed any errors, it was my first balance transfer experience now recalling I might have mixed up routing and account numbers however if I made a mistake and this information indeed was wrong then either one of those banks should have denied the transaction and notify me of an error. Especially if the routing number was entered instead of the account number. 
The transfer was made on XX/XX/XXXX and this amount instantly appeared on the balance of my new City Bank credit card and somehow it was marked as made to XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX on the Citi Bank statement, but the balance of {$1200.00} on the credit card of XXXX XXXX did not disappear and I started calling City Bank to clarify. I was told to wait a couple more days and advised that we=hen payment cleared through with XXXX XXXX balance will disappear. On XX/XX/XXXX, I called the City Bank again, I was told to call the XXXX XXXX and clarify with them because there were no problems on the City Bank part according to them. I called XXXX XXXX and they say that there is no balance transfer request and there were no payments at all. 
I called the City Bank again and they offered to investigate but meanwhile, as an option to proceed with one more balance transfer which I agreed to since the payment fees at XXXX XXXX were high and due to COVID-19, I have lost my employment. At the same time, I am opening a dispute and investigation regarding the previous transfer. As a result, on XX/XX/XXXX, I have an additional + {$1200.00} to my previous balance of {$1200.00} and receive the first letter from City Bank, saying that the dispute is closed, here is a copy of the confirmation that the transfer was successful and attach the confirmation of the second transfer initiated on XX/XX/XXXX!!!!!! I called Citi Bank again, explaining what happened from the start, I insisted on opening another dispute in regards to the balance transfer transaction from XX/XX/XXXX and not for the transaction from XXXX of XXXX. I have no complaints about the transaction from XXXX XXXX. 
At the same time, I go to the local branch of City Bank and XXXX XXXXk on XXXX XXXX in XXXX NY and they turn me away because credit cards can only be resolved by phone according to them at the moment, and I keep paying off both transfers. On XX/XX/XXXX, Citi Bank again sends me a letter that the dispute is closed, the transfer was successfully completed, and they refer again the second transfer from XX/XX/XXXX. I go to the XXXX XXXX and force them to help me and, one woman decides to look at the issue and help me, she calls to their credit card department, they say that they did not receive payment, but probably it went to the department of loans and mortgage payments. She called there and we had a three-line call. and this department says that there is no mortgage or loan in my name and they do not know where the payment has gone. This woman prints out account statements for me which reflect that there are no payments were received on my account on XX/XX/XXXX or until XX/XX/XXXX ( the second balance transfer ), meaning that XXXX Bank did not receive any payment from CITY Bank in XXXX at all. I call City Bank again, open a dispute, in response on XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX, they send all the same notifications that the balance transfer went through and provide confirmation for the successful transfer from XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, I went to the local CITY Bank to the Branch Manager and she herself began to call and trying to find out, as a result, she could not figure out why the first transfer balance is not visible anywhere in their system, and she was told that they had opened another dispute and that I need to wait for the written confirmation. A month passed, nothing came, I went back to the City Bank manager, no, it turns out that I need to deal with XXXX XXXX and they can't help with this problem. 
I am shocked and applied by the service and actions of both banks towards their clients going through it on my own experience. The level of ignorance and mistreatment is unbelievable as there are no other words describing this situation. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX

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 non-monetary relief