Consumer complaint received 2022-08-25
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: GA
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 rewards from credit card

Complaint:
I have been a Citi credit card holder for six years in good standing. I am submitting this complaint because Citi misled me about a reward program offer. 

While doing research on several different bonus travel miles credit cards in XX/XX/XXXX, I became aware of a promotional offer advertising XXXX " thank-you points '' for opening a Citi XXXX Card. On XX/XX/XXXX I reached out to Citi 's customer service team through the live chat feature on their website. I was asking about getting XXXX bonus points through an upgrade conversion versus having to submit a new application in order to secure the XXXX bonus points. Screenshots of this conversation are attached to the complaint. 

As a result of that on-line chat with the Citi representative , I was led to believe I could get XXXX thank-you points as a sign up bonus by upgrading from a Citi-simplicity card to a Citi-XXXX  card. 

I received access to the Citi XXXX  card and started using it immediately. I achieved the {$4000.00} spending criteria within the required time period to earn XXXX bonus points. After waiting a couple of billing cycles without receiving the bonus points, I followed up with Citi on XX/XX/XXXX. I spoke with XXXX who offered to file a complaint within the company after stating to me " I understand that you have been misinformed about the bonus offer. '' Screenshots attached to complaint. 

After this complaint, I was billed a {$95.00} annual fee which is a value I planned to offset through the XXXX bonus point rewards. I would not have paid for this card if I knew I wasn't getting the bonus points, because without those points the card is less valuable than other financial products I use. 

The only other acknowledgement I received from Citi throughout this process besides the {$95.00} fee and credit card itself was a separate non-specific letter about an " account change '' on XX/XX/XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I followed up with Citi by phone, and was shuffled around to several different representatives without resolution of my issue- and they were aware of my dissatisfaction. At the advice of the last representative, I wrote a letter and sent it to Citi to plead my case on XX/XX/XXXX. Letter attached to this complaint. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I called again to follow up. XXXX indicated my letter was received and Citi mailed out a decision on XX/XX/XXXX which I still have not received. XXXX transferred me to a supervisor. 

Then, I spoke with XXXX and the conversation rapidly declined into further confusion and conflicting information while having to subject myself to insults and being yelled at. 

- XXXX initially said my letter was never received and that I would need to send in an additional letter. 
- XXXX then said the letter was received and the request was denied. She proceeded to repeat policies and card benefits over and over again speaking to me like I'm XXXX while ignoring my complaint and refusing to provide a rational explanation for it's resolution. 
- XXXX repeatedly deflected Citi 's responsibility in this exchange even though I based my decision explicitly on the information that a Citi representative provided me. 
- XXXX said I could cancel the Citi XXXX account and open a new account with a bonus offer, but that ignored the clause that I can't get thank you points if I've had a new account within the last two years. Furthermore, XXXX disregarded my concern about how closing a six year old account would impact my credit score as my wife and I began applying for mortgages in an extremely competitive housing market. 
- XXXX then tried to upsell me on an entirely different card that didn't address my issue in the first place. 

I was in this situation because of bad information from a Citi rep and was then preyed upon in this conversation with a myriad of other options that created even more problems for me. I repeatedly asked to speak with someone else. XXXX was aggressive, rude, and dismissive and repeatedly told me there was no one else I could speak with. It was all very distressing. 

I was eventually connected with XXXX and I explained that XXXX was giving me a lot of conflicting and redundant information. XXXX confirmed I had exhausted all options within the Citi organization. XXXX denied knowledge of any other consumer reporting agencies that I could submit a grievance to. I was transferred to XXXX with the conversion team who pressured me to convert back to a downgraded card in order to receive a refund on the {$95.00} annual fee. Her disclaimer also said I would no longer be eligible for " thankyou point '' offers from previous cards, which moves even further away from the issues I need to have addressed. I explained I would defer any further action on my account until I have reported these business practices to a third party agency. 

As an XXXX XXXX, the last thing I want to do is deal with something like this on my time off. I have not had the bandwidth until now to address it, and I have not used the card since this disagreement started. Because the deadline for another annual fee on the card is fast approaching I downgraded the card today. I maintain my trust as a consumer has been violated and I have been taken advantage of by Citi.

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