Consumer complaint received 2016-10-25
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CO
Product: Credit card
Issue: Billing disputes

Complaint:
XX/XX/XXXX we bought a new house, and we were looking to remodel the kitchen. We went to Home Depot and worked with a fabulous designer, who told us that if we placed our order in XX/XX/XXXX and opened a Home Depot credit card ( through Citibank ), we could get 24 month no interest financing. 

I remember filling out the credit card application, and signing the paperwork for the promotion. Our paperwork with the Home Depot reflected a 2 year promotion payable by XX/XX/XXXX XXXX. 

We paid off our Home Depot card a week before the interest would accrue and called to get confirmation that it was applied to the account. But then, when I went to get a HELOC against my house, it showed that my Home Depot card was virtually maxed out - it lowered my credit score enough that I had to take a high interest HELOC. Upon investigating it became apparent that Citibank had back-charged XXXX of interest to the card. 

On XXXX XXXX, XXXX I called XXXX to figure out why the balance was there. 
In spite of me having paid {$5000.00} against the account back in XXXX XXXX to pay off the entire remaining promotional balance of {$4100.00} for the kitchen, they left a tiny balance of {$23.00} on the promotional account so they could charge 100 % of the back interest. 
The CSR noted this from looking at my account history and assured me that : It would be cleared up by a special department called something like the Review Department. They would compute the amount I 'd paid in excess due to their error and, of course, remove the erroneous debt of over {$4700.00} from my account. BUT it would take up to two months for them to resolve everything. 
I would be sent a full ( erroneous ) accounting within 10 days which I received in a timely manner. 
On XXXX XXXX, XXXX Having heard nothing from Home Depot I called to follow up. 
The " Review Department '' had concluded that the promotion was a 6 month promotion. The CSR have no power to dispute it. 


Several damning pieces of evidence exist to indicate that they are lying : 1. I have an image of the promotional flyer for XX/XX/XXXX, stating the option for 24 months free financing with the Home Depot card. ( attached ) 2. I have prior bills from the credit card showing that the deferred interest was for 2 years, due XX/XX/XXXX ( please see the note on the bill indicating that the promotional amount ran through XXXX XXXX, XXXX. 
3. The " back interest '' was not charged to the account until XX/XX/XXXX - if this were a 6 month deal, it should have been charged XX/XX/XXXX. 
3. This also happened to us when we bought our fencing material this year - the deal was purchase more than XXXX and the finance promotion was for 24 months. It impacted our decision to re-fence the full yard, instead of just once side. The card was reflecting 6 months financing on that purchase as well when we called about the other issue. Fortunately they did rectify that situation, but it indicates a pattern of misconduct to me. 

This refusal by Citibank/The Home Depot to acknowledge the terms they offered will impact the terms of my mortgage refinance ( I have to refinance my mortgage to eliminate the high interest HELOC I was forced to take because my debt to income is still showing XXXX higher than it should be due to THD ). In other words this " mistake '' is costing me a lot more than just the fraudulent back interest being charged by Citibank.

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