Consumer complaint received 2016-03-10
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CA
Product: Credit card
Issue: Late fee

Complaint:
Fact # 1 ) I, XXXX XXXX XXXX obtained a Best Buy/Chase credit card XX/XX/XXXX. I used that card at that time for a promotion to buy a refrigerator for {$2200.00}. I did so because the promotion offered " {$0.00} down and 0 interest '' as long as the balance was paid off within 12 months. I did exactly that -- I paid off the purchase within a year and had no problems. There was no monthly interest charge, and there was no monthly minimum payment. 
Fact # 2 ) I did not use that card again until XX/XX/XXXX. Apparently, without my knowledge, during this period my account was sold to Citibank without my consent. 
Fact # 3 ) XX/XX/XXXX, I purchased a sound system for my home for {$910.00}. I made this purchase based on an advertisement campaign similar to the previous one XX/XX/XXXX ( I have enclosed a copy of a similar advertisement from today which offers 0 % interest on all purchases over {$390.00} AS LONG AS the purchase is paid off within 12 months. ) Nowhere in the promotion did it say that a minimum payment had to be paid each month. I confirmed the details of this promotion both with the manager on duty at the XXXX XXXX XXXX store where I made my purchase, and again with the cashier at check-out. I did this twice because I wanted to be sure, and because I did the exact same thing the first time using my card for a promotion in XXXX. 
FACT # 4 ) Similar to the period from XX/XX/XXXX-XX/XX/XXXX, I did make sporadic payments over the next year ( XX/XX/XXXX-XX/XX/XXXX ) to bring my balance to what should have been a {$0.00} balance by XX/XX/XXXX. Instead, your company immediately after my purchase began charging me interest on my balance. Without my consent, I was accruing interest monthly, directly against the terms of the promotion I agreed to. In XXXX XXXX I had a balance of {$310.00}, which I paid in full in XX/XX/XXXX because I had already received a communication telling me that I was past due for that amount. Please note that I paid {$470.00} in interest and fees that I never agreed to, and were NEVER mentioned in the promotion I agreed to. This was a drastically different experience than the first time I used the card. 
Fact # 5 ) I had planned out my budget for the year, and as evidenced in the attachment below I made payments according to that plan to come to a XXXX balance by the end of one year term ( XXXX XXXX to XXXX XXXX. ) Nowhere in the promotion did it say I had to make specific monthly payments, and specifically in my conversation with both the manager on duty AND the cashier I asked if I needed to make a monthly payment -- the answer was always " no, as long as you pay it off by the end of a year. '' Fact # 6 ) Your company 's incorrect addition of interest and other fees from the time of purchase NOT ONLY erroneously added {$470.00} to my account, but when the balance thus deviated from my plan it caused me to become ( inaccurately ) " delinquent '' in paying my bill. Again, I asked XXXX separate employees ( XXXX the manager ) if I needed to make scheduled monthly payments and was told " no. '' And that 's how it had gone the first time I used the card. These inaccurate " delinquencies '' were then incorrectly reported to the credit bureau. Your erroneous actions in this regard have been extremely detrimental to my credit rating. This has prevented me from obtaining a home loan and other necessary financing for both my business and personal life. This in turn has caused me and my family significant emotional and financial distress. 

Best Buy/ CitiBank XXXX because you did not honor the terms of your promotion I have been wronged on XXXX fronts : 1 ) I have been erroneously charged an extra {$470.00} in late fees and interest ; and 2 ) I have had my credit rating ruined by your inaccurate reporting of " delinquencies '' that never should have existed in the first place. 
I have made several calls to discuss with members of your staff to get these inaccuracies resolved

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