Consumer complaint received 2023-04-10
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: GA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Savings account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
Sunday, XX/XX/XXXX - Call # 1 : I called the Citi Bank customer service number to get help with a wire transfer that I needed to make on Monday, XX/XX/XXXX for my house closing. There is a $ XXXX limit on wire transfers for my type of account, so I asked to escalated to a supervisor for help in getting this resolved ahead of my home closing as I needed to make a transfer of $ XXXX for the closing and all of the money for the closing is in my Citi savings account. I got transferred to a supervisor who said he would escalate to get my account looked at so that the amount could be increased ; he placed me on hold while he did this and after 5-10 minutes I was transferred to someone else. This new customer service rep informed me that I had been kicked back to the beginning queue and she had no idea what my call was about, so I explained again what I was trying to do. She informed me at that point that my account was under review and someone would call me within 30 - 60 minutes. 

Call # 2 : After an hour of no call, I called the customer service line back to inquire if simply updating my account to a different type that had no wire limits would resolve my problem and was then told my account had been flagged for fraud and was under a 24-48 hour review and all transactions on my account were frozen. I asked why it was placed on this review and they said because a man had called and requested a withdrawal amount increase. I informed the person on the phone that it wasn't a man, it was me who had called and he refused to help saying nothing could be done with the account being under review. I asked that it be taken off review because it wasn't fraudulent, I had made the request. I was told there was nothing they could do no on in the back office department with whom I could speak. 

Call # 3 : I call the fraud line immediately as I wanted to understand if they believed it was fraud why had no one contacted me and to see if we could just verify my identity and get it resolved. I was informed again that now that the account flagged even though I could verify it was me who had called, there was nothing to be done and now not even the standard daily $ 50K transfer could be made to help me in closing on my house in the next 24 hours. The rep informed me that she has escalated and will try to get someone to call me today. 

Call # 4 - I call back at XXXX as no one has called me back to help resolve this matter so that I can understand if going to a branch bank will help to resolve this issue. I live in a state where there are no branches but I would be willing to fly to one to get this resolved so that I can close on my house and not lose it. I am informed that there is no guarantee that a branch can help as they will have to contact customer service anyway and all I can do is wait for the 48 hour review to take place and then for someone to call me. This is not acceptable as I literally close in 12 hours at this point and no one will give me any information on what is going on. I am now in limbo not knowing when I can get access to my money and with my house closing in complete jeopardy.

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