Consumer complaint received 2022-03-30
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: IA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Fees or interest
Sub-issue: Charged too much interest

Complaint:
There have been concerns raised and not resolved against Citi and their treatment of a 15 year XXXX customer. Citi has failed to comply with federal guidelines in communicating changes made to this account, and continues to violate protections of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Fair Debt Collections Practices Act, Fair Lending Laws, Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Truth in Lending Laws, as well as engaging in multiple Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Acts or Practices. 

Citi stated on XX/XX/XXXX, I would receive a response resolution within 15 calendar days and today is XX/XX/XXXX, no such response has been provided. Citi has retaliated against me by failing to respond and address these concerns in a timely fashion within legal president and has also engaged in retaliatory behavior increasing yet again the interest rate from 9.24 % to 9.49 %. 

I was out of work on medical FMLA leave from XX/XX/XXXX, until XX/XX/XXXX, recuperating from health impacts of my XXXX and Citi knowingly engaged in deceitful and harmful acts as defined by UDAPP and continues to violate legal protections under Federal Truth in Lending Laws by failing to properly disclose and accommodate. These duplicitous acts were carried out by Citi burrying changes to Terms and Agreements unbeknownst within my account billing statements. 

I was specifically informed by multiple employees from Citi that I was mailed under separate cover in XX/XX/XXXX, a communication of a change in the Credit Card Terms and Finance Charges ; this was false. Multiple employees stated that I was mailed this document and I have yet to receive any written correspondence regarding that manner or any resolution. 

I received a phone call on XX/XX/XXXX, from Citi Executive Response Unit who more or less told me that the 4.25 % APR that I had was too good of a deal, that all creditors are increasing interest rate and that the new rate of 9.24 % was good and therefore I should be happy as any new customer opening the same account today could only qualify for a rate as low as 13.24 %. This person was rude, unprofessional, and spoke over me the entire conversation they did not address all of my concerns and hung up on me and dismissed my allegations of Discrimination. 

I was assured by multiple employees of Citi I would be sent that missing communication that did not arrive in XX/XX/XXXX, explaining that effective XX/XX/XXXX, all charges made after XX/XX/XXXX, would be subject to a more than doubled interest rate from 4.25 % to 9.24 %. I was also assured I would be sent all future communications by mail and have yet to receive any mailed correspondence addressing or resolving these issues. 

I was not made aware of the changes made to my account until it was past the Opt Out date of XXXX, XXXX, XXXX. 

I was advised I need to call in each month and beg for them to lower my interest rate as they can not do anything for me. 

I questioned the information being fed to me as I could not corroborate this with any News or Social Media mentions. 

I have stated to Citi thru multiple natural disasters impacting my area, and experiencing and surviving XXXX I never once have asked for assistance. 

Multiple employees stated for me to pay down the balance of charges posted after XX/XX/XXXX, that are subject to the increased rate, any amount over the minimum payment due would then be applied to the higher interest balance. 

Per my calculations the sum of that balance totals {$2100.00}. 

I have informed Citi as per FDCPA Regulations they are harassing me inundating my email every SINGLE day with daily payment reminder alerts two weeks leading up to my payment due date, when I pay early, extra and on time every month and have never been late or delinquent. 

I had additional concerns with an XX/XX/XXXX, charge for {$5.00} when I visited a flea market and paid with my card for a painting and was arbitrarily charged a 25.24 % cash advance interest rate when on the same day I applied a {$6.00} payment to my account, as well as paying {$18.00} above the minimum payment {$180.00} due XX/XX/XXXX. 

My minimum payment due for XX/XX/XXXX, was {$200.00} and I paid {$500.00}, which is {$290.00} over. The minimum payment due for XX/XX/XXXX, was {$200.00} and I paid {$720.00}, which is {$510.00} over. The balance first reported subject to 9.24 % after XX/XX/XXXX, billing statement showed {$810.00}, on my XX/XX/XXXX, billing statement it showed {$2100.00}, and on my XX/XX/XXXX, billing statement, duped into thinking I was making progress showed {$2200.00}. I have not made any charges to the account after XX/XX/XXXX. 

How has the interest increased yet again showing this {$97.00} over the calculated amount of charges which occurred XX/XX/XXXX, to XX/XX/XXXX. 

Further, with overpayments of {$290.00} and {$510.00} totaling {$810.00} it was my belief the balance subject to the 9.24 % APR would be in the range of {$1200.00}. 

Citi continues to violate the law, my rights and business ethics, there is no transparency in the way they treat their customers, initiate and communicate changes and account maintenance. These issues need to be corrected and the numbers recalculated, or refunded of the excessive interest they continue to incorrectly assess.

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