Consumer complaint received 2017-10-22
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: NY
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Getting a credit card
Sub-issue: Application denied

Complaint:
On XXXX XXXX I reported unauthorized transactions on my credit card account number ending in XXXX with XXXX XXXX XXXX Per usual they advised me that they cancelled the card and entered a request to dispute charges. I declined to getting a replacement card sent because the card was initially stolen from my mailbox when Citibank mailed me a card that was already activated making it easier for someone to use the card. After a week and half of not hearing back from Citibank I decided to give them a call and follow up on the claims, and also on a credit alert that I had received regarding the account, only to be told that the claims were never inputed, they also pressured me into getting a card deliver by giving me the option of sending the card to a different address or sending it to my address on file but this time instead of sending it pre-activated that they would send it not activated, so I said yes and regarding the credit alert I told them the alert said I had closed the account. They advised me that it was because the old credit card account was closed but a new one was open for which they were getting ready to send me a card. I even received emails regarding the replacement card being on its way, and to notify authorized users that the account number had changed. Again they advised me to wait for the card in the mail. 

A few days later, I heard back from the claims that they were honored and the charges were reimbursed. However, two weeks went by and I had n't receive the card so I started getting worry thinking maybe it was stolen again. Therefore, I got on the phone with Citibank to find out that there was never a card being send to me because the account was actually closed off and that if I needed to reopen the account that they needed to pull my credit and caused me an inquiry on my report. 

Not only did Citibank closed my account improperly, the employee during my second call around this incident lied to me or gave me false information when she " reassured me '' that the account was n't closed and that the cards were on its way. This card was also one of my oldest credit cards and having the credit history of this account removed from my credit has affected me terribly. This mistake by Citibank and its employees cost me a declined in credit score. Citibank refused to open the card unless I gave them authorization to pull my credit which I opposed to because that would only affect my credit even more and it was one of their employees that made a mistake, I never requested for the account to be close. In fact, if conversations are really recorded you will find proof in my initial conversation with the bank that I was not requesting the account to be closed, because the representative did you that terminology. Therefore, to clarify, I stated that I was requesting for the card to be cancelled and not the actual credit card account and the individual seemed to understand. 

Citibank refuses to take any responsibility for the issue.

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