Consumer complaint received 2019-08-02
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: WA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Advertising and marketing, including promotional offers
Sub-issue: Didn't receive advertised or promotional terms

Complaint:
I applied to Citi Prestige Thank You Rewards card on XX/XX/XXXX based on their promotional offer mailed to me that advertised 60,000 points with {$4000.00} in purchases within 90 days. I was approved, completed the required spend, and never got the advertised 60,000 bonus. Upon contacting Citibank, I was told they would investigate and get back to me. I received a letter stating that I already had a Citi Prestige card within the past 24 months and thus was not eligible for the promotional offer, even though it was mailed to me.

However, I know that this is not correct. I did previously have a Citi Prestige card. I applied for that card on XX/XX/XXXX and I closed that card by converting to a Citi Double Cash Card in XXXX of XXXX. I know with absolute certainty that I converted to Double Cash and closed the Premier account before the end of XXXX of XXXX. I actually tried to convert in XXXX of XXXX, but was told than I needed to have had the card for at least 12 months prior to converting, and need to wait until XXXX to convert to Citi Double Cash. I was told that as long as I converted within 30 days of my account anniversary, I would get the annual fee charged to my account refunded back to me. I did complete the conversion from Premier to Double Cash in XXXX, and it had to be before the XXXX of XXXX ( one month from my account anniversary on XX/XX/XXXX ). I know that because I did get my annual fee refunded to me. That wouldn't have happened if I converted any later than XX/XX/XXXX. 

My application to the new credit card was on XX/XX/XXXX. That is at least 26 months since the previous account closure/conversion. 

I have a letter from Citi showing that they completed the requested change on XX/XX/XXXX. That's actually two months longer than it should've been, but it is still more than 24 months from XX/XX/XXXX. Also, the XX/XX/XXXX can not be the date I requested the change as I would've been charged the annual fee since it was more than 30 days since my credit card anniversary date of XX/XX/XXXX. 

I called again today and spoke to Citibank customer service. The first person I spoke to didn't introduce herself but kept insisting that I didn't close my original account until " towards the end of XXXX ''. When I asked her to give me exact date, she said she didn't have a date, but she could see it was " towards the end of XXXX. ". That was a ridiculous response, so I asked to speak to a supervisor. I spoke to supervisor XXXX. She insisted that I did not closed my old account until XXXX of XXXX. She also did not have an exact date, but insisted she could see " XXXX of XXXX '' in the system. Any attempts from my side to prove to her otherwise by providing the info I supplied above were not successful. It appears that there is an error in Citibank system that they are not willing to fix. 

As a result of that, I closed all of my credit card accounts with Citibank. However, I do not want to allow Citibank to treat customers like that, and I don't believe that an error in their system or straight out lie by the supervisor is acceptable. 

I am entitled to the 60,000 ThankYou point reward that was promised to me, and I still would like to receive that. I hope CFPB will help me to resolve that issue. I am attaching the supporting application from two different credit cards. I don't have anything that confirms that I requested the account to be closed in XXXX of XXXX, but I do have a letter from Citi showing they completed my request on XX/XX/XXXX. That's certainly more than 24 months before my application date of XX/XX/XXXX, and also before the date of XXXX of XXXX when supervisor XXXX insists I closed the account. I don't want to let Citi get away with lies and cheating consumers out of advertised offers. 

Regards, XXXX XXXX

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