Consumer complaint received 2018-12-20
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: FL
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Savings account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
I have found when trying to transfer funds online between accounts that Citibank has frozen a savings account with an approximate balance of {$13000.00} as of XX/XX/18. This is my trust account, and is a money market savings account. The bank is Citibank. The account was opened in Florida in XX/XX/2007. Citibank has had all my trust documents in their possession since XX/XX/2007. I was told I had to call the XXXX department, and at my first call I was not told the name of the department or what the letters stood for. I was told my account was frozen because I was sent a letter and I did not respond. I never received any letters from Citibank regarding a department called XXXX. I spend a few hours on the phone with this department trying to understand the information that was requested and felt very uncomfortable answering these very personal and financial questions on the phone and asked if I could go to my local branch to answer them and was told yes. I went to my local branch, in XXXX XXXX on XXXX Road yesterday and was assisted by XXXX XXXX. I spent over an hour at the branch. I brought all my trust documents again so they could be copied and forwarded to the XXXX branch. I spent almost an hour on the phone answering questions. These were very inappropriate. I was asked to NAME NAMES of people that were involved in a business my husband sold in XX/XX/2007. I was asked for the percentage amounts that other people owned in this business. I was asked about my father, who is deceased. None of this pertains to my personal trust account at Citibank. I tried to explain that we are retired. I tried to explain that the source of most of my funds, those that comprise over 25 %, are from the sale of the business in XX/XX/2007. This did not seem to be enough. I was told that I would hear back from Citibank by XXXX of that day. I did not. I called the XXXX department again. I was told I could not speak with any supervisor in the entire department because each and every single one was in a meeting. I was promised a callback in 2 hours. I received no callback. I called Citibank again and was told I needed to contact a banker in XXXX. I called and it is not even possible to live a message. I emailed this banker. Her name is XXXX XXXX. I was able to reach her this morning and asked her to please step in and try to help. She advised me that she can speak to the XXXX department but can not unfreeze the account. I have repeatedly asked for the direct report above XXXX to make a complaint and get results. No one can even tell me a name or department that XXXX reports to, including many calls to customer service. It is the week before XXXX, it is also the end of a month and year. I need to access these funds. I have been with Citibank for many many years. I have had this account with Citibank for over 10 years. This account really has very little activity and does not have substantial sums of money transferred in and out. There is much more activity in my checking account. I have been a Citigold customer for years. It is unconscionable to be asked questions regarding other people. This is not XXXX XXXX, nor the XX/XX/1950 XXXX XXXX era. I understand it is necessary to protect against money laundering. The questioning needs to be adjusted. The person I spoke with in this department on more than one occasion had very little training. The people I spoke with did not understand some of the questions they asked, let alone my answers. They did not have any financial background and did not understand basic financial terminology. It is extremely frustrating. I wish to have this account unfrozen in a timely manner. What safeguards for the public are in place to assist when banks go beyond their mandate for security? Please advise as to what other steps I may take to have this issue resolved as soon as possible. Thank you, XXXX XXXX XXXX, 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