Consumer complaint received 2016-07-28
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: GA
Product: Bank account or service
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Account opening, closing, or management

Complaint:
When I applied for a Citibank Citigold account on XXXX XXXX, I had applied using a promotional code I found on the Citibank website ( attached ), which promised XXXX Thank You Points in exchange for meeting the terms and conditions set forth. I was approved for the account and Citi sent me a disclosure indicating what the requirements for meeting the terms of the agreement. The next day, on XXXX XXXX, I found another offer on the internet with a bonus of XXXX points. So I logged into my Citi account and sent them a short message asking if I could instead obtain this bonus. They said no, but they made no mention that I was ineligible for the existing XXXX point bonus I 'd signed up for. This would have been the perfect opportunity to say, " I 'm sorry, but it seems that you do n't actually qualify for this offer because you were n't " targeted. '' Surely Citi knew at that time my offer code was one that came from the Internet. But Citi did not do this. I received my debit card soon after. However my PIN number never arrived, so I could n't activate the card and start using it to make the online bill payments in two consecutive months within 60 days of opening the account. I was worried that I might not have enough time to meet the terms, so I called Citi and requested a new PIN number around XXXX XXXX. While I was on the phone, the helpful Citi representative reminded me what I needed to do in order to receive the bonus. This would have been the perfect time to say, " I 'm sorry, but it appears that you were n't targeted for this offer, so you wo n't be receiving any Thank You points. '' But he did n't. Instead he assured me of what steps I 'd need to take to receive the offer. I told him that I was afraid that because the PIN was so late in coming, maybe I would n't be able to have two consecutive bill payments in the first 60 days. He said he 'd make a note in my account and be sure that I 'd still be able to receive it, strongly implying he both considered me eligible and that I 'd have more time. I was finally able to activate the card and fund the account on XXXX XXXX. ( see statements ). I submitted bill payments on XXXX XXXX and XXXX and XXXX XXXX, within 60 days of funding it ( as the representative I spoke with said I must do ). 
Certainly if Citi realized I was ineligible for the promotion I signed up with, they should have just told me BEFORE I met the conditions and started paying monthly fees. But, never did Citi indicate that I had been denied until took the initiative on XXXX XXXX to contact Citi to ask when the points would be posted. But neither of these things happened. Instead, Citi took my $ 30 monthly fee and gave me no indication that I would not be receiving the sign-up bonus until six months after I 'd signed up. This is deceptive. 

On top of that, in XXXX, when I sent a series of secure online messages to ask about this, Citi repeatedly told me that I was ineligible because I was n't targeted. However, they did n't address any of my questions about how Citi had already indicated either directly or indirectly on multiple occasions that I was eligible, even if I was n't targeted. They should n't have posted the notice on their website if they did n't want targeted people to apply. Anyone can run a web search and find it. Unfortunately it does n't seem to be active anymore. I asked twice for representatives to elevate my complaint to a manager. One time, they merely re-investigated and declared me un-targeted, thus ineligible. On XXXX XXXX, 2016 they said they 'd elevate it again to a manager, but I 've heard nothing from them in the last week. I feel like they 've been dragging their feet, hoping to get more monthly fees out of me ( next one 's due in a couple days ). Now I 'm follow through and submit my complaint to the CFPB in hopes that Citi will actually hear me. I 've searched your databases and it seems many other people have similar complaint

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