Consumer complaint received 2022-09-12
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: NJ
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Opening an account
Sub-issue: Didn't receive terms that were advertised

Complaint:
Citibank continues to engage in the deceptive practice of promoting its banking services and attracting Customers funds at the expense of Public losing time and financial benefits. 
On XX/XX/2022 I have responded to Citibank promotion " Welcome Checking Cash Bonus Offer ( inBTA ) '' The promotion required new checking account to be opened within one of the Citibank 's account packages and after which certain balances must be maintained on the account within specific period of time. ( see attached ) 3 pages long promotion description specifies " Eligible Customers '' and mentions " Certain Checking Accounts are eligible for the Welcome Checking Cash Bonus Offer ''.

In particular it mentions " Basic Banking Package '' with the remark " ( only Regular Checking available for Basic ) ''.

After which goes long list of " Required Activities : '' where " Eligible Customers '' are instructed to " enroll in the Welcome Checking Cash Bonus Offer on the same day you open your new Checking Account pursuant to the instructions provided ''.

The convoluted instructions Citibank provides make no distinction between simultaneous " apply '' and " enroll '' but require both. Furthermore the citi.com online promotion somehow differentiates between following precise instructions and " if you open your account on citi.com by any other means than those described ''.

Having spent considerable amount of time figuring out what exactly the steps and the sequence, i decided to give another try by " by clicking apply now.

I was presented with the choice of " packages '' from which Customer would select desired Checking Account ( apparently in the language of Citibank promotion " package '' means Checking Account only! ( see attached ) Within all the options, one stands apart.

It is an Option to " Consider an Access Account if you don't need checks ''.

Citibank deliberately fails to disclose interpretation that when Customer " Consider an Access Account if you don't need checks '', Citibank considers these Customers to be ineligible to Welcome Bonus.

Having recognized my intellectual inability to properly interpret Citibank 's " Welcome Bonus '' language I followed up with Citibank Customer Service ( see attached ) I was reassured by Customer Service representative that " yes ( the promotion ) is already attached you just have to follow the instructions that were there ''.

Having recognized my intellectual inability to properly interpret Citibank 's Customer Service language I followed up again after completing all " Required Activities : '' ( see attached ) Once again I was reassured that " Let me check the promotion details... Your account is enrolled in the promotion : XXXX '' Not until the time to Pay the Bonus the true meaning came about. ( see attached ) " Yes, the Account is enrolled, however you didn't open the correct Account Type to receive the Bonus. ", followed by interpretation that " Enroll means to register for a Account or an Offer '', " But you are not eligible for the Offer as you didn't meet the criteria of the Cash Bonus offer ''. 
To summarize, I was explained that " Yes, the Account is enrolled, however you didn't open the correct Account Type to receive the Bonus '' and " the account is qualified for the offer and bonus is paid for as long as the promotion criteria are met '' just before the reversal and the declaration " I have double checked your Account and there are no Promotions linked to this Account ''. 
This promotion and deception still continues! 
In modern iteration of " Important Legal Disclosures and Information '' Citibank removed any notice of Access Checking Account while still offering the Access Account as " if you don't need checks '' under promotion " apply now '' requirement. 
Having recognized my intellectual inability to properly interpret Citibank 's " Important Legal Disclosures and Information '' language I must assume that modern interpretation is going to be that where the statement " Open a new Checking Account in any Citibank account packages '' persists it leaves the room for Citibank to deceive Customer by declaring Access Account not being the part of the Package. 
The behavior and the attitude that is unworthy major XXXX XXXX in particular and Banking XXXX in general.

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