Consumer complaint received 2022-04-23
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
I am a Citibank Citi XXXX customer and have been a customer since approximately XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received an email from XXXX that my saved payment method was denied so I called Citibank customer support at XXXX at approximately XXXX. I was told that my account was locked due to an investigation but no further info was given. I was told that this would be resolved within 24-48 hours and an email would be sent to the specialist reviewing my account. I had already submitted 2 electronic bill payments on the afternoon of XX/XX/XXXX, one through XXXX for {$1500.00} and another through my Citibank app to my credit card for {$1500.00}. Neither of those transactions appeared in my Citibank transactions list summary. 

I called Citibank at the same number on Wednesday morning XX/XX/XXXX to be told that the account was still under review and to give it 24 hours. I called again that afternoon to be be told the same thing. That afternoon I got notice that my {$1500.00} bank transaction was denied because the account was locked. 

I called Citibank at the same number on Thursday XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX am to be told that the account was under review and it would take 24 hours. I told the person I was speaking with that I was told this on Tuesday so obviously the 24 hour period is a lie. I asked if this is something that was told to customers just to get them off of the phone. The agent replied that this is how long it takes to resolve this issue, which couldn't be the case because 48 hours earlier I was told the same thing. The agent said she would send an email to the specialist reviewing the account to escalate the issue. I asked to be cc 'd on the email but was told that she couldn't do that. I received an email from XXXX that my {$1500.00} transaction from Monday was denied because of the locked account but XXXX would cover it but I had to repay the transaction. 

On the afternoon of XX/XX/XXXX, I called customer support again to check the status of my account but it was still showing as locked. I called the branch in XXXX XXXX, CA and spoke to someone named XXXX and she told me I could come in and we could call the fraud department together or I could call the fraud department myself. I told her I would come to the branch in person. 

At XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX, I arrived to the Citibank branch in XXXX XXXX and met with XXXX XXXX and told her what was going on. She called the fraud department and was told the same thing I was told all week, including it could take 24 hours. I explained that without my money, I wouldn't be able to pay bills and I could incur possible late fees. She asked how much money I needed to which I told her I needed {$3000.00}. She said she could possibly do {$1000.00}, but I declined because I do not want extra transactions with Citibank until all of this is resolved. She believed that the problem with the account was because of the transactions I was trying to complete is within a newer checking account. I had to open this brand new Citi account on XX/XX/XXXX because there was fraudulent activity stemming from someone trying to use my XXXX account. I explained to XXXX XXXX that I have been a Citi customer for 25 years and my transactions have always been the same and this is how I do my banking so this is not going to work for me if Citi will not allow my types of banking transactions. 

XXXX XXXX called me on Friday XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX am to tell me she called the fraud department to check on the status but it was still under review, however, she thought that by the afternoon it should be resolved. She called me back at about XXXX XXXX  to say that the hold was released from my account and everything is working again properly but she couldn't guarantee that it wouldn't happen again based on the age of this checking account. 

On the evening of XX/XX/XXXX, I was able to make 2 separate debit card transactions without issue. I then tried to XXXX my wife {$1600.00} and XXXX denied the transaction. I figured maybe XXXX has me on a restricted transfer amount after this ordeal so I wrote a check to my wife for {$1600.00} and she tried to deposit it through her phone app to her bank. She received a message that only {$220.00} could go through on XX/XX/XXXX and the and the remainder would be accepted on XX/XX/XXXX. So apparently my checking account that XXXX XXXX said would be working properly is currently not working. 

This morning, XX/XX/XXXX, my wife received an email from her bank that the total amount of {$1600.00} could not be transferred at all because the banking account from which it came from, which is my account, has been locked. 

I have emailed XXXX XXXX both on XX/XX/XXXX and XXXX to tell her about the issues that I continue to have.

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 non-monetary relief