Consumer complaint received 2018-01-30
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Store credit card
Issue: Advertising and marketing, including promotional offers
Sub-issue: Confusing or misleading advertising about the credit card

Complaint:
In late XX/XX/XXXX I purchased an XXXX  Washing Machine from Home Depot and used their special promotion letter that was delivered USPS Mail. The Promo said No Interest for 18 months when purchase is over {$500.00}. The Washing Machine cost {$590.00} but my XX/XX/XXXX Statement was very Confusing showing Purchases {$1700.00} then a credit for {$1100.00}. No one could explain to me on phone call, Why it was accounted in this manner? 

Sometime in XX/XX/XXXX after being pestered each time i logged in to my home depot credit card account website to Go Paperless, I switched from paper statements to Paperless.

I didn't even think there might be a problem with this later because I was Told during a phone conversation with the representative who was in the process of Fixing the term error of only 6 months to 18 months as it should've been originally per their promo materials, she told me that the $ XXXX monthly payments I had setup would be applied towards their promo balance First before any subsequent charges i might later make from future in-store or online purchases. 

So, I was confident " at that time '' that {$50.00} per month over 18 months Would've Paid Off their Promotional No Interest Offer for 18months, Long Before 18 months were to expire. 

OK, so now jump forward to present day ; I recently went online to do a checkup on my credit card accounts and noticed on the home depot credit account that I was Charged Deferred Interest of {$250.00} as they are now claiming their phone rep back in XX/XX/XXXX conversation ( the woman who fixed the term to 18 mod ) had incorrectly advised me on how my payments would be applied? 

This sure feels like a Bait n Switch scenario now and I am very upset with Home Depot and Citi Financial Credit Services for the grief and stress now caused by their Backpeddling on this Deferred Interest Charge at 22 % totaling {$250.00}. 

I asked Citi to Credit back my account for the {$250.00} and was told that since its been more than 6 months since the interest was charged, they can not do anything to reverse the charge ... ... ..but they would open a " case ''? 

I have no confidence in Citi or Home Depot at this point and believe the " open a case '' comment was just a tactic to move the call to a conclusion and get rid of me. 

I do not believe the " case '' will have a resolution to the Consumer 's Benefit as they have mislead me ( the consumer ) from the beginning. 

We already Know they make errors from the incorrect 6 month term they tried to setup After buying the item, when their promo clearly stated 18 months. 

Citi Financial should be investigated for Bait n Switch fraudulent mishandling of consumer promotional offer and usurious illegal deferred interest charges. I doubt I am the only consumer this has happened to either! 

Please make this unscrupulous bank and store re-imburse/credit back my home depot credit card as soon as possible. 

Sincerely, 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 monetary relief