Consumer complaint received 2021-03-16
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: KS
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Savings account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX, I attempted a deposit to XXXX from a Citibank Checking account. On XX/XX/XXXX, that transaction was reversed and I attempted again. That transaction also failed. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called Citi and was told there was a hold on my account. They told me they could not explain why as a separate department that did not have a phone number had initiated the hold. They then said that the issue would be resolved in 48 hours. 

I called again on the XXXX to confirm that nobody else could give me any info. I received the same answer from them. 

At this point, my account had been on hold for one full week. Nobody could tell me why, nor could they give me a day it would be resolved, but the account was still open. 

I called every business day from the XXXX until XX/XX/XXXX, receiving the same response. At times being told it would be a week until it was resolved. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, Citi closed my checking account and attempted to close my savings account. It seems that they duplicated the withdrawal from my savings account. The previous balance, withdrawn twice, is now shown as a negative balance on my account. My checking account also experienced a withdrawal but only one, that amount should have been sent to me but as of today, Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX, I have yet to receive that money. 

I called on XX/XX/XXXX about this and was told there was nothing to do until the investigation was over. 

I was called repeatedly that week and the week of the XXXX of XXXX, by Citi representatives asking me to pay them the money I owed them because my account now shows a negative balance in the amount that they, in fact, owe me. It would have been impossible for me to withdraw that money, as they can see, my account has been on hold for weeks. 

On XX/XX/XXXX my account had been on hold for four weeks, closed for two, and Citi continued to call me telling me that I owed them the amount that they owed me. Every time I explained the situation, they said, " Until there is a resolution in your case, there is nothing to do, that department doesn't have a phone number, you'll just have to wait. '' They also said they would note that I was disputing the negative balance but it seems that note doesn't appear when they call me. Since XX/XX/XXXX, I have received no calls from Citi about the negative balance but I have continued to call every day to see if there is an update. 

Today, XX/XX/XXXX, there is still no update on the case according to Citi. I have contacted a number/email account I found online that claims to be ( hopefully is ) the " Citi Executive Response Unit. '' These are the first people I have spoken with that have seemed to understand my issue, they have said it will be 15 days until I get a response. I was given the case number : XXXX. I am not entirely certain this division will resolve my issue but hopefully they will. 

I am also submitting this report because I hope that you can help this be resolved but also so that the CFPB has a record of Citi holding the entirety of my liquid cash for five weeks with no update. If I didn't hold money in other places then I would have defaulted on debt. It is absurd that they can hold money, without giving cause or updates for such a long period ( or at all ). 

Best, 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