Consumer complaint received 2015-11-19
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: OH
Product: Credit card
Issue: Payoff process

Complaint:
I purchased a {$1100.00} washing machine in XXXX 2015 on my Sears Mastercard with no interest, deferred billing for 12 months. In XXXX, 2015 I did a balance transfer to the same XXXX for {$4300.00} using their Convenience Check sent in the mail. In XXXX 2015, I purchased for my mother a {$1500.00} refrigerator using the same XXXX. Of the XXXX options at the time of purchasing the refrigerator, I opted for a 5 % discount on the price by using my credit card. The other XXXX options were deferred billing or free delivery. I had created a budget to pay off these charges within the time frame and have been making steady payments. Knowing that I was going to pay off the refrigerator in full when the statement came, I noticed that on my other charges Sears has been allocating like 98 % of my monthly payments to the large balance transfer ( which cost me an upfront fee of {$140.00}, and it IS NOT accruing interest like the washing machine is ). Upset by this and more importantly, I was worried that the refrigerator ( as a current charge ) would not be paid in full, even though I was paying it in full, I called Sears. I found out today exactly what I had feared. I had paid {$1800.00} this month of which Sears DID NOT allocate the full {$1500.00} to my refrigerator and now I have an interest charge on it! They paid around $ 1100+ and the rest of my payment went to the balance transfer, not even the washing machine which has {$170.00} of deferred interest. The Manager in North Carolina would not help me. I was given a bunch of rhetoric. I was told that if I had managed my account better this would not be the situation. They love to say " there is a hierarchy payment structure. '' I was told her hands were tied. So, I told her that I was filling out this complaint as we spoke. She said, " You got to do what you have to do. '' I told her I am and that you guys would be my muscle. She called me back in about XXXX minutes and left a message that they would pay the refrigerator in full. But, a bigger problem still persists. What started out as a 12-months, same as cash offer to pay off the washing machine has now been squeezed into a 5-month same as cash to pay the remaining balance of {$1100.00}. It 's been 7 months since I have been making payments and that balance has gone down by only {$15.00}! This is criminal. I now have 5 months to pay off {$1100.00}. I am so upset and feel so abused by the banking system. Please help me. I do n't know how I 'm going to get that {$1100.00} paid in full by XXXX to prevent the {$170.00} in interest. I still have a balance due on the balance transfer. No matter what I pay, they refuse to allocate any money toward the washing machine. My reality is that I have to pay around {$3200.00} by XXXX to avoid paying {$170.00} in interest. You have done a tremendous job in credit-card reform with how statements read concerning revolving debt and payments. This is the next major assault that you have to blow the lid off. I am desperate.

Company public response: Company chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief