Consumer complaint received 2024-08-11
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Closing an account — Company closed your account
Company: CITIBANK, N.A. (NY)

I am unable to access the funds in my checking account. I first became aware of the problem on Monday XX/XX/XXXX when I was unable to login to my account online. I subsequently attempted to use my citicard at a Citibank atm to see my balances and got a screen advising me to call the bank. I called and was told my account had been " referred for closure ''. They were unable to give me any information about why. I was told they would send me a letter explaining their decision and I would receive a check in the mail for any money remaining in the account. I asked to speak to a manager and was told there is no one I could speak with who could tell me anything more - I would have to wait for the letter. It is now XX/XX/XXXX and I have NOT received any letter from Citibank. 
On XX/XX/XXXX I received a phone call from XXXX XXXX of Citibank who left a voicemail, saying he is my personal banker and asking me to call or stop by the XXXX XXXX XXXX. The following day, XX/XX/XXXX, I visited the XXXX XXXX branch. I asked for XXXX- he came and said hello and then passed me to XXXX XXXX. XXXX was unable to see any information about my accounts in the bank 's system. He called, after confirming my identity with my license and security questions, and spoke with the fraud division who told him nothing except that a letter had been sent to me explaining the situation. He informed them I had not received the letter. At my request, he asked if the letter could be emailed or faxed to me and was told no. He confirmed the address the letter was mailed to and asked them to resend it. 

I waited another week - still no letter. Still no explanation from Citibank about why this was happening. Still unable to access my account, unable to know if bill payments that I had setup online had been paid, wondering if my money was still in my account or if it had been stolen, or if had been a victim of identity theft. After bit of research on line, I filed a complaint with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. 

On XXXX, I went to my home branch, XXXX XXXX ( # XXXX ) at XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX. I was first assisted by teller XXXX XXXX and then by Branch Manager, XXXX XXXX. Unlike the staff at the XXXX XXXX branch, they were able to see the activity on the accounts and the current balances so they were able to reassure me that the money was still in my account. I asked to close both my checking and savings accounts. They said the checking account was locked and could not be closed. However, there was no hold on the savings account. I closed the savings account and was given a bank check. The branch manager encouraged me to call again to see if they would explain the hold on my checking account. ( Note : unlike all of my other encounters with Citibank personnel, the branch staff delivered excellent customer service ; they were helpful and professional, expressing their regrets for the situation I found myself in and trying to reassure me that Citibank was probably acting to protect me. At the Branch Manager 's suggestion, I again called the Citibank Customer Service number while still at the branch. I spoke with XXXX, who told me there was a hold on the account but he could not see why. He gave me the number for the security division : XXXX ext XXXX. I called that number and was connected to XXXX, who told me that a decision had been made to close my account and end XXXX relationship with me. She could not tell me why but said I would receive a letter explaining the situation. I told her of the previous conversations with Citibank promising a letter but no letter had arrived. She said it could take from XXXX days. I pointed out that it had been more than 10 days since XX/XX/XXXX when the first letter had supposedly been sent. She informed me that since there was a note in the file from XX/XX/XXXX to resend the letter to the verified address '' and it had not yet been 10 days, she would not put in another request to resend the letter. I asked if the letter could be emailed or faxed to the branch and she said no. I asked her what she thought I should do if I dont receive the letter once it had been more than 10 days from XX/XX/XXXX. She said I could then call back and request that they again resend the letter. ( She did not seem to appreciate how absurd this was from my point of view. ) I asked her when I would receive the money that was in my checking account. She explained that Citibank had the right to terminate their relationship with me and they had up to 60 days to release the funds. She said I would be mailed a check for any funds remaining in my account at that time. I pointed out that it was hard for me to believe that I would be mailed a check since I had not yet received either letter that they said they had sent. She somewhat officiously repeated her script Citibank was within its rights to close my account and had XXXX days to return the funds to me and this was all in accordance with XXXX policy. 

I have had a checking account withe Citibank for more than XXXX  years. I remain unable to access the more than {$10000.00} in my account. Citibank 's only response has been to tell me to wait for a letter that has not yet come and then wait several more weeks to receive a check for the money that is in my account. I have little faith that Citibank will ever explain what they did or return my money to me. After a bit more research online, I decided to also file a complaint with CFPB to enlist your assistance in getting my funds released.