Consumer complaint received 2024-07-25
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Closing your account — Company closed your account
Company: CITIBANK, N.A. (PA)

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XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX To whom it may concern, Please note that the following complaint has already been filed with the XXXX Office of Attorney General XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on XX/XX/XXXX, and XXXX XXXX major credit bureaus in addition to the aforementioned, after unsuccessful efforts on my end to remedy miscommunications between my account and customer service reps at Citi, uncoordinated systems and errors in billing charges from Best Buy/Citi regarding my account. These issues have caused what appears to be retaliation and discriminatory practices against me and my credit based on these errors by Citi. I believe the retaliation is in response to my XX/XX/XXXX complaint to the Attorney General. I tried span over XXXX of XXXX to amicably resolve but management at Citi was unwilling to effectively communicate and caused an unpleasant set of exchanges since XX/XX/XXXX, including but not limited to a XXXX slur ( under the breath of a Citi employee XXXX directed at me on XX/XX/XXXX by an employee by phone XXXX ( XXXX with witnesses present. 

Narrative Opened up credit card at Best Buy credit card XX/XX/XXXX while purchasing an {$1100.00} laptop under 0 % finance for XXXX year ; XXXX, XXXX my credit was expanded from {$2000.00} - {$2900.00} based on a good credit and payment history after XXXX months as an account holder ; XXXX, XXXX when I learned of my credit extension, I was told by the account rep that I only had the {$60.00} payment based on my current balance at that time and the {$0.00} finance plan shifted since my credit was expanded ; XXXX, XXXX, I explored the option of seeking additional credit but decided against as I didnt wasnt a hard inquiry to affect my rising credit score ; XXXX, XXXX, I received an alert of a soft inquiry from Best Buy and offers followed re : credits of {$5.00} and {$10.00} off new purchases ; XXXX, XXXX I received a bill with $ XXXX regarding interest charges ; XXXX, XXXX, I made several attempts to call Best Buy billing span over a month to inquire about the interest as it wasnt apparent, and since I could not review the on-line account, given the surprising bill of $ XXXX in XXXX, but experienced long holds and then when I got through to a live rep, was placed on hold then the call dropped ( XXXX hour long ordeal each time ), additionally calls dropped calls, and/or disconnected calls while trying to get through. I was traveling on and off during that time, so I could not stop in to the local Best Buy where the account was initiated ; On or around XXXX XXXX I went into the local Best Buy Store where I opened my credit card and purchased my original product laptop, the clerk there connected me to customer service/billing representative ( XXXX Reference XXXX XXXX in XXXX XXXX who had me pay the remaining balance for the laptop for the {$850.00} + and that she would immediately remove the XXXX XXXX plus interest from my bill and that the new bill paid amount would be an auto pay of {$40.00} dollars plus {$20.00} dollars, totaling {$60.00} dollars and that would be for my XXXX bill for auto pay. Received a confirmation number ; On or around the XX/XX/XXXX Best Buy withdrew without my authorization $ XXXX plus ( Interest plus the regular monthly of {$60.00} ). I called Best Buy and spoke with a representative from the XXXX who I requested to reverse the {$590.00} and auto pay. She indicated that it would take approximately XXXX days to investigate. However a day or so later I received a confirmation that the auto pay was removed. Confirmation was via email ; Since it was XXXX days minimum indicated by the rep from XXXX, I then I went to my bank to file a complaint regarding a unauthorized withdrawal by Best Buy/Citi Bank and also requested a stop of auto pay to Best Buy/Citi Bank in which the bank charged me {$35.00} dollars ; On or about XX/XX/XXXX, I received a call from XXXX from Citi Bank to discuss the withdrawal issues and upon calling XXXX back, we XXXX that the {$590.00} dollars were returned on XXXX XXXX XXXX  and that they ( Citi ) also returned the {$35.00} dollars stop payment charged I was charged from my bank for cancelling autopay Further I discussed with XXXX my new balance and the minimum payment that was due by XX/XX/XXXX and I indicated to XXXX that since I XXXX the auto pay, I would go to the local Best Buy store to pay the amount of {$88.00} dollars referenced by XXXX and would pay additional in order to bring my balance under {$2900.00}. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I went to the Best Buy store has promised with the attention of paying the minimum of {$88.00} plus and the clerk in the store indicated I didn't have a account and they couldn't locate my account to my bill at the store. I called from the store Citi bank on the number provided by XXXX. I spoke to a rep, XXXX who indicated that the claim was closed but the account wasnt, but I shared that the store indicated a closed account and that they could not retrieve any account info in order for me to pay my bill. XXXX indicated that she would relay my message back to XXXX. I further indicated that I received a email that I couldn't open but that I saw while in the store that indicated account closure that was on XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX am. 
After not getting a call on XX/XX/XXXX which was the deadline to pay XXXX bill. I called and spoke to XXXX late afternoon, who indicated that he closed my account and that implied I stole money, he further indicated that I filed a complaint with my bank, he indicated that my bank charged Citi Bank for the returned payment that I complained to my bank of re : the XX/XX/XXXX unauthorized withdrawal, and that at he was also reporting immediately to the credit bureaus the closed account and balance and refused to provide any explanations of why he did that up to that point. He said to read a forthcoming letter that I have yet to receive. He also made a XXXXXXXX XXXX and there were witnesses under his breath in reaction to my reaction of the closed account and threat to reporting to the bureau ; Despite there being a recorded call, the upper management claimed they couldnt retrieve the slur on the call, claiming it was blurred I spoke with my bank to research the discrepancy reference by XXXX, and they indicated charging the bank for them taking an unauthorized amount. XXXX from XXXX had quoted me {$60.00} pay for XX/XX/XXXX and that she was adjusting the bill, removing the interest, since the {$850.00} regarding the laptop was paid in full ; I called back and spoke to XXXX later on XX/XX/XXXXXXXX XXXX Citi Bank who took my complaint and escalated it to a XXXX XXXX ; XXXX called me back on XX/XX/XXXX in the afternoon and defended XXXX first and falsely accused me of being combative and denied my claims against XXXX and confirmed they were going to report the closed account to the credit bureaus. He then denied referencing combative. I indicated lack of communication and confusion that could have been corrected had XXXX explained more detail. Instead, my bank had to fill in the missing pieces for me. Also, the reps left me with no option for payment while this back and forth in the store and on the phone was ongoing ; Also that there were no other options. I indicated to XXXX and XXXX of my intent of sending my complaint to the Attorney general of XXXX XXXX against Citi for wrongfully closing my account based on discriminatory and retaliatory actions on their end due to XXXX 's explanations that my bank charged them for Citi 's error and no authorization for Citi to take {$590.00} plus dollars and would also file for them reporting to the bureau on XX/XX/XXXX ( that XXXX referenced doing ) XXXX wasn't trying to work with me in any level remaining still my lack of ability to pay the bill that became late despite my good faith efforts. I also indicated my rationale was Citis intent to do harm to my credit as retaliatory and discriminatory, knowing how long these things remain on reports and how it affects credit for XXXX to XXXX years. He indicated they closed my account for credit reasons which doesnt make sense, since I was upgraded in XXXX and reviewed again in XXXX, but maintained at the same credit level; Finally, I have made many efforts to resolve this simple matter and confusion between my bank and Citi in terms of returning funds, and the initial problem of Citi wrongfully withdrawing a larger payment that authorized after the $ XXXX payment on XX/XX/XXXX. They were only with withdraw {$60.00} in XX/XX/XXXX, not {$590.00}. The fact that it was returned is an indicator of the error by Citi. Also, the XX/XX/XXXX conversation with the XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX  also indicated that the balance, changed based on the {$800.00} payment and why the interest she was reversing would then mean a {$60.00} payment ; The remedy Im seeking is to a preemptive strike against negative credit reporting, including but not limited to : Citi cancelling the closed account, Citi allow me to pay monthly, Citi not have this debacle negatively affect my credit due to your reporting for XXXX XXXX XXXX as a closed account with a fee that exceeds the {$2900.00} limit. This could have been fixed had I been allowed to pay ( as intended ) on XX/XX/XXXX in the Best Buy store. Now theres still no payment received and it will not only reflect closed, but late and exceeding the credit limit. Before this debacle, I was in good standing with payment, note the XX/XX/XXXX increase and even the XX/XX/XXXX {$800.00} pay to resolve the miscommunication about the 0 % finance plan. 

XX/XX/XXXX To whom it may concern, In addition to what I provided on the form, I spoke with XXXX from Best Buy Citibank XXXX in XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX while in local Best Buy store, to resolve billing discrepancy. Ref # XXXX. She was to modify bill and indicated that she had on XX/XX/XXXX to include a new overall balance after paying off {$850.00}. She stated bill would be {$2200.00} with a {$60.00} minimum and that the {$570.00} minimum pay bill would go away within XXXX hours. Also {$330.00} in interest was removed per XXXX since {$0.00} finance was paid and within the year and removed from the XXXX and XXXX bills. See below receipts. 


Please let me know if you have questions. Id be happy to discuss with upper management and amicably resolve and before a negative direct credit hit against me - a win-win for us all. I tried calling the number again and the calls drop. Thats part of the communication challenges to the end user/consumers good faith efforts to reach out. 

Documents have been provided to Citi/Citibank via my recent XXXX complaint XXXX