Consumer complaint received 2024-09-17
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Advertising and marketing, including promotional offers — Didn't receive advertised or promotional terms
Company: CITIBANK, N.A. (CA)

On or about XXXX XXXX XXXXXX/XX/XXXX, I responded to an advertisement from XXXX  to apply for the Citi Custom Cash Mastercard. The promotion included approximately 20,000 points if approximately purchases of {$1500.00} or more were made in the first three months of opening the account. Additionally, there was a 15 month 0 % APR I intended to take advantage of for some large purchases. 

On or about XX/XX/XXXX, I activated the credit card. On or around the same date, I attempted to add the credit card to XXXX XXXX in my XXXX wallet as I use my XXXX  for most, if not all my credit card purchases. However, my attempt to add the card was unsuccessful. I called Citi to try to add the card to my wallet, but they were unable to verify my identity. Citi offered to mail a one time pin to my home address so Citi could confirm my identity and I could add the credit card to my XXXX XXXX. 

On or about XX/XX/XXXX, I also set up my online Citi account to manage paying bills and tracking purchases. 

On or about the first week of XX/XX/XXXX, I received the pin in the mail from Citi. I called the phone number in the mailing to confirm my identity. However, when I entered the pin, Citi still could not confirm my identity. I called customer service and they were unable to assist and indicated I should call the fraud department. 

Also around XX/XX/XXXX, I attempted to log into my Citi online account to confirm I would be able to pay my credit card through the Citi app or online. However, my online account was now locked. It was unclear if my credit card was also locked. I called the fraud department and they said they could not confirm my identity and said my identity could be confirmed by mailing another pin to my address. Citi mailed another pin to my address. I called the phone number to verify my identity once again, entered the pin, and was told again that Citi could not verify my identity. I asked how I could resolve the problem, but no one was able to assist me. I was never able to use the Citi Card because I could not access my online Citi account to pay the card online, which is the only way I pay my credit cards. I am not even sure I would have received a paper bill from Citi if I elected to receive my statements online, which means I would have been late on my credit card payments because Citi blocked me from accessing my online account where I would pay the monthly or minimum balance.

Unable to take advantage of the 0 % offer Citi promised, I applied for another credit card for their 0 % APR offer. Applying for the new credit card caused my credit score to go down. 
I attempted to call Citi but was unable to reach a representative. 

On or about XX/XX/XXXX I called Citi again to try to resolve the problem. I first spoke with a customer service representative named Maine. I explained the problem and I suggested Citi honor the original offer by extending the promotional period to begin on XX/XX/XXXX. Alternatively, I asked that Citi close the account and report to the credit bureaus that the account was closed and to delete the credit inquiry from my credit report. I explained that this credit inquiry hurt my credit score, and I did not receive what was promised to me in return. Maine was unable to assist and transferred me to a different representative. 
This representative was also unable to assist. This representative then transferred me to a manager, " XXXX '', Employee ID : XXXX. XXXX said he could not help. I asked to speak with his manager, and XXXX said the manager was not available and that he can never get ahold of his manager so he doubted I would be able to get in touch with a manager either. XXXX went on to say, " banks are very smart... they gave you the terms and conditions and they can cancel promotions or decrease your credit limit at any time... and you accepted those terms. '' He said, you can continue to fight this but it is not going to go anywhere. I asked that Citi either extend the original promotion promised or cancel my account and request the credit bureaus remove the credit inquiry from my credit report. I asked XXXX again if his manager or any other manager 's managers were available and he promptly said no. I asked how I could get in touch with his manager and he said the only way would be to call back the original XXXX number and ask to speak with his manager. XXXX said he doubted I would be able to reach anyone else and suggested not even the CEO would be able to help me.