Consumer complaint received 2024-07-29
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. (OH)

I received a mailer advertisement for the Citi XXXX XXXX credit card with a 0 % APR on balance transfers for 24 months. As I am interested in this deal, we opened the card on Thursday, XX/XX/XXXX. Upon opening the card, I was informed it would be a {$500.00} credit limit card. As I have other cards with Citi that provide $ XXXX credit limits, this was highly confusing ( they continue to increase my credit limit every few months without us inquiring ). I called Citi XXXX XXXX and expressed my concern, we only opened the card to utilize the offer they sent in the mailer, and providing a customer with {$500.00} does not allow for a balance transfer. Further, we were aware in the terms of the card the balance transfer offer is only valid for 4 months from date of opening the card, so time is of the essence to actually transfer our balance to use this promotion as advertised. When I spoke to a representative on XX/XX/XXXX via phone regarding this, and inquiring on an increase, he stated he was unable to do so as the card had to be opened for 4 day before they could request an increase. He advised me to call back Monday. I let him know if they were unable to increase the limit then to please cancel the card that day ( XX/XX/XXXX ), as it was obviously a negative impact to my credit score to apply for a new card. He assured me that on Monday I would be able to speak to someone about an increase, and then let me know he was unable to cancel my card. 
Today, Monday XX/XX/XXXX, I called Citi XXXX Preferred back, as instructed by the representative on XX/XX/XXXX. I immediately explained I was looking to increase the balance on the card, and provided a recap of the conversation from Thursday. The woman representative let me know she " could submit a request, but since the card has not been opened for 6 months the result of the increase request will not be in my favor ''. ( word for word ). I, again, let her know in order to take advantage of the mailer promotion we had to transfer balances within 4 months, and so with her 6 month timeline this would be impossible, and is absolutely a scam they are sending to consumers. She said there was nothing she could do. I asked her to close the card, as I do not wish to have this card open if she can not provide the promotion as advertised. I also inquired on how to remove this hard credit check from my credit report, as it has a negative impact and this is a fraud deal/promotion being mailed out. She informed me she could close the card, but could not do anything about my credit as I had authorized them to open the card. She placed me on hold ( did not say for what ) and when she came back I verified I was on the line, and she then hung up on me. 
This promotion/mailer/advertisement sent by Citi for the XXXX XXXX XXXX with 0 % XXXX for 24 months is a scam, and has STRONG negative impacts to consumers as hard credit pulls happen when someone authorizes an application, as well as an open and closing account quickly once consumer discovers it is indeed a scam. Citi also appears unwilling to fix their errors or wrongdoing in scam, especially with representatives misleading consumers and then hanging up on consumers.