Consumer complaint received 2024-02-19
Product: Checking or savings account — Savings account
Issue: Managing an account — Deposits and withdrawals
Company: CITIBANK, N.A. (OH)

On XX/XX/2024 I attempted to withdraw money from my " Accelerate Savings Account '' ( XXXX  ) at Citibank. When I attempted to wire the money to another bank account ( In my name ) I received a popup with " Error Code XXXX '' that had instructions to call Citibank because my account was now locked. I called the number on my screen. I was then told I had the wrong number and that the people in the location that I called couldn't help me. 

After finally reached the correct department the rep recommended we try again. So, I tried it again and got the same error. The rep then asked if I had alternate ways of transferring the money i.e. ACH. I told him that Citibank doesn't work with my bank so that wasn't possible. We went back and forth for a moment before I asked about the wire transfer again and the support rep began rambling about wire transfer scams. I interrupted him and said I knew what they were. Then, the support rep said that he thought I was being scammed. I replied " How can I be getting scammed if I'm sending money from My First/Last name to My First/Last name? I'm sending the money to myself. '' He only hesitated for a second before jumping back into his scam script. XXXX or whatever fake name he gave me is persistent, I'll give him points in that category! Anyway, I told him that this wasn't a scam. I informed him that I needed that wire pushed through because I had college and credit card payments to make with that money. 

Finally, the rep admitted that " the system '' was flagging me so there was nothing he could do to help me and that my money was stuck. I was a bit upset and asked to speak to whoever was above him. The next rep was just as unhelpful, repeated the same script, and then suggested I drive XXXX hours to the nearest Citibank. The only solution I was given was to wire the money to someone else. That seems like quite the quandary! " You're being scammed by transferring your money to yourself. You should send it to someone else instead. '' was the resolution Citibank offered me. Realizing we were going in circles that led me nowhere but deeper into frustration I said goodbye. 

Desperate, I looked over Citi 's website and saw their ACH partners include XXXX. So, I logged into my XXXX credit card account and opened a shiny new savings account. However, do you think the ACH transfer worked? Nope, error code XXXX! So, I sat and stewed for a while before I realized if I close my account they have to come up with a way to get me my money. Citi didn't care about me because they had the power. I decided to close the account in a desperate attempt to turn the tables. At this point I wasn't worried about my payments, I was worried that my savings were gone. 

Thankfully, when I called in and told them I wanted to close the account the new rep told me if I did that a check with the remaining balance could be mailed to my house. I quickly agreed to that and a few moments later my account was closed. My check showed up 8 days later which cost me late payment fees, interest on the credit card, and interest on my tuition payment.