Consumer complaint received 2023-01-25
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem accessing account
Company: CITIBANK, N.A. (CA)

RE : ESCALATION & COMPLAINT - Ongoing Financial HARDSHIP caused by Citibank Account Opening Compliance Process - Funds Frozen, Circular Messaging, Discrimination, Unresponsive Staff and Funds Not Being Refunded On XXXX I opened an online checking account with Citibank and was prompted to fund the account by electronic transfer. 

On XXXX, during the new account opening process, I transferred funds from a XXXX Account to the new Citibank account online and received a confirmation on the website. 

A few days later I received my Citibank Debit Card. 

On XXXX a letter was mailed from Citibank with a New Account Application # stating that I had to go to the nearest CitibanXXXX XXXX XXXX  to verify information .

On XXXX another letter was mailed from Citibank stating that due to a recent review of my Citibank profile I would need to visit the nearest Citibank branch or call Customer Service to update my address on file. 

I called Citibank numerous times from XXXX till today, XXXX, to try to resolve this issue and to try to understand why my account was flagged and what information I needed to provide to Citibank. 

Each time I spoke to a Citibank representative, I was provided different answers and eventually after being escalated to the Fraud Team after numerous requests, I was told that my account had been flagged after account opening due to the address I provided during account opening and that my funds were frozen. 

Eventually by the end of XXXX, after numerous frustrating calls where I was transferred between different teams repeatedly, I was advised by the fraud team that my account was as in the process of being closed. 

When I asked why, I was told that the address I provided during account opening online, the same address for which I have used for over the last 15 years as an ongoing Citibank Credit Card Customer and the same address which is on my Real ID, was not acceptable and that I would need to take my identity documents and proof of address to a Citibank branch for them to be verified by a banker in branch. 

After making an appointment online, on XXXX, I visited the Citibank XXXX Branch and met with a personal banker by the name of XXXX XXXX. 

XXXX XXXX advised me that Citibank branches to not do any identity verification and that the letters, call center and fraud team had advised me incorrectly by asking me to take my ID and address documents to the bank branch for account opening verification. 

I was very upset at hearing that Citibank branches do not provide address and ID verification services as I had been advised by letter from Citibank and by the telephone representatives that the only way to resolve issues with my account was to physically go into a bank branch with my ID and address documents, the closest of which is in XXXX, over XXXX XXXX from my home and caused significant hardship to reach on the day. 

Eventually on XXXX, XXXX XXXX agreed to help and I sat with him at his desk in the Citibank branch while called the internal Citibank Fraud team and discussed the situation. 

He explained to the Fraud Team that I was a customer who had opened up a bank account online, funded the account, had my funds frozen and who had been unable to get anyone in customer service to resolve the issues. He explained to the fraud team that he was looking at my XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX my Social Security Statement, my Citibank Credit Card statements and my XXXX bank statements which all had the same address that I provided to Citibank during account opening. 

After much back and forth between XXXX XXXX and the Fraud Team, he advised me that the Citibank fraud team would be closing the account, despite me presenting my ID documents as requested, and that a check would be sent out in the next few days to the address I provided during account opening process in the same amount that I transferred to Citibank on XXXX when I opened the account online. 

When I asked why I could not be given a check from the Citibank branch as I was physically there in person on XXXX and had been trying to resolve this issue for months, XXXX XXXX advised that only the fraud team could clear the return of funds. 

I was quite upset with the fact that Citibank was closing my new account, had frozen my funds seemingly from the day I opened the account online but only right after I had transferred funds into the new account, and despite my long financial relationship with the institution I had received such a confusing and financially damaging response from Citibank. 

I requested that a formal complaint be raised about the account opening debacle as it seemed insane that a financial institution could engage in a duplicitous circular charade of getting customers to open up a bank account online, solicit and obtain deposit funds, turn around and claim that the address provided by the customer was unacceptable ( despite them using the same address with me as a Credit Card customer ), and then refuse to engage with the customer, either via phone or in person at a branch, in order to return the transferred funds. 
If Citibank deemed my account to be invalid, then why would the bank be holding on to my funds and refusing to refund it to me either in person, by mail or by bank transfer ( which is the method by which I funded the account )? 

At the conclusion of my meeting with XXXX XXXX on XXXX, he wrote up a formal complaint in my presence, submitted it via an internal system and assured me that it would be forwarded up the chain to be addressed. 
XXXX XXXX also assured me that the account would be closed and that a cheque would be issued and mailed to my address in the amount of funds transferred during the account opening process. 

Since XXXX, there has been no communication from Citibank by mail or telephone. 

On XXXX, I called the Citibank Fraud team to ask about the status of my account closing and the refund of funds transferred during account opening as XXXX XXXX had confirmed in-person at the Citibank branch on XXXX. 

I was advised by a supervisor called XXXX on XXXX, who initially claimed that he could not speak to me about my account repeatedly, that the account had not been closed and that the refund cheque had never been issued because Citibank would not accept my address nor would they provide any means by which they would refund my funds transferred. 

Despite me explaining the sequence of events since XXXX and the meeting with XXXX XXXX in the Citibank bank branch on XXXX and asking them to review the case notes and the formal complaint raised in branch, XXXX XXXX insisted that nothing could be done. 

It has been almost XXXX XXXX since I opened up this account with Citibank on XXXX and in that time Citibank has caused me significant ongoing personal and financial hardship through the following actions by : a ) Refusing to provide my account number to me which can not be obtained because they have frozen the account. 

b ) Freezing the funds that I transferred into the account almost immediately after account opening c ) Repeatedly claiming that my checking account was closed and then when queried stating that the account has not been closed d ) Refusing to accept the address I provided, which is the only address I use, and for which they regularly communicate with me on as a Credit Card customer, the same address on my California Real ID and on my Social Security statements e ) Refusing to discuss my account when I call in, claiming that they can't verify my details by asking for an account number which they have never till date, provided to me f ) Failing to respond the formal complaint raised on my behalf by XXXX XXXX on XXXX g XXXX Discriminating against me by refusing to explain why my account was flagged based on my address h ) Continuing to refuse to address this issue i ) Illegally freezing and holding my funds despite repeated requests both via telephone and in branch for my funds to be returned by Citibank. 

I am formally raising this complaint with the CFPB on XXXX regarding Citibank and the new account opening process that has resulted in my funds being frozen and no refund of funds transferred despite numerous repeated attempts to resolve this quagmire of an issue that has been created by Citibank 's circular and illogical fraud and compliance process that have resulted in no satisfaction. 

Please advise on what next steps should be to get this situation resolved.