Consumer complaint received 2019-04-25
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Banking errors
Company: CITIBANK, N.A. (DC)

My name is XXXX XXXX and I wish to file a complaint against Citibank for the following reason. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX I met with XXXX XXXX at the Citibank, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, VA XXXX and she told me if I deposit a sum of new money into an account for 60 consecutive days I would get {$1000.00}. This sounded like a good deal so therefore I did. 

On XX/XX/2019 I met with Ms. XXXX again at the bank to see if the {$1000.00} was credited to my account. The money was not credited to my account. Ms. XXXX said she would take action to ensure the money was credited as I had met the timeline and amount established by the promotional. I was not alarmed because this happened before in one of a previous promotion and Citibank did credit the money as promised.

I then asked Ms. XXXX if they had more promotions or good interest bearing accounts as XXXX XXXX had great rates at the time and wanted to know if Citibank rates were better. 

After listening to the rates, I requested that remaining funds put into high yield 11 months CD and into high interest saving account. In a couple weeks I checked back with Ms. XXXX to see if the {$1000.00} were placed into the account and she told me it wasnt, but she was escalating the issue. I also found out that she put all of remaining funds into two separate 11 month CDs, not 1/2 savings and 1/2 CD. I just left it like that as it would be less than a year funds were locked in.

After the third week I checked with the bank again and the {$1000.00} still were not in my account and the Citibank advisor indicated it was being escalated to have the funds put in the account. 

On XX/XX/2019 I received an official letter from Citibank indicating they were declining to pay the {$1000.00} they promised to pay. 

On XX/XX/2019, I went to Citibank again and spoke with the Branch Manager/Vice President Ms. XXXX XXXX, who told me not to worry, she will have the {$1000.00} put in my account within 2 days. 

On XX/XX/2019, I went back to the Citibank and Ms. XXXX XXXX then told me it was being escalated. I told her that I have waited long enough either put the money in the account or close my accounts and I would take my business elsewhere and sue them. 

Ms. XXXX indicated she was escalating the matter, therefore I told her close my accounts. Ms. XXXX and I left her office, she went into the cashier enclosure and I stood in line. When I moved up to the window and begin speaking with the cashier I asked her if I would have closing fees and she said yes. I asked how much and she indicated {$600.00} on one CD and {$260.00} on the other. I told her no, then dont close the CD and she indicated that she already did and could not reverse it.

I stayed calm and left the bank with my money minus {$870.00} in fees.

Bottom line is Citibank kept my life savings for over 4 months under there promotion which promised to pay {$1000.00} after 60 days, gave me nothing for it and in the end swindled me out of {$870.00} in charges for CDs, one of which I did not ask for.

Additionally, Citibank could not explain why since both CDs were opened the same time for almost the same amount, how can one have a {$600.00} penalty and the other a {$260.00} penalty for closing. 

Conclusion ; they refused to pay me what was promised and owed and charged me for taking my remaining money back because the bank cheated me.