Consumer complaint received 2024-03-22
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Closing an account — Funds not received from closed account
Company: CITIBANK, N.A. (MI)

I have been a Citi credit card customer for XXXX years. While using the Citi app to manage my credit cards, I received marketing to open a Citi checking account to receive a {$300.00} bonus after {$1500.00} in enhanced direct deposits within the first 90 days. I decided to open a Citi checking account to receive the bonus. 

I directed my employer to deposit {$1500.00} to my new Citi checking account on XX/XX/2024. This was the first deposit made to this account. On the same day, I directed Citi to send this money via XXXX to my personal checking account at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ). On XX/XX/2024 I transferred {$1500.00} from my XXXX  checking account to my new Citi checking via XXXX to satisfy the requirements for a second enhanced direct deposit to receive the {$300.00} bonus. All three of these transactions executed properly without delay. 

On XX/XX/2024, I attempted to initiate an ACH transfer from my new Citi checking account to my XXXX  checking account for the amount of {$1500.00}. This transfer could not be completed in the Citi mobile app. I called Citibank and was told by the XXXX department that the transfer had been flagged by the fraud department and I could retry the transfer in XXXX hours. I re-attempted this transfer on XX/XX/2024 but was again unable to complete the transfer in the Citi mobile app. 

When I went to re-attempt the transfer again on XX/XX/2024, I discovered that I could no longer log into the Citi XXXX app, even to access my credit card account. I called Citi and discovered that the banking area had marked my account for closure. In doing so, they had deactivated not only my online checking account but also my online credit card account which had existed for XXXX years. I was never contacted by the fraud department to determine why I was attempting to transfer funds. I was not contacted by the fraud department to inform me that the account would be closed before they deactivated both my online banking and my online credit card account. I was forced to create a new account to access my credit cards. 

I was told my checking account would be closed within 60 days and that a letter would be mailed with an explanation and a check for {$1500.00}. I was told that if I wanted to receive my funds sooner than this, I could withdraw then from a physical Citi branch. The closest Citi branch is XXXX miles away from where I live. When I inquired how to receive the funds in a timely manner, I was informed there was no other option. Thus I must either wait XXXX days or spend {$250.00} on mileage and XXXX hours in the car to drive to a branch to receive my money. All of this is in the context that Citi bank marketed a checking account to me when there is not a branch within XXXX miles of my home. 

Citi is able to use my {$1500.00} for XXXX days for their ongoing operations and profit from banking activities while I must remain without access. My only recourse is to spend hundreds of dollars and XXXX hours in a vehicle to access this money by driving to the closet branch in XXXX. Not only is this bad business, but I question whether it violates any banking rules or regulations. 

I have been contacted by fraud departments at other banks a handful of times over the years to inquire into banking or credit card activity on my accounts. Never have I had an account marked for closure without first being contacted and without recourse to keep the account open. I have never had a bank freeze funds and only allow access in a way that is inaccessible without both physical and monetary hardship. The fraud department has informed me this is their policy and they will raise up my complaints. However, this does me no good in accessing my money before XXXX days while Citi continues to profit off my deposit.