Consumer complaint received 2015-11-04
Product: Credit card — 
Issue: Credit determination — 
Company: CITIBANK, N.A. (AZ)

XXXX XXXX - Twice now I have submitted an application to obtain a Macy 's Department Store Credit Card and have been declined for failure to clear an initial fraud alert I have placed on my Credit Bureau. I work in the financial services industry and understand how Fraud Alerts work. I have very good credit ( XXXX score ), and should easily be able to obtain an approval for a store credit card. As a result of my good credit and in an effort to keep it that way, I have placed an initial alert on my credit report to contact me at my primary cell phone number ( home number secondarily ). 
The first time I applied ( around XXXX 2015 ), I was standing in the store and submitted and application at the point of sale. As I stood there for several minutes with my cell phone in hand waiting for a call to clear the alert, I eventually had the clerk call the credit department who informed me that I was declined because I did n't answer the phone when they called. My cell phone was in my hand the entire time and had maximum signal ( and I confirmed, they did not call my home number by mistake ). I asked them to retry and they said they ca n't - " you get one try only ''. After arguing with them and asking to speak to a supervisor, I eventually gave up due to the line forming behind me in-store. I was told that I had to wait 30 days ( I believe ) to reapply - at the time, my frustration about the situation made me think that there is no way I would ever reapply for a Macy 's card. 
A couple months later I decided to try again, because without a Macy 's card you are forced to pay higher prices for purchases - which is a primary concern of mine here. My second attempt in XXXX 2015 was around XXXX Pacific time from my home computer. I reapplied online and had my cellphone sitting by my side the entire time, waiting for it to ring. It did n't. I soon received an email saying my application was suspended until further information could be obtained - it included a customer service number where I learned that they were only open until XXXX EASTERN time ; and therefore, I had to wait until the next day. Sometime around XXXX the next day, Macy 's credit call while I was in the shower ; no message was left, but I reverse dialed the number and confirmed it was in fact Macy 's Credit Department. I then called the customer service line and was told the same thing again - one try to clear the alert and then you 're declined. I again argued with the CSR and eventually asked to speak to a manager. XXXX ( supervisor ) came on the line and explained to me that their system prevents them from clearing an alert after the one-attempt had failed and that I could reapply in " X '' days ( I do n't remember, I think he said 30 day ). I asked to speak to a SVP or higher, which was declined. I hung up in utter frustration. 
My concern here is that I 'm being forced to pay more for items at Macy 's because of their inflexible and unfair credit issuing practices ( generally Macy 's card holders save XXXX % on purchases ). I have great credit, a lot of disposable income and am a very responsible credit user. Macy 's practices are flawed and they need to be investigated and corrected as a result. Can you please let me know what you can do for me ( and countless others ) in this situation? I question the entire industry practice of discounting for Store Card holders if they 're not going to apply fair lending practices. 
Thank you XXXX XXXX, I look forward to the CFPB 's response. 
XXXX XXXX, 2015 - incident number from Macy 's Credit Email Ref # XXXX. I no longer have the reference information from the first incident sometime around XXXX 2015.