Consumer complaint received 2023-10-19
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Closing an account — Company closed your account
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.

Complaint:
Citi accepted a new account application, accepted a valid cashier 's check for deposit, denied access to funds for over 39 days. Funds are not yet available to depositor. Invalidated new account promotion without regard to customer full compliance. Citibank concerns with XXXX Cashier 's Check found to be without merit by Citi. 

New Business Checking Account Opened at XXXX Citi XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Checking account accepted/approved by Citibank XX/XX/XXXX Initial Deposit of a XXXX XXXX Issued Cashier 's Check {$5500.00} made XX/XX/XXXX to account XXXX -- XXXX XXXX Cashiers Check XXXX dated XX/XX/XXXX -- At time of Deposit {$320.00} " Available Today '' {$5100.00} " XX/XX/XXXX This is a new accout ( open 30 days or less ) '' Notice from Citi Fraud Prevention `` Your Citi account ( s ) will automatically close within 60days '' issued by Citi XX/XX/XXXX XXXX or about XX/XX/XXXX Debit card arrives at account address. Activation online denied Visit to XXXX XXXX branch of Citi - issuance of replacement XX/XX/XXXX, replacement card issued XX/XX/XXXX via XXXX Notice from Citi Fraud Prevention received at account address XX/XX/XXXX -- multiple phone calls made to Citi ; Fraud Prevention closed, general customer service line indicated account was blocked and scheduled to be closed. Left vmail message to account Rep XXXX XXXX XXXX Follow-up Friday XX/XX/XXXX -- Left multiple vmail messages for account Rep XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Spoke to branch representative who indicated that Rep XXXX was at a different branch, would relay message. 
Follow-up Monday XX/XX/XXXX -- Left vmail message for account Rep XXXX XXXX XXXX Follow-up Wednesday XX/XX/XXXX-- Visited XXXX XXXX, met with XXXX XXXX, who confirmed and checked all XXXX information was accurate, XXXX  called Citi, informed that Citi blocked the account pending verification of validity of Cashier 's Check. XXXXXXXX XXXX  statement showing withdrawal requested. 
Follow-up Saturday XX/XX/XXXX -- Met with XXXX -- Call to Citi ; informed needed verification of validity of Cashier 's check. ( note I had confirmed with XXXX XXXX prior to visit that check was valid. Unable to secure statement as closed account statements must be processed and mailed. ) -- Provided XXXX with Customer Copy of cashier 's check -- Informed by XXXX cashiers check had cleared XXXX otherwise the account would not continue to show {$5500.00} balance. Unable to provide any support. 
Follow-up Saturday XX/XX/XXXX -- Visit XXXX XXXX Citi Branch with XXXX XXXX Statement -- Informed account was blocked and there was nothing anyone could do to assist.

Phone call to Citi Fraud Division Saturday XX/XX/XXXX -- Spoke to representative who indicated account was blocked due to questions surrounding validity of Cashier 's check. Rep indicated that she would need to call XXXX to verify, would I hold. After 5-10 minutes representative returned to the line, indicating that XXXX had confirmed the validy of account and that a message would be sent to " Back Office '' to release the block. Allow 24-48 hours. 
-- Requested rep confirm that there were no other potentially blocking issues on the account. Rep confirmed, no other blocks. 
Phone call to Customer Service Line Monday XX/XX/XXXX -- Spoke to Rep, told account blocked as the LLC state of incorporation did not match State of California records. Rep informed LLC was a Washington State LLC, placed on hold, Rep returned confirming incorporation information confirmed with State of Washington. Final block would be remove 24-48 hours. 
Phone Call to Customer Service Tuesday XX/XX/XXXX -- Debit Card Login unrecognized -- Rep confirmed account was in process of being closed and check would be issued and should be received in 10-14 days.

-- When asked why 10-14 days, rep indicated that was the time period. 
-- Rep agreed to contact " Back Office '' and see if closure could be stopped Later XX/XX/XXXX -- Received a call from Citi Cust Service Rep - Closing process could not be stopped Call From Rep XXXX -- Inquiring as to whether I had received by account closure check. Apologized for issues

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation