Consumer complaint received 2025-08-09 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Deposits and withdrawals
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
Dear Sir/Madam, Citibank has arbitrarily frozen my account with no explanation given and have frozen my funds causing emotional drain and undue harm while Im racking up late payments, missed payments and credit dings. I suffered a XXXX this past XXXX and can not get too upset and also have been placed on work leave until XXXX my XXXX and settlement checksare how i survive and help my fianc with our XXXX boys. And Ive notified Citi of this and still I get no response or reasons on them arbitrarily freezing my funds and accounts. I will describe the events below. Thank you. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I opened a Citibank account. The very next day on XX/XX/XXXX citi notifies me that my account will be on a fraud freeze for 48 hours with no explanation given on the fraud activity. 

XXXX XXXX I pleaded with them to inform me of what the suspicious activity or fraudulent activity could be so I can tell them if I recognize certain charges I was informed that its in review in the XXXX  end they they have no idea on why my account was frozen. I mustve reached out eerily for the next week to inquire about why my account es frozen. 

XX/XX/XXXX is finally when they lifted this hold. Without any explanation or reasoning on why my account had been placed on such an untimely hold. During this time even though I had money I. My account, due to the frozen status I had to borrow money take out loans just to survive until they decided to lift my freeze. It was extremely difficult to handle this emotional distress due to my XXXX and I stated this to the Citi agents but to no avail as thy just responded they the fraud dept was handling it and they were clueless as to why my account was frozen. As I reached out for help in th charity enviro agent site. The agent proffered to tell me to inform th Freud dept that I verbelly consent to XXXX and all Freud retainers selected on my account for they we Citie policy. I did exactly that as tonight. I received the same answer of sorry they couldnt do thatfor my account was in review. I stated it is your policy to liftthose Fraudw holds snd they apologized and used the review excuse onces against XXXX XXXX : I deposited a check from an insurance company for a settlement I reached with my previous employer. The insurance company also banked with Citibank and the amount was for XXXX. I knew due to the size of the check thatit would probably be on hold to verify for a few days or they would make some of the amount available for I have to live and support my family. They stated they they would have it on a 10 Day holds until XX/XX/XXXX. This was discouraging and infuriating to say the least. I was already late on payments mortgage bills, kids sports etc. but I had no choice but wait until the. XXXX I pleaded with them to make even a bit of the check available for I could not work until XXXX and XXXX and this check were my only source of income. They stated its policy and they could not do anything about it although Citi verified that check on the first day I found out through XXXX XXXX who states ones personal worth XXXX  my worth was XXXX higher on XX/XX/XXXX. Again its missing payments due dates all the else with mycredit getting dinged and then the XXXX comes around and I find my funds available so I thought. So I start to begin paying for bills I was late on and as Im making payments I get notice that my payments are getting declined due to my bank rejecting the payments although I had more then enough funds to cover payments. I called and was directed to the Fraudd department to which they placed another hold on my account the day the funds were available. I asked them to inform me which transaction looked suspicious and assure ads them Im making payments and transferring money as I could not this whole time while they either froze my account or would not release my even apart of my check as they do at other banks. I could not even pay for my health Insurancewhich is vital for I need dto see My drs regarding my XXXX. Citi agents couldnt scare less with replies stating we cent do anything as they sin the fraud department are reviewing it and will take 48hours. Last time they noted this it took nearly two months. I was beyond myself. hoW could they freeze my account again? The sameday they made funds available without providing me any information on what was the suspicious activity that froze my acct once again I a. After of 2 hours? The same response we dont know we apologize or the inconvenience but it is already in review and we dont know. I was livid so I went into the branch to meet with the branch manager. This was the second time I went into meet with the manager tegerding this incident the first time to del with the check being held for 10 days with no funds being released. She basically acted as if my concerns were a burden and her attitude was from the get go a no can do outlook. This time I went into speak with someone in management and i see her again and told her my predicament. She starts off saying theres nothing she can do except to call them end hand me the phone. It we shocking to me that her initial response to a crisis was deflect deflect deflect. I told her maybe if she changed her outlook XXXX instead if we cant do anything we can have a lets figure something out perspective and it might bring about some change. She proceeded to call the fraud dept and she found out they they started a 2 nd review into the check and my sccount for suspicious activity which started on the XXXX of XXXX a day before my check was released to me. She said they gave her no explanation as to why my account was frozen again and being investigated. She proceeded to tell me they until the reviewis over my funds will be frozen I expressed to her all I was going through due to thesseunlswful and criminal charges and he states nothing she coould did but she told me the fraud dept informed her they would have decision whichwould be made by XXXX Monday and essentially told me not o come into the branch because there was nothing she could do for me at the bank. And she also proceeded to tell me the bank will by consider Amex decide to release my funds or decide to close my sccount! I did tell an agent over thephone to please just release my funds so I can close my account. However the Frauddept hadalready predetermined to close my account after thrir rvriee. The manager told me they if they say they are going to close my sccount they the funds can release zmonths before I see my funds dispersed to me. I told her that is unacceptable as this snd my XXXX XXXX  my only sources of income for I can even work end she sgsinshsidnnoyhing she can do snd ell have to wait until Monday. I asked her why all the hold and why were they discussing closing my accounts? For what reason could they have decided to freeze my check holds to cleoing my account?? Ive been extremely distressed angry embarrassed and feeling dejected but confused and lost for no one can give me any resin as to there holds and don one fan tell me why my account is under review for closure. I knew in my gut they what theyrrre doing could not have been legal. In this day and age who holds s clientele funds arbitrarily with no end I. Sight not gives any reeeond for this hold. So ire it nor until Monday XXXX to see what happens to my funds that I havent been able to acess. Why am I even InThis predicament where I cant be connected with my money? I implored with them to please here what is fraudulent in their eyes do I can help rectify this situation an find a solution for all parties. I felt truly ufvthERe was someone along at Citibank who has a personal vendetta against me. The banks old reprints being an agent where they should hold the money for their clients, not to hold funds from clients for however long and wherever amount. Moreover, they continue to keep me disengaged with no information as my bills continue to pile, Im denied accesss to my doctors, and do feel this taking years off my life. When I suffered a XXXX, I remember feelings XXXX XXXX in the area I found to be was the area of my XXXX. From this incident I started to feel an XXXX XXXX  of sorts around XXXX XXXX which frightens me but sgsin I didnt its for insurance fur to the funds they are roofing from me, my own money, to pay for drs and bills of life. Please advise and think you for your time. 


Sincerely, XXXX XXXX

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 non-monetary relief