Consumer complaint received 2026-03-06 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Getting a credit card — Card opened without my consent or knowledge
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: OH

Complaint narrative:
I am filing this complaint regarding a fraudulent Citi credit card account that was opened using my identity without my knowledge or consent. When we first discovered the account on my credit report listed as CitiCards CBNA, we immediately contacted Citibank. Even after verifying my identity, Citi representatives refused to provide any information about the account or assist with resolving the fraud. We then followed the official federal identity theft process through IdentityTheft.gov and created a formal Identity Theft Report. Following that process we took the required protective steps, including placing fraud alerts and credit freezes on all three credit bureaus and filing a police report documenting the identity theft. We then prepared a full identity theft dispute packet that satisfied the Fair Credit Reporting Act identity theft documentation requirements. The packet included proof of identity and supporting documentation such as a birth certificate, Social Security card, government ID, utility bill verifying address, the police report, the FTC Identity Theft Report, and a cover letter clearly identifying the fraudulent Citi account. These dispute packets were sent to the appropriate dispute addresses for each credit bureau using certified priority mail with return receipt and signature confirmation so that delivery could be verified. The mailing cost exceeded {$60.00} in order to ensure the documentation was properly delivered and received. XXXX followed the law and blocked the fraudulent Citi account from my credit report within the required four-day timeframe. However, XXXX and XXXX refused to block the account and instead claimed that the account belongs to me despite the identity theft documentation that was provided. This appears inconsistent with the identity theft blocking requirements of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Citibank has also refused to provide documentation showing how this account was opened or how my identity was verified when the account was created. An additional concern is how this account was approved in the first place. Prior to discovering this account, I received multiple letters from other lenders stating that credit applications submitted in my name were denied because the lenders were unable to verify the applicants identity. This indicates that other financial institutions could not verify the identity of the person applying, while Citibank appears to have approved a credit account under the same circumstances. I am requesting that Citibank investigate this identity theft, provide documentation showing how this account was opened, and ensure the fraudulent account is permanently removed from all credit reporting agencies. I also am requesting that XXXX and XXXX both satisfy the law and block this account from my credit immediately.

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