Consumer complaint received 2025-10-03 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Savings account
Issue: Managing an account — Deposits and withdrawals
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/year>, I spent 30 minutes trying to find a CITI branch, because I needed a tellers check for half the payment on a car I was purchasing out of state. I had already put down {$500.00} to hold it. I couldn't find any CITI branches, called customer service, and was told that there aren't any branches, only ATMs. She said I could go to an ATM, and that my daily withdrawal limit is {$1500.00}. I explained that I needed {$7800.00}, and was told that I could go to an ATM every day for several days straight until I collected that amount! That would not fit into my timeframe -- I have a nonrefundable flight AND a nonrefundable hotel that have been paid for, PLUS my {$500.00} deposit on the car would be lost if I don't collect the car on the day I promised to be at the dealership! Her attitude of dismissiveness was disturbing. 

I then thought that best way to get around this was to transfer the funds from CITI to my linked external credit union, then I'd be able to go there and get a Teller 's check by Tuesday of next week. But, the transaction was flagged for fraud, and I was denied access. For the record, I understand the transaction being flagged, as this has occurred from time to time with other banks over the decades that I have been banking, but the procedure is to verify and validate the account holder, and then lift the hold so that the customer can conclude their business. This is what I was expecting to occur when I called the number on the page where my access was denied. 
Spoke to a female in the Fraud Department who verified me, but she refused to lift the hold. I kept asking her why, and she kept telling me that fraud was suspected. She kept going around and around with this, and after 20 minutes or so I asked to speak to a supervisor. I held for a few minutes, and was transferred to XXXX, who ended up being in the Client Relations Unit. He verified me AGAIN, then told me that he couldn't lift the hold, and that the hold would be on for at least three BUSINESS days! I explained my situation with the car, my other travel arrangements, and my {$500.00} car deposit being in jeopardy. I was justifiably upset, because all the time spent on the phone caused me to miss an appointment that I was supposed to be at. He spoke to me as though my funds being held was not a big deal. I confirmed that I was on a recorded line, and then let him know that the actions that the bank was taking was wrong, that how he was speaking to me was out of line and wrong, because he was treating me as though I was being unreasonable for expecting the hold to be lifted, thereby causing me an undue amount of stress and anxiety that I didn't deserve because I had been verified MULTIPLE times already. Plus, I did not know why I was speaking to him when I needed to speak to someone in the fraud department, so asked him to transfer me back, which he did, but not before telling me that they weren't going to be able to do anything. 

Finally got back to the fraud department. XXXX verified me AGAIN, but once again told me that fraud was being detected ( yes, I got that! ), but that there was nothing they can do. I asked her to repeat her name and what department she was in, and she seemed reluctant to provide the name of her department, so I had to ask several times. Said she's in the fraud department of deposit, which sounded like an odd name for a banking department. After being told this entire time that my money would be held for three business days, meaning I would not have my money in time to get a check and make my flight next week, she told me to call back the next day ( Friday XX/XX/year> ) after 24 hours to see if the hold COULD be lifted, so WHY was I being told, over MULTIPLE discussions with MULTIPLE employees, that their unreasonable hold CAN'T be lifted for at least three business days?!

I was transferred all around, spoke to multiple representatives in multiple departments, treated with dismissiveness and condescension, as if they could not understand the distress this was causing me. NO ONE would be okay with not being able to access their money because their bank feels the withdrawal request is larger than THE BANK thinks is reasonable! I WAS ON THE PHONE FOR OVER AN HOUR, missed an appointment, and now don't know if I'm going to lose all of the money that I've already spent towards travel, and a deposit on a new car?! 

Even IF the bank releases my funds on Tuesday XX/XX/year>, they don't have a physical branch where I can go get a check, so a wire transfer from their bank to my external credit union will be my only recourse, but IT WON'T reach my credit union in time to go there to get a check on XX/XX/year>. My flight 's on Wednesday XX/XX/year>! 

I've experienced having large transactions flagged for fraud in the past, and I appreciate financial institutions being vigilant, but my financial institutions ALWAYS send a text or calls to tell me to call the fraud department, at which point the transaction, and I, are verified, and the hold is lifted THAT DAY! 

This is a fairly new relationship with CITI, but even my initial deposit, unbeknownst to me, was held for several days. When I called to inquire why, they said because the account is new ( which doesn't make sense ), but it was a situation wherein I didn't have anything else on the line. CITI is holding my money hostage, while garnering interest on it, preventing me from access to my own money, causing me to lose a lot of money, and my new car?!

I hope that someone will take this matter seriously, and help me to bring action against them. I will be seeking every other action available to me versus CITI once I get my money, and close this account! 

Thank you.

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