Consumer complaint received 2026-01-22 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Getting a credit card — Problem getting a working replacement card
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: TX

Complaint narrative:
My Citibank credit card account has been locked since XX/XX/XXXX due to unauthorized activity on my account. This followed a breach on my previous Citibank credit card in XX/XX/XXXX when unauthorized transactions appeared, so this second breach absolutely warranted closer scrutiny, which I fully agreed with. However, this was my only credit card, and Ive been stonewalled by Citibank customer service representatives in every effort to get some movement on my account, to get a status update, to get a replacement card issued, to be transferred to a department where someone can help me, anything. Ive spent many frustrating hours multiple days on the phone with Citibank trying to get a resolution. I have requested to speak with supervisors, and I requested several times that the matter be escalated to a department with some authority as no one Ive been allowed to speak with thus far is able to even access my account, much less is privy to the account status. So far the inability to locate or access my account has been blamed on technical difficulties, on the need for better employee communication and enhanced training, and XXXX, todays supervisor, implied the blame actually lies with me and a need for patience. After repeatedly insisting today that the matter be escalated to a department with the authority to access my account, XXXX claimed it already had been. When I requested the case number, I was told it was not my place to make such demands. Instead, XXXX insisted that Citibank had thus far followed standard practice and that they had not given me reason for grievance as they had not yet exceeded the allotted window to issue me a replacement card, all of this to suggest that Citibank standard practice is actually to blame technical difficulties or the need for better employee training or repeat suggestions to give it XXXX hours, rather than provide good faith efforts to keep clients informed, and, when that fails as the case has here, to be so courteous as to put the client in touch with someone who they know has answers. 

Ive been forced to rely on a relatives credit card to make transactions, but yesterday I decided to attain a new credit card so Id have my own means until Citibank sorts out my account. I tried XXXX different credit cards, but each one was denied by XXXX different banks. I strongly suspect creditors can see that my Citibank credit card is flagged for fraudulent activity. Therefore, I am currently unable to secure credit at all, and those XXXX futile attempts to attain credit have caused my credit score to drop significantly. Citibanks refusal to resolve this matter is now causing active financial harm. I made that clear to Citibank today, but this information did not improve the outcome. I provide a detailed account of how this has transpired, along with dates. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I received a message from Citibank that theyd detected suspicious activity on my account and requested I review the transactions. I confirmed that XXXX transactions in question were not mine. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I received Citibank email that my previous account was confirmed closed, credit card was canceled, a replacement card was being prepared and should arrive in 4-7 business days. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I received a Citibank email that a replacement card was now available to give to companies who had my previous card information and to use until the replacement card arrived, and that I could find the new account information in the account portal to view for a limited time. I quickly located the new account information in the portal, and I was able to provide the replacement card information to merchants who had my previous account information. I also loaded the information on my XXXX so Id be able to use it if needed. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I received another message from Citibank that suspicious activity on the account was spotted. There were XXXX more unauthorized transactions. At this point I was alarmed over another breach so soon and worried about how people were gaining access to my credit card information. It struck me as highly unusual that this should happen twice in such a short period of time. 

I doublechecked my unopened mail because I had never seen the replacement card arrive in the mail. I noted the locations of the store numbers listed in XXXX of the unauthorized transactions as they were both in the same neighborhood but in an area of XXXX that I havent been to for well over a year. This suggests the replacement card was either delivered to the wrong XXXX address, or, more likely, someone stole it from my mailbox. When I called Citibank, the customer service agent advised that Citibank would call me back since, due to technical difficulties, they were unable to even locate my account. 

XX/XX/XXXX : The status of the account in the online portal hadnt changed at all and still had the same urgent alert to call, suggesting there was no record of my call the previous day, much less an update that the account was canceled or a replacement card was being sent, as was the case immediately in XXXX when fraud was first detected. This was alarming after the agent was unable to even locate my account the previous day. Because I was concerned that the account was still vulnerable ; I requested on the online portal that the account be locked. The status finally reflected new information, which was disconcerting as it suggested Citibank hadnt canceled the card as theyd said they would the day before. I noted that Citibank also hadnt called. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I rang Citibank, and the agent was confused and unable to locate my account again. I was transferred to multiple agents, and I started to get alarmed because they blamed a technical difficulty for what was clearly directly related to my account. They requested my SSN and phone number as alternative efforts to locate my account, and, although ultimately they found the account, they were unable to access any account information and requested that I call back. I was incredulous that theyd asked me that as I was calling because Citibank had never called back as promised on Monday. 

XX/XX/XXXX : At this point Id already attempted to get answers using the online portal, but every avenue I tried led to the same notice to call a number at Citibank where no one seemed to be able to help me further. I had no choice but to try again and knew immediately that they were still having difficulties locating my account because every person I was transferred to asked for my SSN and phone number, only to discover that their access was completely blocked. I was finally transferred to a supervisor named XXXX. She was very apologetic for the miscommunication thus far and reassured me that a replacement card was being sent and that the other representatives needed training on how to handle special cases like mine. I hung up hoping that a replacement card was in the works. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I hadnt received a replacement card, and the online portal still showed the same urgent message to call, as if there were no record at all that Id rung multiple times already over the past week. I rang again and was told the same thing, that they can not access my account and were unable to help me, that Id need to try again in XXXX hours. It was late at night, and they advised that the department who would be able to assist was closed and that I needed to call again during business hours. Indeed, every other time I had called was during business hours, and I still couldnt get anywhere. I began to wonder if anyone at Citibank knew what was going on. It finally occurred to me that, when they said they were investigating my account for fraudulent activity, I had perhaps mistakenly assumed they were investigating unauthorized activity on my account. Panic set in as it occurred to me that they might be investigating me of fraudulent activity. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I rang Citibank again, and I documented it in detail below. 

XXXX XXXX  Call initiated. I clearly stated immediately that I need Fraud Recovery or Account Security to either unlock or rebuild the account. I told the representative that standard early warning/fraud support likely cant handle this issue. I was put on hold as he searched for how to proceed. 

XXXX XXXX  After XXXX minute hold, he said he was unable to access my account and suggested I call back. I repeated that I need Fraud Recovery or Account Security, that I told him already that I anticipated that this couldnt be handled by early warning/fraud support, and I repeated that this is now causing active financial harm. He mentioned a supervisor, and I agreed, although I know its still not the answer. Im now on hold again. 

XXXX XXXX   He said he couldnt transfer me to Fraud Recovery, nor would his supervisor be able to, because it cant be done without an accessible account. He gave me the phone number to Fraud Recovery : XXXX. I realize now that this turned out to be the number to the same department I was already speaking to, but at the time I hoped it was a department who could help. 

XXXX XXXX  I called the number. 

XXXX XXXX  Call is answered. I repeated the same script as before : I need urgent escalation. This card is my only credit card, and my account has been locked for over a week after repeated fraud and a replacement card that never arrived. I am now being declined for new credit because this issue remains unresolved. I need Fraud Recovery or Account Security to either unlock or rebuild the account today. 

XXXX XXXX  They  said something that indicated she was having trouble locating me, and she asked for my phone number. I asked if this was Fraud Recovery, and she said it was something Fraud, but it didnt sound like it was Fraud Recovery. I reiterated the script above. 

XXXX XXXX  She said she was connecting me to that department. Whatever department she transferred me to, it was answered by an automated recording. 

XXXX XXXX Im being transferred to a representative. The guy who finally answered said he was with fraud early warning. These are the same people Ive been getting nowhere with and NOT THE FRAUD RECOVERY DEPARTMENT Id requested. He asked if I wanted him to transfer me to a supervisor as he was unable to find my account. I repeated the script above AGAIN, emphasizing that I need Fraud Recovery or Account Security to either unlock or rebuild the account today. 

XXXX XXXX  On hold again. 

XXXX XXXX  He said hes transferring me to his supervisor. Im on hold again. 

XXXX XXXX  A woman answered. I told her that, if shes not Fraud Recovery, Id kindly ask that she transfer me there because, if shes XXXX XXXX XXXX or a XXXX agent supervisor, she will likely not be able to help me, which is why I was asking to speak with Fraud Recovery. She put me on hold and came back and asked me ( hard to understand exactly what she said ) how I knew my account was with Fraud Recovery or locked or whatever, because it is still within the accepted time frame to receive a new card. I reiterated that I needed my account urgently escalated and that this was causing active financial harm, and she intimated that I was impatient. She then advised that it had already been escalated anyway. Delighted to hear this, I asked for a case number. Thats when XXXX told me that it was not the clients place to demand that information, which I knew really meant no escalation had occurred. I again requested to speak with Fraud Recovery, and finally someone tells me that that department didnt exist at Citibank XXXX This is when she insisted that the replacement card was on its way. It was as if, after my experience with Citibank since XX/XX/XXXX, theyd given me any reason to believe that my account was doing anything more than sitting entirely untouched and neglected in a static fraud investigation state. XXXX, however, insisted that said card was indeed shipped last week. She told me to call back when I receive the card. 

Current status : My account status on the online portal remains unchanged with the urgent message to Call now. To protect these account ( s ), we need you to call us right away. Card use may be limited until we hear from you. I know now, of course, that card remains inaccessible no matter what I do. My credit rating at the beginning of this odyssey was XXXX. After unsuccessfully attempting XXXX times to secure new credit in order to free myself from this Citibank limbo, my credit score now rests at 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 explanation