Consumer complaint received 2018-02-24 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Opening an account — Didn't receive terms that were advertised
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CT

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/XXXX, I opened a new Citibank Account Package at a local branch in XXXX, Connecticut. The branch address is : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, CT XXXX, XXXX. The banker whose name is XXXX XXXX, helped me opened the account and enrolled me in a promotional offer of {$300.00} if certain requirements are met in a given period of time. The account opening process was quick and fluent. 

After I opened the account, I did what were listed on the bonus checklists. And near the end of XXXX, I thought I fulfilled all the requirements for the promotion so I reached out to Citibank just to confirm this. The representative told me she needed to open a case for me and would get back to me in a few days. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received an email from Citibank with a document attached. The document was assigned with the same case number I got before. And it clearly confirmed my eligibility for this {$300.00} bonus. It does not specify the date that I would receive the bonus. It just mentions that the bonus would be credited within 90 days. After receiving this document, I thought everything should be fine. But I was totally wrong. This was just the beginning of a nightmare of calling Citibank again and again!!! 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a weird email from Citibank. It seemed to be created automatically by the system. The email said I wasn't eligible for the bonus. So I contacted Citibank immediately. It took me 20 mins to explain to the agent what was going on. I was put on hold for another 10 mins. He finally came back and told me to disregard the email I received, it was sent out by error. I asked when I would receive the bonus, and he told me that the bonus would be credited on XX/XX/XXXX. You know what, I believed what he said at that time. What a joke!!! 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I checked my account balance, {$300.00} did not show up. So I contact Citibank again. This time I tried not to waste any time talking to clueless front line customer service rep and requested to talk to a manager. A few minutes later, a manager came. She was briefly informed of my case by the front line rep. But she still asked me for some more additional information for verification. Eventually she promised me I was eligible for the bonus and it would show up end of XXXX. I was skeptical of her words this time so I asked for her direct line in case the bonus not being credited on time. She said she doesn't have a direct line but she would check my account on XX/XX/XXXX. If the bonus does not show up on XX/XX/XXXX, she would call me up during lunch time on that day. Again I believed her words. The words from a Citibank Customer Service Manager!!! 

On XX/XX/XXXX, it did not surprise me that the bonus was not credited. So I decided to wait for her call. The whole lunch time, the whole afternoon, from XXXX to XXXX she DID NOT CALL!!! It's so unbelivable that people who work at Citibank are so untrustworthy, at least those who work at customer service sector. I was so frustrated on that day. After work, I contacted Citibank again. I requested to speak to another manager and escalate my case. I was transferred to a manager whose name is XXXX. Since my case was already noted, she knew what was going on and told me she needed to look at my account activity. After a long time hold, she came back saying that I fulfilled all the requirements on XX/XX/XXXX, I should get my bonus on/before XX/XX/XXXX. To be honest, I was a little mad at that time. I simply asked what's next if the bonus still doesn't show up on XX/XX/XXXX. She seemed to get I was a bit emotional and promised me that the bonus would definitely show up before that date. I also demanded talking to the previous manager who made a promise to call me back yet failed to do that. She said that manager was not available at the time and would leave her a message asking what's going on. She also told me I would receive a email regarding this. 

Today is XX/XX/XXXX. Right now it's 5 days past the date the last manager told me. I still haven't received the bonus. And I haven't been contacted by any means from Citibank. I'm sick of calling back to Citibank or/and talking to any customer service rep/ manager. They are useless and clueless. They don't care what the customer is experiencing and don't address any issue. And that's why I'm making this complaint.

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