Consumer complaint received 2025-09-17 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Opening an account — Account opened without my consent or knowledge
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: NY

Complaint narrative:
Subject : Citibank is unlawfully denying me access to financial products based on checking accounts I never opened Detailed Complaint Narrative Citibank is refusing to allow me to open new accounts and access its products, claiming I already have an unknown number of checking accounts in its systems. I have never had a Citibank account of any kind. 
Citibanks conduct is unlawful, discriminatory, and a violation of multiple binding federal laws and regulations. This is not just a customer service issueit is a regulatory compliance failure.

1. Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) & FACTA Violations * If Citibank relied on consumer reports ( from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX to deny me products, Citibank must comply with 15 U.S.C. 1681m ( a ) and provide me with an adverse action notice, identifying : * The reporting agency, * The specific factors leading to denial, * My right to a free report and dispute.

No such notice has been provided. This is a direct violation of FCRA 615.

* If Citibank is itself furnishing information about these alleged checking accounts to any bureau, then under FCRA 623 ( a ) ( 1 ) Citibank has a duty not to furnish inaccurate information. Once notified of a dispute, Citibank must conduct a reasonable reinvestigation and correct/delete any false data ( 623 ( a ) ( 2 ), ( a ) ( 8 ), and ( b ) ( 1 ) ).

* Under FACTA ( FCRA amendments, 15 U.S.C. 1681c-2 ), once I declare these accounts fraudulent/unauthorized, Citibank must block the information from appearing in consumer reports unless Citibank proves otherwise with documentary evidence.

2. Equal Credit Opportunity Act ( ECOA ) / Regulation B Violations * Denial of credit or deposit accounts constitutes adverse action under 15 U.S.C. 1691 ( d ) and 12 C.F.R. 1002.2 ( c ). Citibank must : * Provide a written notice of adverse action within 30 days, * State the specific reasons, and * Provide the name/contact of the reporting agency ( if applicable ). 
Failure to do so is a violation of Reg B 1002.9. Citibanks refusal to provide disclosures appears to be an unlawful adverse action that blocks me from equal access to financial services.

3. Electronic Fund Transfer Act ( EFTA ) / Regulation E Obligations * If Citibank claims these alleged accounts ever conducted transactions, they must be treated as unauthorized electronic fund transfers as to me.

* Under 15 U.S.C. 1693f and 12 C.F.R. 1005.11, Citibank is required to investigate, resolve, and correct such errors within 45 days ( 90 in limited cases ). 
* Continuing to associate me with unauthorized accounts without investigation constitutes a violation of Reg E and exposes Citibank to liability for damages, attorneys fees, and regulatory action.

4. Bank Secrecy Act ( BSA ) / Customer Identification Program ( CIP ) Failures * Federal law ( 31 U.S.C. 5318 ; 31 C.F.R. 1020.220 ) requires Citibank to verify identity before opening any deposit account.

* If Citibanks records claim I have checking accounts, Citibank must produce documentary verification used to open them : * Government-issued ID scanned or copied, * IP address/device fingerprint of application, * Date/time stamps, * Branch teller ID ( if in person ), * Application signatures, audio recordings, chat logs. 
If Citibank can not produce this, the accounts are either fabrications or identity-theft accounts, and continuing to hold them against me violates the CIP recordkeeping requirement and USA PATRIOT Act compliance.

5. Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Acts or Practices ( UDAAP ) * By blocking me from Citibank products based on false information, Citibank is engaging in unfair and abusive practices prohibited under Dodd-Frank 1036, 12 U.S.C. 5536.

* CFPB has explicit authority to sanction Citibank for these practices.

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