Consumer complaint received 2025-08-04 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — Store credit card
Issue: Problem when making payments — Problem during payment process
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CO

Complaint narrative:
In the months leading up to XX/XX/year>, I received persistent, disruptive, and unmarked phone calls from XXXX including on XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX, and after XXXX PM. These repeated and aggressive calls violated FDCPA guidelines and caused substantial confusion due to the caller 's failure to clearly identify themselves. Based on the call behavior and lack of transparency, I reasonably believed the calls were from XXXX XXXX not Citibank. 

As a result of this misidentification, I spent nearly XXXX full weeks preparing and filing multiple formal complaints including two CFPB complaints and a complaint to the Colorado Attorney General against the wrong party. This disruption was directly caused by Citibanks failure to properly identify themselves in these repeated collection calls. 

On XX/XX/year>, I finally answered XXXX of the calls and confirmed that the caller was in fact Citibank, acting on behalf of the My Best Buy XXXX XXXX account. I recorded this call. During the call, I clearly requested that all future communication be handled by email only, citing the need to stop phone contact immediately. I stated multiple times that calls must stop. While I did say " cease all communication '' at the end of the call, I did not confirm my identity or provide personal information. The request was reasonable, clear, and made in the context of an XXXX XXXX  as I have an XXXX XXXX XXXX that makes real-time XXXX  XXXX  difficult and cognitively exhausting. 

Following that call : - On XX/XX/year>, Citibank mailed me a letter confirming that they would stop all collection-related phone calls. 
- On XX/XX/year>, Citibank sent a separate letter threatening permanent account closure unless I paid the {$1300.00} minimum payment by XX/XX/XXXX despite the confirmed phone contact halt and despite my clear request for XXXX communication accommodations. 

In addition to the harassment and miscommunication, I had previously requested hardship assistance, but the Citi representative I spoke with dismissed me prematurely. I was not allowed to submit documentation, explain the variability of my income ( from a newly launched business ), or receive an individualized assessment. My XXXX XXXXXXXX was not accommodated, and no alternate process or support was offered. The process was abrupt, discriminatory, and conducted without any apparent effort to assess my actual financial situation. 

The situation has caused : - Approximately XXXX full weeks of wasted time, research, documentation, and misdirected legal filings against the wrong creditor all due to Citibanks failure to properly identify themselves. 
- Increased stress, confusion, and legal burden as I attempted to resolve what I believed was FNBOs harassment, only to later discover it was Citibank. 
- Discriminatory treatment due to the complete disregard of my XXXX XXXX XXXX 
- Retaliatory threats to close my account after I exercised my rights to stop phone harassment and request reasonable accommodations under federal law. 

Despite making a recorded attempt to clarify and de-escalate the situation, I was met with threats of permanent harm instead of support. I received no meaningful assistance, no accommodation, and no protection after requesting relief.

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