Consumer complaint received 2025-08-11 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Deposits and withdrawals
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: WI

Complaint narrative:
I believe that the Citibank Know Your Client ( KYC ) severely overstepped their boundaries. The information requested and provided in no way should have resulted in freezing my bank account XXXX different times and going for a third time. I have since transferred 80 % of my cash assets to a different bank. My written complaint and Citibank response are below. 

From : XXXX To : XXXX Tue, XX/XX/year> at XXXX PM To Citibank XXXX XXXX XXXX : XXXX XX/XX/year> My wife and I are small shareholders of Citibank XXXX, have a checking account, a savings account, and a debit card with Citibank. My wife is a Citibank retiree in which she purchased some Citibank stocks XXXX years or so ago which have not caused any problem and provide a small dividend. And therein lays the problem. 

XXXX week or so after I received a notice of a data breach with a third-party partner of XXXX Bank XXXX XXXX Wisconsin, XXXX received a couple of telephone calls from your Personal Wealth Management ( PWM ) wanting several bits of personal information about me. To me it was a fraud attempt as a result of the XXXX XXXX data breach. I contacted Citibank, and they issued a new debit card since that was where I had used it at XXXX Bank. After a couple of calls which I again ignored, I received a letter from the Citibank XXXX section. Since it was legitimately from Citibank, I immediately called the number provided and gave them the needed info which consisted of my source of income primarily and other minor bits of investment experience info. They would call back if more info was needed. They would only say that they were missing some needed info. I only later found out it was due to the Citibank shares which as you might notice, I am only a Designated Beneficiary! 

I received no other call back requesting any further info. On XXXX XX/XX/year> I received an email ( See below ) that my checking account was frozen. Unfortunately, I had not checked my emails for over XXXX days and as a result, XXXX debit card use attempt was denied which was embarrassing, and XXXX checks were bounced, XXXX my mortgage payment. In mid - XXXX, I again called the number provided. I talked to XXXX who said all the info was there and that she would send the info to get the account unfrozen. The next day I received a call from XXXX and talked to XXXX. He said they needed more information, and only then did I find that the problem was the shares account. The questions asked were again " my source of income '' which I explained and corrected a couple of abbreviations, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( DISA ) and XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( OPM ) as well as what was " my estimate of my investing experience '', and " when did I start investing? ". Truly XXXX, XXXX important earth-shattering data. This whole action of freezing my account was totally unnecessary. I was again called by XXXX a few days later saying they needed additional info and has sent a XXXX tax form. I have sent this form back on XXXX XX/XX/year> via email after attaching a scanned PDF file of the form. 

I was so upset even after several weeks that I called Citibank Customer Service which I believe went to South Dakota and talked to XXXX. I found out at that time that my accounts have yet again been frozen without my knowledge. After checking email I saw a notice of this action in XXXX. XXXX said that she would call back next day which she did. She cleared the frozen account and said that the problem was solved. 

On XXXX XXXX, I received in the mail another notice that XXXX needed more information. I tried to call Customer Service to find XXXX but no luck. My call went overseas who only shuttled my call to the XXXX section. I then spoke to XXXX who XXXX down the much needed, all-important information of my " estimated yearly income ''! That was the only info they needed, and they were going to freeze my accounts again. And I am only a Beneficiary. Total BS!! 

After all this time, I am still angry. I have been cooperative, and the Citibank XXXX has been very heavy handed, callous, and inconsiderate. What was so important that my checking account and other Citibank assets were frozen causing such BS especially since I have cooperated? I have since found out that XXXX additional checks were bounced and cost me XXXX total to reimburse the depositors. The XXXX bounced checks XXXX have affected my credit rating. Not only that, why does this PWM section have direct access to my checking account when it is only concerned with a couple XXXX Citibank shares? Are they just trying to get me to sell the shares since it is so small and insignificant? XXXX indicated that selling the shares would make this problem go away. 

To me I am being harassed, and I want it stopped. And I want corrective action to avoid any hits to my credit rating, stop the harassment, and bring this rogue action to a stop. I also want XXXX for my bounced check fees that I have paid to reimburse my check recipients. I also do not want any further contact with XXXX. 

Any assistance would be appreciated. I am still trying to decide if I want to continue doing business with Citibank after such nonsense and embarrassment. 

If additional data is needed, please contact me. 

XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX ________________Response_______ Falls, SD XXXX XX/XX/year> XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, WI XXXX XXXX XXXX, You recently reached out XXXX us, and XXXX reviewed your request. 
Interest Checking Account ending in XXXX Citi XXXX XXXX : XXXX Please accept our sincere apology for any inconvenience this matter XXXX have caused. It is our goal to provide all of our clients with the highest level of service and we regret that you found cause for dissatisfaction under any circumstances. Please be assured that your concerns have been shared with senior management overseeing our Citi XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and our Know Your Customer ( KYC ) Department. 
Please understand, the bank is required to implement policies and procedures that meet the requirements of the Bank XXXX and Patriot Acts, including a XXXX XXXX XXXX, which is a part of Citi 's Know Your Customer ( KYC ) Program. Specifically, we are required to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person or business that opens and maintains an account. From time to time, the XXXX XXXX XXXX result in the bank needing additional information from clients to satisfy these requirements. As part of the XXXX review process, account access XXXX be restricted if the required information is not received. 
Pursuant to our compliance policy guidelines, we will reach out to clients periodically to obtain certain required information. If the information is not obtained, the account XXXX be blocked and ultimately closed. This is in accordance with our compliance policy and procedures and can potentially be required every XXXX years moving forward. Certain activity on an account XXXX trigger an alert, in which case we would need to obtain information prior to the periodic review. 
When an account is due for a review, or if an activity triggers an intermittent review, we generally contact the client and/or the branch of domicile. If we do not receive a response, we attempt XXXX additional times to obtain the information before proceeding with blocking or closing the account. We want to assure you that the information we request is part of Citi 's XXXX XXXX, and it is not used for any marketing purposes. While the questions we ask are not explicitly written in the regulations, we assure you our XXXX XXXX is in line with regulatory expectations. 
We have reviewed your records and confirmed that the review was completed, and the account block was removed on XXXX XXXX. At this time, no additional information is required from you. Please be aware that the bank has a duty to monitor accounts and XXXX require additional information in the future, pursuant to the XXXX XXXX policies. 
We understand you are requesting reimbursement of {$35.00} in fees paid to the recipients for the returned checks. Please provide us with documentation of the fees incurred for review and consideration. 
We are not able to determine how reporting this account will affect your XXXX XXXX as it depends on actions taken by other creditors and variables outside of XXXX control. 

Thanks for your inquiry. We'd like you to know that it's important to us and we appreciate the opportunity to respond. 
Thank you, Your Citi XXXX XXXX XXXX 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 monetary relief