Consumer complaint received 2025-04-04 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems — Other problem
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: AZ

Complaint narrative:
My husband died in XX/XX/XXXX. He had a Citi Thank You XXXX XXXX in his name only. In XXXX, when the account balance was XXXX, I called to close the account as his surviving spouse. Later, a refund was issued to the account in the amount of {$85.00}. On XXXX XXXX, XXXX, I called the probate department to find out how to get that refund along with his Citi points, which was about {$45.00} in value. I was told to write XXXX letters to different departments requesting the refund and points be sent as checks made out to me. I did that. I received XXXX checks made out to " XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. '' Upon receipt of the refund check, I called the probate department back and was told to return the check and request it be reissued to me as the surviving spouse. I did that on XX/XX/XXXX. When I received the Points check, I again called and was told not to return the check, but to write and again request the check be reissued to me. I did that. I subsequently received letters from Citi telling me they could not make the checks out except as they were issued. I called again and was told by a manager ( ID XXXX ) that only the executor could make the request for how checks were to be made out. This was the first time I was informed that this needed to be done by the executor. The executor then sent a letter in XXXX to Citi requesting the checks be reissued to me and supplied documentation of his standing as executor. It is now XXXX, and the executor has not received any communication from Citi in response to his request. I called on XX/XX/XXXX, to find out the status. This time a member of the probate team ( ID XXXX ) told me to have the executor write a letter asking for the checks to be made out to the deceased directly, not to " the estate of '' but she was unsure if that request would be honored. I asked to be transferred to a manager. I spoke with a member of the management group ( ID XXXX ) who confirmed no response was made to the executor, and that Citi Policy was only to make checks out to the estate of... I explained that policy is not law, and that other banks had issued checks in the name of the deceased and that a joint account was open that could accept those checks. Since the estate is not going thru probate as all assets except credit cards were in a trust, it would cost more than the amount of the checks to go through probate in order to open an estate account. Citi would not assist us. Additionally, the manager said he did not have information I was requesting, nor the authority to change the policy. I asked to speak with his supervisor and he responded that their was no one above him or in any other department I could speak with. Citi still had the check I returned at their direction. Additionally, because they are so slow to respond, the checks that I still had is only good for 180 days and is now about to expire. 
My complaint is multi-fold : Citi provided false information won multiple occasions that hindered us in proceeding correctly ; they responded in such an UNtimely manner that the money owed us can not be processed ; they are following policies that are not rooted in law as evidenced that other credit card companies were able to issue refunds that were accessible to us. Additionally, they fail to provide information upon opening an account that specifies what needs to be done in the event of a death of the card holder ( this is true of all CC companies ). It is truly interesting that credit card companies will let anyone pay them the balance owed, but will not make a refund to that person when the account holder dies. Citi was the worst company to deal with because they provided so much false information. All phone calls are recorded, so there is a record of the misinformation provided. Copies of correspondence from the executor, death certificate, will, and copies of checks can be provided upon request. I do not want to upload them due to their confidential nature. I have uploaded copies of the letters I was initially instructed to send to Citi by their probate department employees.

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