Consumer complaint received 2024-03-07 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Deposits and withdrawals
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CO

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/XXXX I changed my legal name. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I filled out Citi bank name change kit, including paying {$15.00} for having a notary ( XXXX ) watch me sign it. On the same day I mailed Citi bank everything in the name change kit, including a photo copy of my drivers license with my new name, the final decree of the legal name change signed by the judge, w9, and more. 

Sometime after Citi bank sent me a debit card with my new name, at this point I thought everything was fine. 

Then Citi bank decided to be XXXX. 

Citi bank reverted my name change. 

They sent me a new w9 to fill out.

I filled out the w9 and mailed it to them.

They denied the w9 because it had my new name on it. 

Desperate to get my funds out of my account as I sensed what Citi bank was spitefully doing, I opened up a XXXX ( Colorado ) Checking account on XX/XX/XXXX and wrote a check from my old name to my new name for {$25000.00}. ( If Citi bank doesn't want to acknowledge my new name, fine, I'll just write a check to myself. My new bank was on board with this too. ) Citi bank froze my account and undid the {$25000.00} check which I had started already using for a CD that I opened with XXXX ( Colorado ) on XX/XX/XXXX. 

When I asked them why they froze my account, they refused to state why. 

I have spent countless hours talking with Citi bank 's customer support and they are useless and spiteful. They have refused to help. 

I reached out by email to Citi bank via XXXX and all they did was direct me back to their useless phone support. 

I have had it with Citi bank, they are purposefully screwing with me because I was deservedly irritable with them on the phone after trying to get this resolved for MONTHS. I don't know how I will be able to pay my bills without access to my Citi bank account. 

Every other bank and financial institution was fine with my name change ( XXXX, XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX ), Citi bank is literally the only company I have had any issues with. They are employing spiteful overseas workers who do phone support and are the absolute worst company I have ever dealt with in regards to financial matters. They have cost me hundreds of dollars, if not thousands by the time this is ever resolved. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I once again sent in a name change kit, including a notary, photo copy of my drivers license both OLD AND NEW, the final decree of the legal name change signed by the judge, w9, and more. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I called the fraud department to attempt to get information on why my account was still frozen. After giving my social security, debit card number, and checking account number, they transferred me and then that person hung up on me before I could even talk to them. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I once again emailed customer help to attempt to get someone at Citi bank to take ownership of the issues I have been experiencing. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I contacted XXXX team. They said agent investigating issue was busy and would respond in 48 hours. 

On XX/XX/XXXX Talked to XXXX. XXXX was not in office at XXXX central time, they will reach out at some point? 

On XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, I called citibank customer service and they told me to call XXXX to talk to another team that could help me with this issue but after calling the number it doesn't go to a citi >reached out to XXXX on both my old and new email addresses >reached out to XXXX on both my old and new email addresses On XX/XX/XXXX I received an email response from XXXX XXXX and I immediately responded to their email as requested with attachments : >new w9 pdf >new signature card pdf >picture of name change form with notary signed from previous notary from XX/XX/XXXX in addition to what they requested, I also included : >picture of the photo copy of my drivers license with my new name from previous submission >picture of the final decree of the legal name change signed by the judge from previous submission STILL DON'T KNOW IF THIS WILL EVER BE RESOLVED

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