Consumer complaint received 2024-07-24 00:00:00
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service — International money transfer
Issue: Fraud or scam — 
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
I opened a new Citibank checking account in person with a customer service representative spoke to him in person, and he suggested the checking account would suit me best. I made my self clear to customer service representative that I would be receiving multiple wire transactions in large amounts. from XXXX XXXX  in XXXX back in XXXX the account was opened. I successfully received XXXX wire transfers from XXXX XXXX  XXXX to my Citibank checking account for. 

USD amount : XXXX l AUD amount : XXXX Exchange rate : XXXX AUD = XXXX USD Scheduled pyrt XXXX XX/XX/XXXX USD amount : XXXX XXXX AUD amount : XXXX Exchange rate : XXXX AUD = XXXX USD Scheduled pyt XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Then Every time I tried to use the card to make a purchase or use it for any transaction I tried to make using the debit card swiping the debit card. I was automatically getting locked out had to constantly call up the fraud department, transactions wouldnt go through Had to stay on the phone for hours with the customer to verify that it was me every time I tried using the debit card. didnt matter if the payment amount was more. It was constantly happening. 
Then not too long later another XXXX wire transfers successfully received. 
USD amount : XXXX AUD amount : XXXX Exchange rate : XXXX AUD = XXXX USD Scheduled pymt XXXX XXXX XXXX date USD amount : XXXX AUD amount : XXXX Exchange rate : XXXX AUD = XXXX USD Scheduled pymt XXXX XXXX XXXX date So I needed cash on hand because my debit card was constantly locked from Citibank fraud department. So I went in to the branch to teller at citibank and withdrew XXXX from my checking account. Everything was fine. No problems. Then I sent in multiple payments For rent, utility bill etc. Citibank canceled the payments and returned the funds back into the account. So I went in and Tried to withdraw XXXX more and they refused me. Saying they dont have it. And I already withdrew XXXX. I need to sign tax forms. I said OK no problem. I will sign them. They said they will have the funds available tomorrow. I Asked them to take the lock off my debit card, its very important for my payments to go through, they said the block was now off and to go ahead and remake the payment. Bank branch was now closing time. Card was still locked. Went in the to Citibank next day and spoke to the customer service representative Bank manager. She had a look at my account and told me my account is closed for fraudulent activity no notice, no reason why no email no letters in person. They Said I will have a check mailed to me in XXXX to XXXX business days. With out reason of why. I was off the walls all my payments did not go through all my funds being held. Account being closed. 

Didnt receive this response until XX/XX/XXXX. Your Citi account ( s ) will automatically close within XXXX  days Hi, XXXX. We periodically review customer accounts and assess account activity. Based on a recent review of your Access Account account, we found that you have violated the terms of your account per the client manual.As a result, your Access Account account and any other Citi accounts you have will be closed within XXXX  days of the date of this communication. All of your accounts are now restricted from receiving deposits or credits, I have spent hours and hours on hold with citi bank, and transferred around with different people because nobody has any idea what they are talking about. They are literally reading from a script. Nobody could tell me why my account was flagged for fraudulent activity No one contacted me to get more information, or proof that it is my money. Nobody has investigated. They just decided to take it for no good reason and believe that's not her money meanwhile, Citibank was not concerned about the other XXXX wire transfers back in XXXX I was able to spend it and make payments with the debit card, and use it. If the account was not able to retrieve the funds, they shouldve been sent back to the sender. Citibank should have not accepted the wire transfers from the very beginning. while they was viewing it. 
Customer service is nonexistent, they place you on hold, and hang the phone up on you. Each time you speak to a different person, you get a different lie. They need to shut this place down as it is ranked the worst bank in U.S. This is disgusting as they continue to steal consumers ' money. 

So I decided to wait patiently for the XXXX to XXXX business days for the check to be released and sent to me by mail. But after patiently waited for XXXX  months, I did not received anything from Citibank, so I called them again and only to be be told that I will not be getting a check of the remaining balance on my closed account. Imagine you asked me wait for 2 months and now telling me a totally different story, waiting days months now its going on years and still have not received my funds back. sent in documents, Providing them everything that they have asked for. Call numbers and theyre disconnected the first XXXX times you call it says theyre disconnected the third time you call it goes through Citibank automated system. 


Citi rep stated that I have to contact XXXX. where the funds originally came from, and they need a " Hold Harmless Claim '' in order to return the remaining balance to the original account. Again, there were no explanation from Citi representatives as to why they changed their agreement. XXXX XXXX  in XXXX can not believe Citibank is so unwilling to cooperate and holding all funds. They have never contacted XXXX. XXXX has contacted them many times requesting the funds back or requesting them to be released back to me. But XXXX doesnt even understand why, that would be putting fraud against myself by me signing it or having XXXX it makes no sense. Then I received an email saying that they will not release my funds to me. And they have not released to XXXX since XXXX years. Just holding the funds with no explanation of why after sending in documents sending in proof. This is my XXXX  attempt with the XXXX my XXXX  complaint because I had to wait until Citibank got back to them and told them that the matter has been resolved. The matter has not been resolved. And Citibank is lying that the matter is resolved. And they claimed that theyre sending the money back to XXXX but meanwhile in these XXXX years, I am unable to open up a bank account my credit card has closed down. They have sabotaged my life. Citibank claims My money has been transferred to the federal government because it has been determined by the fraud department at Citibank that the money is not mine. My money isnt at Citibank that the money is not mine. My money isn't even with citibank anymore, it is with the fraud department and a back office. They cant give the information in regards to where is it at and dont have a phone number. And I keep getting transferred around to bogus numbers. 

This Citi Bank department is helping to cause financial crisis for many individuals and their hard-earned money. Including myself, I had to seek medical attention, I was evicted from my home I was not able to make payments or pay rent, bills etc. They lie and steal then I suspected it was a scam on their behalf. I have notified them about this and only get more lies.please help me retrieve my funds of {$50000.00} Referencenumber # XXXX Reference Number : XXXX Not sure what reference number account number will show up because again its a runaround. They wouldnt give me any information until I came into the branch with my ID. I opened up a new investigation XX/XX/XXXX 2024

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