Consumer complaint received 2024-12-04 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem when making payments — Problem during payment process
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: PA

Complaint narrative:
We have Citibank credit and make payments online with my bank bill payer. Until XX/XX/XXXX payments are posted in our Citibank account in 1 - 2 days, and debited simultaneously from our bank account. 

In XXXX our payment did not post for two weeks! We were concerned about late payment fees. Our bank confirmed payment was sent on their part. Followed up with Citibank and they verified no payment was received. We then made a duplicate and asked the service representative to return the check payment when the first payment was posted. CitiBank later returned our duplicate payment after it was posted on their end. 

On XX/XX/XXXX we posted payment to Citibank and after a week, contacted Citi as the payment was again not debited from our bank account. Citi confirmed no payment was yet received and gave the option to make payment over the phone which would be posted immediately. We declined to make another duplicate payment. 

We reached out to our bank XX/XX/XXXX as payment still was not debited. Our Bank confirmed our payment was sent the delay is on Citibank in posting payment. 
We followed up Citibank XX/XX/XXXX and asked what had changed since payments were credited in 1-2 days. The representative informed that starting XX/XX/XXXX, Citibank no longer accepts or posts electronic payments from any bank. Online bank Bill Payer payments are only accepted as a check so the payments are mailed by our bank. 
We shared the payment was sent XX/XX/XXXX and for mail check payments it was now 3 weeks later. Representative rechecked for payment and verified no payment was received as of XX/XX/XXXX. 

As of XX/XX/XXXX our payment has not been credited. It is poor customer service at for Citibank to suddenly discontinue electronic payment receipt from online banking without notifying customers. Citibank failed to staff up in their payment processing department for the mail checks they knew would increase as a result of discontinuing electronic billpayer payments. 

Citibank please accept online banking ELECTRONIC bill payer payments that so many customers use. 

We pay all our bills on time and understand delays due to mail increase during the holidays. Citibank now invites us to call them and make payments over the phone. Please assist us in getting our initial payment posted. 

Citibank rejection of banks electronic bill payer payments forces banks to mail checks out, and they do not have the staffing which delays posting payments. To our knowledge the major credit card companies including XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX XXXX, accepts electronic funds transfer from banks bill payer systems. 

Citibank increase interest fees as daily credit balances increase with their delay in posting payments and in discontinuing electronic bill payments from banks. Thank you.

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