Consumer complaint received 2024-04-26 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 to XXXX XXXX XXXX. My previous name was XXXX XXXX XXXX. 

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 reverted my name change, 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 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. 

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. 
Submitted complaint to CFPB, XXXX 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 mountain time, 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 team and I immediately responded to their email as requested with attachments : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX with notary signed from previous notary from XX/XX/XXXX in addition to what they requested, I also included : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXpicture of the final decree of the legal name change signed by the judge from previous submission I also asked for information regarding a Need to Contact letter they mentioned in an email. I'm not sure if they mailed it already or if they are mailing it as of today. 

I submitted complaint to CFPB under my old name since my first complaint was rejected on XX/XX/XXXX because " THE COMPLAINT LISTS SOMEONE THE COMPANY DOES NOT RECOGNIZE AS THEIR CUSTOMER OR THEIR CUSTOMER 'S AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE. '' XXXX On XX/XX/XXXX XXXX mountain time, I reached out to XXXX 's phone number and requested XXXX contact me immediately. Another team mentioned my case was being handled by XXXX not XXXX and I am confused as to who I should be talking to. I also mentioned the emails I sent and how I might need help filling them out as I have a XXXX and don't understand their conflicting information they give me. 

On XX/XX/XXXX XXXX, XXXX called me. She will respond to me Monday when she gets information back from another one of Citi 's departments. She stated I was already mailed a letter but I never received it ( USPS informed delivery can verify nothing ever reached my mailbox, the only thing I got from citi was a checkbook and SPAM ). She is going to send another letter. She can not verify what address they are sending it to. I suspect the first letter was " lost '' by someone in the fraud department, likely a 2nd tier XXXX overseas. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I went to a costco and updated my costco card with my new name, shouldn't have any problems but at this point since my costco XXXX card is attached to citi WHICH STILL REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY NEW NAME i'm expecting problems On XX/XX/XXXX I called XXXX. They eventually got back to me and said my signature wasn't accepted DESPITE MATCHING MY GOVERNMENT ISSUED DRIVER LICENSE On XX/XX/XXXX I showed up to a XXXX ( Colorado ) branch to get a 3rd notary to sign my name change kit, and XXXX denied me notary services due to what citibank has done to me. They suspect me of fraud now and I can not even open an account with them. I drove to a XXXX location that I did my 1st notary with, the one who wrote XXXX instead of XXXX on the first workday of the year ( one of the reasons citibank refuses to acknowledge my name change ) and a different notary signed my paperwork. I reached out to XXXX through phone who were no help and reached out to customer help through email to get the mailing address of the name change kit. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I mailed my fourth name change kit to Citibank Retail Service Operations, Attn : XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, TX XXXX On XX/XX/XXXX I received mail, my new Costco Anywhere XXXX Card by Citi with my ( SURPRISE! ) OLD NAME ON IT STILL On XX/XX/XXXX and XXXX, XXXX I emailed XXXX about not receiving letters that were supposed to help me unlock my account On XX/XX/XXXX I replied to XXXX email, they've still done nothing On XX/XX/XXXX I called XXXX multiple times. XXXX 's extension now hangs up on me immediately upon entering it. Eventually I got through and stated once again I have not received the need to contact letter. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I sent all my personal information to the citi eru email since they haven't received my name change kit through the snail mail either. I verified I sent it to the correct address with XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I called XXXX but could not get in contact with XXXX. Person I spoke to could also not get in contact with XXXX. Attempted to make a complaint for how ineffective the XXXX has been. Suspect someone in the fraud team is also not doing their job/lying as I have not received the need to contact letter on both attempts. It has been well over 10 business days now. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I sent another email to XXXX, " Can someone please help unfreeze my account and update to my new legal name? I have provided the name change kit via mail ( mailed XX/XX/XXXX ) and have also provided images in the previous two emails I have sent to XXXX. I called Friday but XXXX never replied. She was supposed to follow up with me from a call from Thursday too regarding the need-to-contact letters that both never arrived in the mail. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I made another complaint with consumerfinance, Complaint Number XXXX, fair resolution : 1 ) unfreeze my account 2 ) update my legal name 3 ) provide interest from {$25000.00} that is frozen in checking account that they have refused to unfreeze. I am only asking for the interest that would have been earned had I been allowed to transfer the money to my savings account which earns 4.35 % interest rate. I am not even asking for the 5.0 % interest rate I would have been earning had they not frozen my account through a XXXX XXXX. They have ruined my reputation with XXXX and have been completely malicious and inept at fixing my issues. I have provided all the documentation that should be necessary to fix my issues but they still refuse to help. The date of the freeze was on or around XX/XX/XXXX. If my math is correct, as of today they owe me around {$110.00} in unpaid interest from their malicious account freeze. They have also made me waste endless time talking to their customer support, email their customer support, driving to public notaries, paying notaries {$15.00} for their signature, driving to the post office, and the extreme mental health consequences of not being able to pay my rent starting XX/XX/XXXX and not allowing access to my money for purchases such as car insurance. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I made a complaint to fdic.gov, case number is : XXXX : I am writing to bring to your attention a concerning and ongoing issue regarding the freezing of my accounts due to suspicions of fraud, despite my repeated attempts to submit a legal name change. 

For over a month now, my accounts have been frozen, rendering me unable to pay my bills and manage my finances effectively. Despite my efforts to submit multiple name change applications, I have encountered numerous obstacles. Each time I submit an application, it is either rejected over minor errors or, alarmingly, Citibank claims they never received it. Citibank has even gone so far as to ask me to change my legal signature that has already been accepted by Social Security Administration and Department of Motor Vehicles. I have had three independent notaries confirm my identity, two at XXXX and one at XXXX XXXX XXXX. Still, this is not good enough for Citibank. They have gone overboard into maliciousness and ineptitude. 

Furthermore, my attempts to communicate with the fraud department and the executive response team have been met with frustration and unhelpfulness. Calls to the department result in being hung up on, and promises to send verification mail to confirm my identity have gone unfulfilled. It is particularly distressing to note that while I await this crucial verification, I continue to receive other correspondence from Citibank to the address on file for my account, further adding to my confusion and frustration. All of this contradicts the customer service standards one would expect from a reputable institution like Citibank. 

In addition to these challenges, I have already lodged a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ), yet Citibank 's response merely reiterated their refusal to recognize my identity, despite the fact that I am the same person attempting to access my accounts. Their responses to me, starting in XX/XX/XXXX have been contradictory in nature, which has further escalated the confusion and frustration resolving my issues. 

This situation has caused me significant financial distress and emotional strain. I had my name changed due to a history of abuse towards me, and these actions by Citibank indicate discrimination towards people who have experienced abuse. I implore you to take immediate action to rectify this issue and unfreeze my accounts. I have complied with all requests for documentation and verification, and it is imperative that Citibank honor its commitment to providing fair and accessible banking services to its customers. 

I am aware that banks have the authority to freeze accounts under suspicion of fraud, as part of their obligation to prevent financial crime. However, this authority comes with the responsibility to ensure that such actions are justified and that customers are not unduly penalized. The Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) and the Electronic Fund Transfer Act ( EFTA ) provide protections for consumers in their dealings with financial institutions, including the resolution of errors and disputes in a timely and fair manner. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I called XXXX and was able to talk to XXXX, she is talking to a supervisor as a continuation from our call XX/XX/XXXX. She confirmed she received my emails and the new CFPB from XX/XX/XXXX which also has all my name change kit information. She has made no progress since our call XX/XX/XXXX. She also stated they have still not received my mail from XX/XX/XXXX for the third name change kit. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I put in a service request with USPS in the chance there is a rogue mailman ripping up my mail or something along those lines. Post office will investigate. Service request # XXXX On XX/XX/XXXX, morning, I received an informed delivery from USPS showing a SPAM letter from Citi instead of a need to contact letter. This is the same exact SPAM letter I have received, now the third time, in as little as 2 months. I heavily suspect the fraud department is sending these SPAM letters instead of the need to contact letter. I sent the screenshots to 3 citibank email addresses, including XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, morning, I called XXXX team and immediately got to talk to XXXX. I notified her of what I suspect ( see above ) and told her I sent her an email with the screenshot. She informed me my name change finally got approved. Still waiting on the account freeze, she is ( STILL ) working on alternative methods of unfreezing my account. Because my name change went through, there is a chance another team might be able to unfreeze it today, but I won't hold my XXXX breath. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, late afternoon, I attempted to move money from my checking to my savings and it is still frozen. I emailed XXXX as it has now been a full work day for XXXX and there is still no progress unfreezing my account. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, mid-late afternoon, I reached out to XXXX team trying to get an update as it has almost been a full week since XXXX started looking into ways to unfreeze my account. Wasn't able to talk to XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, morning, I reached out to XXXX team twice trying to get an update as it has been a full week since XXXX started looking into ways to unfreeze my account. First time she answered to silence. Second time the receptionist said she was at lunch. Requested a call back. 

Called general support hoping they could help me more than the XXXX team since XXXX hasn't talked to her supervisor and hasn't helped me in a full week with unfreezing the account. They are sending a new need-to-contact letter, now the 3rd. Hopefully it doesn't get lost in the mail yet again. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, afternoon, I reached out to XXXX team again trying to get an update as it has been a full week since XXXX started looking into ways to unfreeze my account. Third time she was on call with another customer. Requested a call back. Made a complaint that will be forwarded to XXXX 's supervisor as she has made no progress " talking to her supervisor '' since XX/XX/XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, afternoon, XXXX called me. She has made no progress. States she is " reading policies '' and NOT TALKING TO A SUPERVISOR DESPITE HER SAYING SHE WAS ON XX/XX/XXXX. Sent email to XXXX stating that XXXX is a liar along with these notes above. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I called general support hoping they could help me more than the XXXX team since XXXX hasn't talked to her supervisor and hasn't helped with unfreezing the account. After verifying my card number, my full name, my phone number, they had me open up the app and verify a notification, then after I passed all those methods they hung up on me stating they exhausted all methods of verification, despite me passing everything. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I received a debit card with my new name on it. After activating it, I sent XXXX an email asking for help unfreezing my account, getting a costco XXXX card with my name on it, a checkbook with my name on it. Since I verified my debit card security code to activate it, I have proven I live at my address. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I called XXXX. XXXX called me back. She can't do anything for my account freeze despite me proving my identity with account numbers, social security numbers, my PIN, my drivers license, the judge 's final decree for the name change, and proving I live at my address via activating my debit card. I asked her to verify I was sent a ( XXXX ) need-to-contact letter, she said she would follow up on that. She also stated she contacted another XXXX team about issuing the costco credit card with the new name on it. The checkbook can't be issued until the account is unfrozen. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I called XXXX. XXXX was able to verify a need to contact letter ( 3rd ) was sent within the last week and should arrive up to 10 business days from when it was sent. Since they closed my CFPB complaints and I still have an open issue, I issued a XXXX complaint, XXXX On XX/XX/XXXX I received a credit card with my new name on it. Activated it. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I emailed XXXX team as it has been over 10 business days since I requested the 3rd need to contact letter. I also called them at XXXX. At noon I called general support to talk to fraud team they couldn't verify my phone number (????? ) it isn't attached to my name (???? ). I called XXXX team once again at XXXX as XXXX still hasn't reached out to me. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I received a letter in the mail but it was not the need to contact letter. I sent the XXXX team an email with a picture of the letter I received, proving once again I live at my address. I called citi customer service and after verifying my credentials they are sending a need to contact letter ( XXXX ). 

On XX/XX/XXXX I requested another need-to-contact letter ( XXXX ) from the general support/fraud department. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I opened a 5th complaint with CFPB, XXXX. Pretty much exactly the same as the 4th complaint which they closed. I'm still not receiving the need-to-contact letter required to unfreeze my account. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I left a voicemail to XXXX, once again requesting a supervisor of XXXX look into this case as I am still not receiving the need-to-contact letters. I called again at end of shift and they are no longer answering. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I called XXXX as they closed the CFPB ticket I opened yesterday because " it appears to be a duplicate '' but my case is still unresolved. I pleaded with them to help. Person I talked to said they would re-open the case and forward the message to the managers. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I did not receive the 4th need-to-contact letter I contacted general support as I did not receive the 4th attempt at getting a need-to-contact letter from the fraud department. They are sending a 5th letter now as that is the only option. 

On XX/XX/XXXX Called ERU team, XXXX didn't answer, talked to someone and they opened up a new case and XXXX assigned the new XXXX case number XXXX. The person I spoke to XX/XX/XXXX never reopened the case.

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 non-monetary relief