Consumer complaint received 2024-10-11 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: AZ

Complaint narrative:
Dear Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, I think CitiBank is in the middle of playing a rather nasty trick involving late fees for everyone who cant afford the absolute latest technology. In no world should their new app only be compatible with XXXX XXXX and newer. I have now wasted hours on the phone with their rather obnoxious robocall bots trying to fix the problem and every time I ask to talk to a human the system claims it will be a very long wait. 

If theyve charged everyone with an older phone the late fees theyre trying to charge me ( yesterday I eventually got a robobot to refund a {$41.00} late fee ), then Citi ought to have the money to fund a small XXXX of complaints officers. 

XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXX/XX/XXXX Citibank Customer Service XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX CC : XXXX  Attorney General 's Office, Consumer Protection XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX, XXXX  XXXX Subject : Formal Complaint Regarding Inaccessible Online Banking, Unfair Late Payment Charges, and Digital Discrimination Dear Citibank Customer Service, This letter constitutes a formal complaint regarding the recent changes to your online banking system that discriminate against customers who do not own the latest XXXX models. As a librarian and advocate for digital equity, I object to these changes that create a significant barrier for individuals on the wrong side of the digital divide. 

Your customer service team has confirmed on XXXX that the new Citibank app only functions correctly on XXXX XXXX and above. This effectively denies essential banking services to users of older XXXX models, including myself. I am unable to : Make Automatic Payments : The app update not only prevents me from setting up new automatic payments but has also halted my existing automatic payments, leading to late fees that I should not be responsible for. 

Change Passwords : I am locked out of this basic security function. 

This exclusionary design has resulted in the following unacceptable consequences : Unfair Late Payment Charges : Customers are being penalized for Citibank 's technological limitations. 

Inaccessible Customer Service : Reaching a human representative through your phone system is nearly impossible due to endless automated prompts. 

I demand the following actions be taken to rectify this discriminatory situation : Immediate reversal of ALL late payment fees incurred by any customer affected by this inaccessible online banking system. 

Public acknowledgment and apology for this discriminatory practice and the undue financial burden it has placed on customers.

Swift development of a solution that ensures equitable access to online banking for all customers, regardless of their phone model. 

Implementation of a reliable customer service channel that provides timely access to human representatives. 

This situation reflects a blatant disregard for both customer service and digital inclusion. I expect a prompt and comprehensive response addressing these issues within 30 days of the date of this letter. If these matters are not resolved to my satisfaction, I will file formal complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Federal Trade Commission, and the XXXX  Attorney General 's office, and I will seek further legal counsel. 


Sincerely, XXXX XXXX XXXX

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 monetary relief