Consumer complaint received 2024-10-09 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem making or receiving payments
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
On Friday XX/XX/year>, I was at a XXXX XXXX dealership in XXXX XXXX  trying to pay {$1500.00} from my checking account via debit card. The transaction was declined even though I had enough funds in my account to cover it. I had XXXX XXXX try to run the card again thinking that maybe there was an issue with their card reader. I found out that my card had been blocked by Citibank because they felt that the transaction was suspicious. I didnt receive an alert on my phone nor a phone call asking whether I was authorizing the transaction or not. The card was just blocked. I called Citibank customer service only to encounter more frustration from different customer service representatives who refused to unblock my card and get that transaction authorized. They said the fraud department was closed and that there was nothing they can do. I left the XXXX XXXX very frustrated and defeated. How embarrassing! But sad to say, the nightmare would continue the following day. I called the fraud number given to me by customer service only to encounter even more frustration. They flat out refused to unlock my debit card and kept saying there was nothing that can be done. Also, prior to speaking to someone, I was hung up on two times after being on hold for almost an hour! All of this could have been avoided if I had been contacted via alert or phone call asking whether I was approving the {$1500.00} transaction but no! They resorted to card blocking and made no attempts to assist me, the customer. What if I had been stranded somewhere and all I had was my debit card? How irresponsible and dangerous would that be to block my card without even so much as a courtesy call or alert? I am extremely upset at what happened. The XXXX XXXX dealership is XXXX miles away from my home and thats each way. I had to go to a Citibank branch to physically take out the {$1500.00} cash and drive back over to the dealer. The {$1500.00} was for a down payment for a motorcycle I was purchasing. I left extremely upset and without my motorcycle because of what Citibank has done! I am seeking some sort of monetary compensation for whats happened to me. Citibank needs to be held responsible for all that has happened and not only for the inconvenience but also for holding my money hostage because of their stupid policies regarding suspicious activity and the unwillingness from them to get the issue resolved! I want to sue this bank for doing this. It was extremely embarrassing and it put me in a vulnerable position. Thank goodness for the employees at the Citibank XXXX, XXXX  branch who were so awesome and assisted me with withdrawing my funds. But Citibank as a corporate bank? Their overseas customer service is absolutely horrible! I want this bank held accountable for what they did to me. I am seeking some sort of monetary compensation for all of the trouble, the gas I wasted having to go back to the XXXX XXXX dealer with cash in hand to complete my motorcycle purchase. I have never ever experienced a situation like this where my card is blocked without any rhyme or reason. It took only a few seconds to block my card but a whole weekend for me to get this issue resolved! I want something done! I want Citibank held responsible and they need to pay me for what they did!

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