Citibank
Reviews and Complaints

My complaint is against Citibank, or more specifically, their credit card division known as Citicards. Back in the Fall they came out with a promotional flyer for the Christmas season whereby you could sign up for a program and get 10% back up to $100 at purchases made at department, discount and apparel stores between certain dates.

The first hint of trouble was that their definition of what they consider to be one of those stores was at best vague. I needed to buy a new computer so I signed up for their program. I never was credited with my $100. Why? It had nothing to do with the item I bought but where I bought it from, Circuit City.

By definition that is considered electronics store and was not eligible for the discount. The bigger problem here was this. In that promotion flyer they listed three examples of how you could save. One was a cashmere scarf for $80, you save $8. Another was a snow blower for $130, you save $13. But the other was a HDTV for $790, you save $79. Now think about this! If you were going to buy an HDTV where would you most likely go to purchase one? That’s right, an electronics store such as Best Buy or Circuit City which doesn’t qualify for the discount!

At the very least this promotional flyer was deceptive. I have cut up my Citibank card and gone with CapitalOne, a much better interest rate as well. I will make sure this costs them more than if they just would have given me my $100. The problem is, they don’t care. Just do a search on this site under Citibank and watch how many complaints come up. That in itself speaks volumes about their customer service, far more than this letter ever will.

I've had a Citibank credit card for years. I've always made my payments on time and more than the minimum balance. I signed up for their autodraft program. I went onto my online banking this month to check on my balances and noticed no payment had been drafted? I then had to go back to their website and make a manual payment 8 days after the original draft date. I received my next scheduled bill with a $39 late fee and a raised interest rate to 29%! I called them to ask to remove the fee and they denied it 3 days later. I called a second time to get it removed and my interest rate returned to its original rate. I get the run around again and am told there is nothing that can be done? What kind of company ### on it's customers who try to do the right thing and fix an honest mistake? I'll never do any business with Citi again and will do everything in my power to get my employer to drop all business with CITI world wide. If you have been burned this way too I urge you to convince as many people as possible NOT to do business with them.

I paid off my Citibank Mastercard ($360.20) and closed my account. Three weeks later, they debited my checking account $360.20. I called and they said I should of closed my autopay when I closed my account. They said they would credit my checking account. Three days later I had not received my credit and I called again. I was told that they always send checks out for refunds and do not credit checking accounts, and that my check was in the mail. Now, one week later, I am still waiting for a check and they tell me my refund is being processed.

Please do not use Citibank.

I am attempting to refinance my primary mortgage at an excellent rate, and part of the requirements is that I have to get my second mortgage with CitiMortgage to submit a subordination agreement to the primary refinancing lender.

CitiMortgage states a 75 day turnaround for a simple request - this is unheard of.

They complain of being flooded with requests - my suggestion is to get some temporary help with the taxpayer money they've STOLEN from us!

My refinancing puts CitiMortgage in a more secure position to receive its paymehts from me, but refuses to expedite subordination agreements in a timely and efficient manner.

My lock expires in a week, and there is no way it will be extended for 75 days.

Not only do I pay my mortgages on time, but I am paying for defaulted mortgages entered into by CitiMortgage.

They deserve to SINK - do you hear that Obama - SINK SINK SINK!

To Whom It May Concern

Made an enquiry a week ago wanting to find out if the following people are staff at the Citibank, Promenade Level, Cabot Place East, Canary Wharf, London E14 4QS. Have not had response to you so have inquired again.

Mrs Cynthia Baker, Citibank International Exchange, Suzzane James, Citibank Internation Remittance Department, Mr Cameron Foster, Citibank Head of Foreign Operations.

We have invested monies with a Citibank client in London. We feel that the emails we have been sent from these people are fraud.

We do not want to invest anymore monies until we have found out if it so.

As this is an urgent matter to us, we would appreciate your immediate response.

At this point we do not want to get police involved.

Thanking you.

Regards

Bruce and Barbara Dalgety

I have been a customer of citibank since 2000 and have used their online banking payments and transfers since that time.
On december 6 2008, a final auto transfer payment of 3, 250 was completed and I cancelled all future transfers to that account.
On january 6, citibank in error and without my authorization, sent another automatic transfer for 3, 250 thus debiting my account.

After I complained they refused to put the money back in my account since they could not retrieve the funds from the receipient bank wachovia. They acknowledged to me they had no idea how this happened and assured me it could not happen again. Still, they did not credit me the 3, 250.

On february 6, citibank again sent a transfer of 3, 250 to wachovia and again debited my account and told me they did not know how this could happen.

This time they credited my account with the february amount of 3, 250 but still not my january debit. Based on this experience I immediately removed my funds.

They still have never returned my january funds, never explained what happened in writing, and now have placed me in collection for 3, 250 which I removed in february despite the fact they still owe me the 3, 250 they took from my account in january.

In summary, citibank has a responsibility to protect my money on deposit. Citibank had no right to automatically remove any money from my account on january 6 or february 6. Citibank needs to prove to me the account holder that I did not cancel the january and february transfers then I will gladly take responsibility.

I am 65 and collect social security. Can you imagine having your bank acount manipulated to the tune of $6, 000 by your bank without your knowledge?

I wonder how many others have used their online system which has no integrity remove money from their accounts.

I have had a checking account with Citibank around 1999 and when I opened it my Checking Plus (overdraft) limit was $7000.
The other day I learned that they decreased my limit to $1800 due to the fact that I am behind on payments on a credit card because it is really hard to find a shift job since I am taking care of a disabled parent and the economy. Not only did they not send me a letter stating the decrease but they took $12.95 out of account every month for credit checks which I had no clue they were doing. Apparently they think this limit is for a credit card but it is an overdraft limit for my checking account. This company is being bailed out and they have the nerve to penalize me. They are a bank and are supposed to help me and not rip me off. The least they could have done was ask if they could charge me for the credit reports which has absolutely nothing to do with a checking account.

Even though we have never been late on any payment and have a credit score of 736, Citi Bank charges 24% finance charge and maxed out our card by lowering the credit line by 50%. They refused to do anything. This is how they treat their customers that pay their bills.

having problem's, with credit history, that i have, no knoledge of...i'm receiving notices, of bad credit, and have 3 creitcards, and in groove, standard's.can you people, please, check and make sure.that!there's no file, mistake, or identity, problem's.i'm having, problem, receiving order's, which i've never had.due this matter.reference#:[protected]-[protected]

We purchased full-house carpet from a reputable, well-known carpet company in Auburn California last year. We purchased it on a 90 days same as cash basis. The deal was, if we paid the entire balance due by December 12, which was apx. $9, 100.00, there would be no interest charges. I guess the store charged it with a "Citibank retail" credit card. We paid our entire balance, by check, along with our final invoice, by mail on December 1 or 2nd--plenty of time to be received and processed by the due date of Dec. 12, 2008. Citibank has been calling and harrassing us almost daily, ever since, claiming that the majority of our bill was actually due on December 5 because the Store billed THEM with two separate invoices on two separate days. We only ever received ONE invoice with ONE due date of Dec. 12, which we paid in full and ON TIME. We have our cleared payment through our Bank of America checking account that was processed on December 15. It takes 3-7 days for a payment to come through on a checking account statement, so clearly our entire balance was received by Citibank sometime between December 8 through December 12, at the latest. Citibank retail collection department calls us several times every day asking for the payment of the interest, which now totals nearly $1, 000.00 with the fees they have added on! None of this makes sense--why would be pay our entire balance of over $9, 000 on time, on or before the due date, and still have Citibank expect that we would pay the interest charges because they either delayed processing our payment when they received it, or have engaged in some sort of scam, claiming our bill was due one week prior to the due date shown on our invoice, so they could then claim we owed them all the back interest. What can we do besides file claim with the State Attorney General's office and the Federal Trade Commission?

Citibank NA had a Non Resident Indian Bank Opening Offer in 2005 where they offered zero account balance accounts for Non Resident Indians. In November 2005, I applied for the account opening with a draft of £ 300 needed. They returned my documents as they needed more documents to confirm my residential address - even though I had a running HSBC account at the same address. They did not include my draft in the returned documents. On repeated calls I was told that they don't hold drafts from people whose application for opening account is rejected.On a concerted chase with HSBC, I finally found that the amount had already been withdrawn by Citibank.

I wrote to them in the first instance on 02/02/2006:

MY APPLICATION FORM HAS BEEN RETURNED WITHOUT THE ACCOMPANYING DRAFT.WOULD YOU RETURN THE SAME PLEASE AT THE EARLIEST OTHERWISE SEND ME A RESPONSE SAYING WHY IT CAN NOT BE RETURNED.I CANNOT EXPECT THIS KIND OF PATHETIC SERVICE FROM YOUR BANK.PLEASE RETURN THE ACCOMPANYING DRAFT ASAP.

THANKS

On 25 février 2006 12:43 I wrote:

Can you please provide me with the email of your departmental head, Does an organisation exist in this bank ?

Thanks

On 25 février 2006 I wrote:

IS THERE SOMEBODY LOOKING INTO THIS MATTER AND RETURNING BACK MY MONEY?

THANKS

This was follwed by multiple calls to them where they simply said they did not hold my draft and to check with the issuing bank.

I wrote back to them on 12 February 2007:

Citibank NRI Business
Citigroup Centre
25 Canada Square
Canary Wharf E14 5LB
United Kingdom

Dear Sir,

I have been made to run pillar and posts to open an account with you. My initial request to open the account in November 2005 was not allowed and the application form was returned without the bank draft.After many communications through your phone line and emails.I was not given a clue as to what really happened with my bank draft passing the ball back to me saying that my documents were returned with the draft of £300.

After a concerted chase with HSBC involving taking time off my work and travel on numerous occassions - I have come to trace that the draft was deposited with another bank on 18-11-2005 while I was being continually told that Citibank did not have possession of my money.

I would like you to kindly refund me with my draft amount with interest to my account number ********* at HSBC Bank along with adequate compensation for the distress caused due to your pathetic levels of account opening customer services.

I have been made to run pillar and posts to open an account with you. My initial request to open the account in November 2005 was not allowed and the application form was returned without the bank draft.After many communications through your phone line and emails.I was not given a clue as to what really happened with my bank draft passing the ball back to me saying that my documents were returned with the draft of £300.

After a concerted chase with HSBC involving taking time off my work and travel on numerous occassions - I have come to trace that the draft was deposited with another bank on 18-11-2005 while I was being continually told that Citibank did not have possession of my money.

I would like you to kindly refund me with my draft amount with interest to my account number ******** at HSBC Bank along with adequate compensation for the distress caused due to your pathetic levels of account opening customer services.

To which I got back the reply:

Dear Sharique,

How are you? Hope you are in good health.
We have been trying to get in touch with you. But the letters that we have sent you have returned back to us. We sent them to your L*** Road address since the same was mentioned on the envelope sent by you.

Please let us know which address do we need to send the draft to?

I replied on 21 April 2007:

Hi,

Please send the same to Sharique ****, Flat K, *** H*** Road, ******
At this point I am looking for additional payments to cover for interest accrued in the period the amount was retained by you and damages in the form of my work time lost spent chasing the amount through emailing, telephoning you and the draft issuing bank and physically visiting the draft issuing bank and your branch in Central London.

regards

On 24 April 2007 I got the following response:

Dear Sharique,

Since we did not receive any reply from you earlier, we have dispatched the cheque along with the interest lost to your India address : *****, New Delhi - *** which was mentioned in the letter that you had sent to us.
A letter confirming the same will be sent to this address mentioned below

On 01 June 2007, I wrote:

It is more than a month and I have not recieved anything from Citibank at the address you have sent the cheque.

Please check.

On 03 July 2007, I got the following message:

I have put a tracer for your cheque to India. Am awaiting a revert from them.

I'll keep you posted once i receive any initimation from India.

On 2007/12/12, I wrote:

Any headway with the payment..Or do I consider that Citibank needs a part of my earning to function through its precarious existence.

Cheers

On 03 January 2008 18:05, I wrote:
Has there been any headway in providing me back this payment.

Thanks

No response was recieved and I continued on calling each time a new person at the call center would make me recall the whole story. I recorded the names of few individuals I got on their customer service. For example:

on

3/12/08 S Bismillah

10/7/08 S Patel

On 11/11/08 I got the following reply

This is with reference to your email dated October 23, 2008.

We were unable to respond to your query within the time-frame promised, as it required investigation.

We regret the inconvenience caused.

We confirm that we will be able to compensate an amount of INR 2386.85 towards the interest amount during the period of November 24, 2005 to November 10, 2008.

Please confirm us the disbursement mode through which the funds need to be transferred for us to do the needful.

We assure you of our best attention at all times.

On March 26, 2009 I gave them my physical address for delivery of the cheque.

No cheque was received.

I called the same officer again who said she wanted me to forward emails so that she could investigate and resend me the cheque

On April 13, 2009, I got the following email:

This is with reference to your email dated March 26, 2009.

We apologize for the delay in responding to your query.

We have arranged to send a draft for GBP 32.00 to the below mentioned address.

*****
***
**

Please be assured that you will receive the same at the earliest.

We assure you of our best attention at all times.

23/04/2009

I am still not in reciept of any cheque. They had agreed to provide me a paltry compensation- which is even now in thin air .

Can you please advise me what to do in this instance. Citibank NRI Services are not regulated by UK FSA but they offer their services to Non Resident Indian customers in many countries.

Approximately 6 months ago I entered into an agreement with Consumer Credit Counselors to close and pay off several credit cards, one of which was issued by Citibank.
During the second month I began to get collection calls from Citi. When asked how this could be, they said the agreement had been canceled and would have to be renewed.
This happened again after the fourth month and the sixth month (about every other month of the agreement).
It has not happened with any of the other creditor accounts.
I have made my payments on time.
Citi sends me no notice of the cancellation. I know nothing of it until I receive collection calls from Citi.
But by this time, they have assessed me a $29 late charge.
So, the agreement which calls for a $20 / month payment, which is made on time each month, actually reults in an $11 payment, a $29 late payment penalty, and additional damage to my credit rating.

National City Bank is the most unethical bank I have ever had. They have dishonest practices that lead to making money off their customer base. Examples that I have experienced is that they deducted from my balance immediately for any pending charges before they have sent the money. They also hold deposited money until the next day in order to give unecessary overdraft fees. National City programs the processing system to take the smallest charges last in order to give the highest number of overdraft fees as possible. I was not even negative in my bank and had 2 deposits entered into my account leaving me with a positive balance. However, they switched around the dates in order to give me 5 huge! overdraft fees. That evening when they processed everything National City took out the large charges first, then all the small ones, and then processed my deposit (but before doing that they took out 5 overdraft charges for my 5 smallest transactions that took me into a negative balance). I wasn’t even negative in my bank and I check my account constantly to try to avoid any issues. I am left with little money to pay the necessary bills I need to get by and am seriously thinking about not using any banks at all anymore. I really think I would be better off writing money orders and keeping the money I work so hard for in my pockets instead of being tricked by the banking system. There has to be something that consumers can do to get this process changed because it is so unethical and I know I am not the only person who goes through this on a regular basis. So far in my experience of banking (even though the others are terrible as well) National City Bank seems to be the worst. I highly recommend never getting an account with them.

I hereby inform you that I lost y redit card no. [protected] issued by Citibank N. A. and on discussions with their officials the card was blocked on 30-08-2008 (and issued a new credit card no. [protected] against the above). However, Citibank officials intimated on phone that the following three purchases were also made on the above mentioned credit card which were not made by me:-

Sl. No. Date Time Name of the Merchant Amount(Rs.)
[protected] 8.05 pm Shiva Traders, Noida 310.00
2 -do- 9.26 pm Adunik - The Mobile 30, 000.00
3 -do- 9.27 pm Adunik -The Mobile 20, 000.00
Total 50, 310.00

The above three purchases were not made by me and the same was informed by me to Citibank N. A. officials. It can also be seen from Citibank N. A. records since (approximately 3 years) the time I have been using their card that I have not made any such purchases and I have paid the entire amount every month without fail. Moreover, previously I had used Citibank Credit cards No. 0197 6002 (Citibank Times Credit Card 1999 onwards) and Citibank Credit cards No. [protected] at Ahmedabad and had no disputes with Citibank.

In this connection, I wanted to inform you that I have filed a written complaint with the Police Authorities at Sector 24, Noida on 31-08-2008. A photocopy of the duly acknowledged complaint is enclosed for your kind perusal.

Further, I have disputed the above amount of Rs. 50, 310-- and have filed Card Member Declaration Form (photocopy enclosed) on 11-09-2008 with Citibank Officials. In addition, I disputed the above charges verbally on their Gurgoan telephone no. [protected] on various dates and asked them to credit the above amount as I have neither done the above purchases nor sign the merchant slips. The Citibank instead of crediting my account have started charging Interest, Late Payment charges etc. and harassing me through telephone calls and SMSs.

You are requested to kindly take up the matter at your level with Citibank Officials for not harassing me as I am not in a position to pay for the misdeeds-frauds of others.

A year and a half ago we found it necessary to stop payment on a check we had given out for work that was not done. We kept the Stop Payment active for approximately one year then our bank (Key Bank) told us that it was no longer necessary to keep the Stop payment on the check and so we let it go. The check was stamped with a Stop Payment order on the front of the check from the first time the man tried to have the check cashed. One year and a half later he apparently put the check in with other checks and deposited same at the ATM. It, of course, went on through but the bad thing is that the National City Bank Proof Department in Cleveland< Ohio did not catch the bad check that was stamped STOP PAYMENT and so we are out the money for the work that did not get done one and a half years ago. I cannot even imagine a Proof Reader letting that go by without checking up on the check clearly stamped STOPPED PAYMENT and then did not notice that it was written September 8, 2008. To put it all in a nutshell National City gets what they pay for. They also were not willing to charge the man's account with the Stop payment check and give us our money back. They said they could not do that. Now they want their money for various charges they have against them but what about the poor working guy who does the right thing and National City Bank tells them they cannot give them the money for a STOPPED PAYMENT CHECK THAT IS A YEARS AND A HALF OLD. What a stupid bunch. It is no wonder they are in financial trouble.

As a former employee of AT&T, I was guaranteed an AT&T Universal Card for life for no fees. They have recently canceled this account because I live overseas. I have lived overseas for over 16 years with this card and have received statements and been able to use my card with no problem.

I want to know how they can just decide to not honor their commitment to provide me this card with no fees for life, especially since I have lived overseas for over 16 years and had no problems until now.

National City Bank/ PNC Bank after receiving billions of taxpayer dollars just like the rest of the bank industry has -is inventing a new way to screw you. That is when you make a deposit whether by cash or payroll check they hold it forever and ensure they get as much overdraft fees charged to you.

Here is my case- On 13 Feb. 2009 I deposited my entire manual paycheck from the State of Ohio in my Checking account. As any reasonable and prudent person would believe and ascertain the money would cover all funds to be posted over the weekend-and should be effective in my account. When I got up to go to work Sat. 14 Feb, 2009 at 0530 the ATM said I was in the negative. I had to scramble to find enough money to pay for gas fill up my tank and get to work at London, Ohio by 0710. Due to the banks being closed when I got off I then called Customer No Service who then promptly told me that it was bank policy to withhold deposits until the next business day-although they can debit any day.

I then on Monday 16 Feb., 2009 had to go into the London, Ohio branch and speak to their account managers- The old woman had enough audacity to state that the check that the State of Ohio had put my name on which is my money- earned keeping the citizens of ohio safe from bands of marauding criminals-wasn't my money but theirs and she wouldn't help me-especially if I Have had any overdrafts on my account before. I got assistance after making the statement-Do you know about Clark Howard's Radio show-that exposes rip off companies scams and mega banks just like you- if you don't get someone who will do it I will put this on the airways so that millions of people can hear. The Bank manager came down shortly and took care of the fees.

Fast forward to 27 Feb. 2009, I deposit $1, 180 dollars cash into the ATM Deposit-since they don't have a deposit box. It did not post till Tuesday 3 March, 2009- They charged me 8 I say again 8 overdraft fees @ $36.00 each for a total of $288.00. Thats how much they robbed me. I found out last night which was 2 march that all deposits are held till the next day.They had the money for 3 days and did not credit my account with it. I had to speak with one the bellefontaine bank officers-and the gave me back (aren't they kind) 3 of the overdraft fees-but had to refer 5 other fees all related to their failure to credit my account.

AND WE WONDER WHY WE HAVE A BANKING CRISIS- THE CONSTANT UNETHICAL, DISHONEST AND FRAUDULENT PRACTICES OF THE CORPORATIONS, SMALL BUSINESSES AND PRIVATE PERSONS- WHO THEN STICK A HAND OUT AND EXPECT THE TAXPAYER REGARDLESS OF AMOUNT PAID TO FORK OVER MORE MONEY TO ENABLE THEIR CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES OK'D BY LAW.

THAT'S NOT THE UNITED STATES I DEFENDED AND REFLECTED IN IRAQ FOR 20 MONTHS.- MAY GOD JUDGE THIS NATION WITH A HEAVY HAND AND MAY HE SPARE NO MERCY WHEN HIS WRATH IS INCURRED- YOU HAVE BEEN WEIGHED IN THE BALANCE AND HAVE BEEN FOUND WANTING.

So we have a mortgage through citimortgage and this company which is becoming larger and larger with every breath is trying to default your mortgage on purpose. I have tried for days over a week now to pay my house payment online as I always do and guess what their site is down. they keep telling me they are working on it.in the meantime they suggest I pay them over the phone an additional twenty dollars to do a phone payment. yeah right. my payment was due on the first with a late payment occuring after the ninth. the late payment will be $9.77. well as of today they have called me everyday since the 2nd of the month which was one day late on my payment, they have called 5-10 times a day. I will not give these scammers a dime of that late fee I will go to my grave with that money and they are now going to see what a media ho I am cause starting today I am going to go to every media outlet I can find and complain about it. don't trust citibank they will screw with you something terrible!

I am not a hard person to please, so when I find a website and devote the time to telling my experience, that in and of itself should tell you something.

I recently moved to Bowling Green, KY this year, I have always been an avid Wells Fargo customer, but there aren't any out here where I can go, so I signed up with National City. BIG MISTAKE!

Suffice it to say for a majority of the year I had only one disgression that was made known to me, but I called it naivity and went on. Later in the year Uhaul charged my card $80 instead of the $38 that I signed for. It was a merchant error, and National City was completely unwilling to work with me, not even give me advice. Their phone number virtually doesn't exist, and when you call their 1-800 customer service number they give you a false number. Any complaint you have can only be remedied at the branch you opened your account at...period. Eventually I went through the BBB and they refunded me the overdraft charges that incurred due to Uhaul's mistake, but would not go after the merchant for the wrongdoing.

My most recent gripe that is now making me switch banks is that I went on vacation. Prior to getting on the plane I spent less than $20 at 3 seperate locations and had over $400 in my account at the time the purchases were made. I left February 28th, deposited an extra $400 on the 28th and had my roommate give our landlord a rent check on the 2nd because I was away on vacation. I did not use that bank account the entire vacation. I come back on the 5th to realize that over $100 in overdrafts have been taken from my account. Apparently the purchases I made on the 27th and 28th of February didn't post until the 2nd. The bank's "computer randomly decided to choose my rent check to cash first"...so $696 came out first, then the 3 seperate payments of less than $20 and then finally they deposited the money even though the deposit came first, followed by the 3 least expensive purchases and then finally the rent check. When I went to a branch to ask why I was told to step into an office. Waited 10 minutes for the tellers to quit chatting with one another and after she told me what I already knew I was told there was nothing to be done about it because this wasn't the branch I opened my account with...I went to the branch I opened my account with and was told too bad, and if I didn't like it I should study my contract or close my account and leave.

So in short, unless you plan to remember every line of the contract you sign with this bank, I assure you... you will get screwed too! You are suppose to just "know" that merchants have 60 days to cash in on debit card purchases, or that their atm deposit takes 2 additional business days for deposits to go through as opposed to the typical 1. And when you don't know, it's not considered a "bank error". For every overdraft count on $34 to be taken out, and when there are 2 in a row an additional $20, on top of what is in your savings. It adds up trust me...this is the worst bank I have ever had the displeasure of being a part of.