Where to file a complaint against a bank?

[soupcxan]

Long story short: Citibank advertised a $200 bonus if you opened a new checking account and used it to pay a citibank credit card. I complied with the terms of the promotion and now they are claiming that I'm not eligible for the $200. They provided no specific reason why I'm ineligible. I have copies of all the documentation with the terms of the offer and my specific actions that qualified me for it.

Citibank is non-responsive, so who do I file a complaint with? Since they are a nationally chartered bank, I was going to start with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency...has anyone gotten results from a banking dispute with them? Any other recommended groups that fight for the consumer?

 

[maddythebeagle]

I had a complaint and filed with the federal reserve. http://www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/Complaints/

As I recall they regulate national banks. It was resolved in 2 weeks. Just so you know, citibank usually only gives these promotions out if you never had an account with them (even if you closed an account a few years ago and closed).

 

[soupcxan]

Thanks for the tip. And yes, I never ever had a citi checking account before, so they have no leg to stand on. I doubt I'll ever see the $200 but maybe I can at least cause some trouble for them if they're going to blatantly lie to new customers like this.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Instead of approaching it as a bank regulation thing, which might be slow, maybe getting after it as a consumer complaint would be more expedient?

You can try the better business bureau and your states attorney generals office. You can file a complaint with both online; start with the BBB. I've found that once most outfits get the call from the BBB they make it right just to get that complaint resolved. Only GE snubbed the BBB and the AG, but after the 35th newspaper/radio/television "consumer complaint" reporter called them, they finally worked it out.

One thought building on maddy's comment...citibank has bought a LOT of banks...any chance you had an account with one of their acquisitions or an acquisition of an acquisition?

 

[justin]

this happened to me when I opened up a wachovia account for a $100 gift card to home depot or something. After a dozen phone calls to the local branch and the corporate offices, they finally mailed me the gift cards as promised. I kept getting passed around to supposedly important people (VP of this or VP of that : ).

After this fiasco, instead of closing my account like a usual pissed-off person might, I decided to keep a $0.01 balance in my checking account for a few years so they would have to waste their time and money on issuing statements to me.

Keep trying different people at citibank and it may eventually work. Or get a couple of 0% balance transfer credit cards from them and make a thousand bucks with their money.

 

[Gumby]

..

 

[justin]

[

I do this with the a55hats at AT&T as well. They were the bane of my existence for a few months (I don't recall why right now). As a result of their being idiots, they gave me a credit for $9.02 out of the kindness of their own hearts (to offset some charges or something). Since I never use long distance, the $9 balance remains and each month they send me a statement showing me my credit balance. We'll see how many more years I can keep this up.

 

[soupcxan]

Or get a couple of 0% balance transfer credit cards from them and make a thousand bucks with their money. 

Oh, I've already done that. So even if I dont get this $200, I've still made about $1500 in 0% money off Citi. Suckers!