Citibank Sucks

So, yesterday morning, like so many mornings, I stop by the ATM machine for a little cash for the week. And get a 'sorry we can't help you - please contact your bank' message. Thinking it was a simple computer error, I try again - same result.

Hmm. Strange. But at least I had enough for a Starbucks, so hey - not such a bad start to the day. Until of course I checked online -- and not only was cash not available from the ATM, cash wasn't available. Period. My UK Sterling account had completely and utterly disappeared from existence -- including the £800+ it held. The only thing showing was my zero-balance US $ account that I'd tried to close 2 weeks previously. Hmm. Curiouser and curiouser...

Straight on to the phone I go... and after the whole 'enter your account number - enter your PIN - press 1 2 3, etc' (*0 to customer service works every time!), then a little hold music, I was on the phone to customer service rep #1 - time, 9:04 a.m. 'I'm so sorry there's a been a problem. Did you request for your dollar account be closed on 30 Jan?'

'Er, yes, that's why I took the balance to zero.'

'Can you hold please?'

10 minutes later... 'Well, it seems there's been a technical error, and your sterling account was closed instead. We're so sorry.'

'Um - why would I have asked to close an account with money in it? Can you just re-activate it, and give me access to my account and cash again?'

'I'm so sorry - a supervisor will call you in no more than an hour and will have a resolution to this'.

'Er, ok -- but the only resolution I want is my account open and money back in it.'

Well, 10:30 came, and no call -- so, of course I called back. After more 'press 1's and more hold music, and re-explaining the issue, I was assured by CSR #2 that a supervisor would call me in 15 minutes.

At 11:30 -- I'm sure you can see where this is going -- I'd still not been called back by the mysterious supervisor, so once again I went through the lengthy dialing process. And was promised by CSR #3 a supervisor would call me within a half-hour. But a-ha -- I said 'No, I don't believe you, why should I? I will hold here until you put a supervisor on the line.' And hold I did, until the line went dead about 10 minutes later. But I would not be thwarted, and called back. Again. And held. Again. Until I finally talked to -- after explaining the story again to CSR #4 -- yay, a supervisor! Who told me that they were working on reactivating my account as a highest priority, and it should be sorted by the end of the day, and someone would call me by 4:30.

A happy ending? I'm sure it comes as no surprise that no one had called by 5, and when I checked in with friendly CSR #5, I was told definitely that I'd be called by 5:30.

And, at 6:38, on my way out to client drinks with empty wallet and non-working debit card... my phone actually rang. 'Hello, this is Citibank. We have a note here you asked for a supervisor to call you?'

'No, actually, I asked for the mistake to be fixed and my account to be opened and my cash to be returned.'

'OK, yes, we're sorry for the error. I'm calling to tell you your account has been reactivated.'

'Great, excellent, thank you. So when I get out of this cab, I can go get cash out of an ATM?'

'Are you talking about your overdraft? That will be sorted tomorrow'

'No, I'm not talking about an overdraft, I'm talking about my account. You know, my cash. You know, the £800+ that was there.'

'Oh no, your account balance is zero. When your account was closed. and I know this was our error, you were sent a bankers draft for the balance. You should receive that in the next few days'.

Grrr.... I explained I don't want a cheque that I'll then have to deposit somewhere, (and if that somewhere is citibank, that will take a few days, as there are only 3 branches in London). What I WANT is for the situation to return to what it was a few days ago -- money in my activated account, accessible online and/or through an ATM machine.

After more apologies, and more being told my matter was a priority, I was told it would be sorted by this morning.

I'm sure I don't need to tell you that... it's NOT. Latest update -- 'We're making this our highest priority, usually it would take much longer to re-open an account, but as this is our error, we're speeding up the process. But there are steps we have to go through, I'm so sorry. Someone will call you by the end of the day.'

SO -- Citibank makes an error, I spend hours on hold and out of pocket, and all I get is 'I'm sorry'. Many times over. And now having read this account, instead of another 'I'm sorry', I may in fact get a 'You're terminated'!

When will Stefanie get access to her account?? How many more hours will she have to sit on hold? Will Citibank ever call her back??? Tune in tomorrow, to All My Bank Accounts to find out!