Complaint against CitiBank's dishonest, unethical, opportunistic, and predatory business practices.

First some background information on me. I am 32 years old. I am an electronic musician (playing all instruments) who has written over 100 complete and original songs, 70 of which are available on 4 different websites on the internet, free to listen to and download. I have Bi-Polar disorder which became worse in the last few years and I now have Schizo-affective disorder (not full blown schizoprenia). The entire time I have been on disability which is 10 years, I have been learning how to write, writing and producing music (therefore making a valuable contribution, to society and the world, for the "free" money I have been receiving). As if the capitalist class in America does not enjoy plenty of "free" money, off the backs of the working class, and I should feel guilty about the pittance that I receive. Before I became disabled, I worked as a Veterinary Tech, in Residential Construction, on a Farm, in Shipping and Receiving for a major retail store, and in several restaurants. I also attended Community College a few times but was unable to complete studies because my psychological condition prevented me from doing so. When I was 17 years old, I joined the Illinois ARMY National Guard and served as an 11 Bravo (light infantry), and was honorably discharged.

CitiBank sent an advertisement to my mailbox at my house 2 years ago, said they had a great offer and that i could borrow money. I needed money for food, clothing, and to fix my car. So I went in to the local CitiFinancial office and asked to borrow $2000. They asked what my income was and I told them I was disabled, unemployed, and my only income was $700 a month in SSI and Social Security. They gave me a check for $2000 and I went and cashed it.

The next month when I went in to make my monthly payment of $80, the receipt said that I owed CitiBank around $3, 850. I went back in and said, "How is it that I owe almost double the amount that I borrowed? You gave me a check last month for $2000 so how is it that 30 days later I owe you almost $4000?" She said, "That's 32% Annual interest over the term of the loan which is 3 1/2 years."

Well I had no idea that this was what I had agreed to. At no point did the CitiBank loan agent ever make it clear in any way whatsoever that I was expected to pay back double what I borrowed, and I certainly did not know that the interest added up to 100% over 3 1/2 years. She did not make any of that clear to me, and I was ignorant of the way these banks calculate interest.

You are probably thinking to yourself that I'm just plain stupid and deserve to be taken advantage of because of my ignorance in financial matters. But I will tell you, that if I had any idea as to what I was getting into, then why was I so completely shocked when I got my first bill that said I owed CitiBank almost $4000 on a $2000 loan? I'll tell you why, I was shocked because at no time did the loan agent ever make it clear that they were going to be taking advantage of me so severely. My father even called them and yelled at them for giving a disabled person with almost no income a $2000 loan.

Now you may be thinking that I'm a thief and I never paid back the money I borrowed, right? WRONG. I went into that CitiBank office every single month and dealt with those rude people for over 2 years. I paid back every penny of the $2000 that i borrowed, PLUS about $150 in interest. My mother was going to bail me out of this loan, but died recently before she could help me.

Well because of my illness and inability to work, I lost the house that I was living in, yet should have been part owner in that house. 10 years ago I was also in a head on collision car accident that was not my fault, and broke my femur bone (upper leg, the strongest and largest bone in the human body) clean in half, when a large van ran a stop sign at an intersection. I filed a lawsuit and received a modest settlement. Most of that money was lost in investments when the market crashed around 9-11-2001. I should have had about $25, 000 left, making me half owner of the house I was living in, but that money mysteriously disappeared too. I have barely been able to walk for the last 10 years, and have a titanium rod and screws in my leg, knee, and hip.

A few months ago I lost my house, and had to move into a low-income housing apartment. I told CitiBank that my situation had changed and that I would no longer be able to make any payments and that I was "defaulting" on the loan. So, for the last two months CitiBank has been calling (from 3 different numbers). They have been calling my cell phone 5 times a day, every single day, for 2 months straight. I have told them at least 4 times to stop calling me, yet they continue. I have had to turn my phone off and can't get important calls from family and friends. Who the hell do these people think they are? They are acting as though I have stolen money from them or something! I have stolen NOTHING. I am simply unable to honor the terms of the loan, which I did not understand in the first place. CitiBank has threatened to take me to court if I don't finish paying the interest on the loan. They have threatened to legally "rape" my disability check to obtain their greedy interest, so that some piece of crap in a $35, 000 suit can buy "another" Ferrari to go to some restaurant and guzzle down a $10, 000 bottle of wine, in one meal, while I try to stomach the garbage food from the Dollar store on the $25 per week I'm allowed in food stamps.

CitiGroup got a multi-billion dollar bail-out from the Government so their failing business can keep stealing money from poor people using usurious interest rates. Well where is MY bail-out? CitiGroup took the American taxpayer's money without their consent, to keep the banking cartel up and running, but they can't forgive me a debt of only about $1500 dollars? They can't reciprocate the same compassion and decency that was given to them?

CITIGROUP, CITIBANK, and CITIFINANCIAL you can GO TO HELL!!! you filthy, worthless, pieces of crap, and I WILL SEE YOU IN HELL WHEN I GET THERE!!!