I opened a new account over the phone with Citibank, I just recently moved to Los Angeles from NYC and my original bank was with an institution based in New York, so I decided to close that account and re-open another account I made with Citibank. Everything went well, I received my debit card in the mail and decided to deposit my 1st paycheck in the ATM. Note that my employer has a business checking acct with B of A and are only able at the moment to fund my checks thru this account until they are able to establish a payroll system.

I went to withdraw the available balance which was $200 and the ATM says they were unable to perform that action. This was Monday. Tuesday I went into my local branch which was the Little Tokyo location on 1st street. I explained to them my situation and they told me there was nothing I can do I have to call the call center and finish the verification process thru the mail. I found that UN-ACCEPTABLE! I am standing here in person with a valid driver's license, a SS card, birth certificate, and mail FROM Citibank and you can not verify me?

I called the New Accounts Support call center and I was told that I should be able to withdraw from my account if I brought my SS card and debit card to the branch. The branch explains to me that it is up to a manager to perform that transaction and low and behold, they don't have a manager at the location. I will have to visit another branch. I called the Chinatown branch, and they explained to me that they ALSO WOULD NOT be able to perform that transaction because I need to verify myself through the main office.

So now my account is blocked. The call center tells me to close my account OVER THE PHONE and they will mail me a check for the amount in my account. What they are not understanding is I have absolutely NO FUNDS at all to survive. I told them I have no money to feed my family until I can withdraw from my account. I signed up for this account with NY ID and my Los Angeles Address. If this was going to be a problem they should have stated so over the phone when I first setup the account instead of holding my money hostage! If I was trying to commit Identity Fraud why am I crying the branch from the humiliation of explaining to the personal banker that I don't having any money to feed my family and I need to withdraw right now! I live 2 blocks from the branch in a well known luxury apartment complex. This is absolutely ridiculous that I have to fight over the phone and in person to withdraw $200! And to top it off one the call center reps hung up on me! I've tried to keep my composure in reference to this situation but it's hard to do that when you don't have food in your stomach!

I ABSOLUTELY DO NOT RECOMMEND CITIBANK TO ANYONE WHAT SO EVER! THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE IS ABYSMAL! YOU DO NOT TREAT PEOPLE THIS WAY!