Complaint Review: Citibank FSB N.A. - Citigroup - New York New York

The biggest New York City based banks are IMO the worst banks in all the United States (probably on earth). Specifically Citibank and J.P. Morgan Chase, - I have medium size accounts with both banks (in excess of $75,000 and $50,000 respectively). I will be closing both accounts ASAP. Several years ago when I was still working, I was the victim of identity theft because of Citibanks insecure, inadequate, so-called security policies which required an ATM/Debit card (or Citi credit card with a PIN) to use online banking. Then to enter your pin number online to setup an online account. Hackers had hacked into their network (or my computer) somehow and got my name, address, and pin number. They then called Citi customer service and said they were me, and they had lost their debit/atm card, changed my address and had a new one mailed to their address. I have never used an ATM/debit card and I did not want a Citibank card (of any kind), especially with their high interest rates. The only reason I even had it issued is because I was compelled to, -if I wanted to use their online banking. The criminals involved went into Citibank branches in the Southern CA area (I live in the Bay Area) and using the ATM/Debit card as identification with no drivers license, (by swiping the card at the teller and then entering the pin number) -withdrew almost $14,000 from my account before Citibanks own "safety dept." turned off access to the account for suspicious activity. When I discovered the money was missing (I was also contacted by the Citibank "safety" dept.) and filed a request for re-imbursement as fraud; They almost outright accused me of taking the money myself, and then trying to commit fraud by filing the re-imbursement request. Under Federal law (and their own policies), the account was insured by the FDIC and required that the customer be reimbursed within 30 days. It took about two months for them to complete their investigation and reimburse me, all the while causing me an enormous amount of work, phone calls, letters, stress and subsequent health problems. I should have closed my account then, but instead I forgave them because of the apologetic corporate response I got once I contacted Citibank executives and the Federal government. Big mistake. Since then (2001), I have had had one problem after another which I will not elaborate on at this time. Citibank customer service (and their outsourcing) is among the worst (of any company) I have ever had to deal with. My CHASE bank experiences are another story (and equally abysmal). These banks in particular were in the very same business practices as the rest the Wall Street cronies and had to be bailed out by the taxpayers, only to be "gifted" other financial institutions (that were not bailed out because they were not to big to fail) for pennies on the dollar such as Washington Mutual, (best bank I ever had) by CHASE N.A. -The plain truth here is; big banks get bigger and become even more bureaucratic, care less for the customer, and more about profits. Close your accounts and/or do not open any new ones. I never even had accounts with either of these banks until they took over the banks I had originally opened accounts with (who I liked) and completely changed those banks for the worse. Please heed my warning, -it's in your best interest to use small banks or credit unions instead.