‘This could be your mortgage payment’: Customer cutoff from money after bank froze her account

Citibank customer finally has the $5000 she deposited into her own bank account. Yeah, for months, her bank would not allow her to touch any of that money. And there's action on consumer investigator Jeff Thiel reports the bank said it locked the account because of fraud concerns. They were just like, hey, this account has been blocked. Social media influencer Rich Journeys helps people find opportunities to make money on TikTok. So let me put you on because you have tapped into something that a lot of people don't know about. But she called us for help after she was locked out of her new City Bank account. For three months. I opened up an account recently back in March with Citibank and I deposited $5000 and I haven't seen those funds since she set up the Citibank account to have an extra business account. I was shopping at Target one day. This is my this is my first purchase of using my card and the the cashier says, oh, your transaction didn't go through rich journeys estimate she called Citibank more than 25 times trying to gain access to her own money. Citibank told her they suspected fraud on the account, but sent her checks and debit cards that she never requested anyway. And that's just a hopeless feeling to try everything you can try and nothing happens. It makes you feel like, you know, worthless. It's not just a Citibank problem. Action Nine has told you about this happening before with other banks. In March, a woman had no way to buy basics like food or gas after online bank Green dot locked her account for two weeks. Suspecting fraud. It's a big mess. It's a big mess. Last fall, Chase blocked Lois White S account when they could not verify her student loan refund check. I feel like a criminal, like I've done something wrong. Rich Journey says she worries about how something like this could impact other families. This could be your mortgage payment, This could be your rent payment, you know, groceries for the house, groceries for kids. The average person don't have this just laying around, you know, for a bank to play with. Citibank has now closed the account. It did not tell Rich Journeys why, but she did finally get her $5000 returned by check. Citibank says it is pleased to have resolved this matter for its client. Jeff Diehl, Channel 9 Eyewitness News.