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CitiCard

CitiGroup •CitiBank •CitiCards •Associates Visa •CitiCorp Mortgage •Business Leases •Retail Financing •Student Loans --- News • California: Citibank Stole $14 Million from its Customers • Macy's Customers Get New Citicards--Like It Or Not • Citibank's Cards Mysteriously Shut Down

Lori of Janesville, MN June 26, 2009

I have had a CitiCard credit card for a few years now. I got it to help repair my credit by making timely payments and keeping it paid off. Well, of course, the 'keeping it paid off' lasted until we had a financial crisis in the form of a major cut in hours at work. So--to continue with my complaints--I have always been able to make my payments on time, even made larger than minimum payments. Which was at times VERY difficult, because the due date was constantly being changed (sometimes it was around the 20th and sometimes it was around the 10th) with the added problem of any charges made on the card were not always on the current statement like they should have been. Sometimes the cut-off date on the statement did not jive with when a purchase had been made--in other words, the charge SHOULD have been on the current statement, according to the cut-off date on the statement. Instead, the charge was placed on the next month's statement which made the minimum balance due quite large and difficult to come up with.

And, on top of all of that, an over the limit fee would occasionally be charged when a charge to the card was held back (usually on a small payment month) and added to the balance on a month when a large payment was due. This happened earlier this year when my husband and I used our tax refund to pay off the balance. I had checked the statement to make sure that ALL of the recent charges (based on retained sales slips) were accounted for. The next month, a statement was received with Finance Charges!!!! So, I paid that too. The month after that, we got charged a late payment fee (the payment had been sent on time and should have been credited to our account) which of course kicked our interest rate through the roof. Then, instead of cutting up the card like I should have, we used it while visiting our daughter in Illinois--now of course we are stuck. Then, out of the blue we get new cards from them.

When I called to query this, as there was a year on the expiration date yet, I was told by a gentleman with a VERY thick accent (very hard to understand) that our account was in jeapordy and we were to switch to the new cards. So, I got it changed to the new cards---but, I have no intention of using them. We are going to pay them off and have a burning party to rid ourselves of this plastic menace. It is a shame that in our society today that cash isn't as good at businesses as a plastic credit card. Shucks, even to make a reservation at a motel---or even just to walk into a motel a get a room (with cash in hand) the clerk insists on a credit card.

Rin of Norco, CA June 24, 2009

I'm a Citi Card Customer for years never miss or have any late payment.Then within a month I added another Bank Account befor making a payment an online payment and it did confirmed for a payment for 1,530. After the due date I checked the Citi account and found out I get charged 39 for a returned transaction that the Citi online system try to widraw money from the old bank account that I used to pay that do not have enough fun, and I did hit with 25 charged from the old bank account. I called the customer service about what happened they told me to call back in 1 week. Later I get charged again 25 from the old bank account, I called the customer service about the problem and told them to have my payment to go through the new bank account they told me they can not do it and I can not use the online system or pay by the phone for a nother month.

Shamiko of San Antonio, UT June 7, 2009

I opened a Gordons account with citibank to pay for my ring in June 2008. At the time I was 18 years old, therefore my credit was very new. I received a 300 credit limit. I used the 300 credit and paid it off in 3 months. Then I went back to trade in my ring and they gave me more credit. I received 750 credit limit around December 2008. I was never late on any payments and actually I always overpaid by 50 on each payment.

Then in March 2009 I received a letter from Citi bank stating that they are closing my account after a review of my credit report. They stated that I have a short credit history and that I have too many new accounts. This surprised me so much because they knew this when I opened the account with them the first time. Of course my credit history is short I am only 19 years old now, and of course all of my accounts are fairly new because I just applied for credit only a year ago.

This really makes my mad because I pay all of my bills on time and I was just trying to build my credit and now with a closed account on my credit report my credit score is totally damaged. I hate citicard. They only try to save there company and don't care about their customers.

Melissa of Whitman, MA June 6, 2009

I was sent a settlement statement for my citibank account, because I had fallen behind on payment. I called and made the agreement on 10/08/08. My outstanding balance was 1961.88. They reduced it to 843.61 as a settlement offer. It was agreed I pay 100 on that day, the next payment was 67.61, and 67.60 thereafter. I even made payments for more than the ammount I needed to. feb 100, march 70, april 70. The last time I called was in May to pay my next payment.I asked the girl what the current amount was,she told me that after making my May payment that my amount would be 300.81. I told her i was going to make the regular payment and that I would pay off the rest the balance next month. I had always used my debit card to make my payments with no problems. The girl said that she couldn't do it because her system wouldn't let her. She said she could take a check over the phone. So that is what we did. Then at the end of May I get a letter in the mail from a collection agency For the citibank account. I had only owed 300.81 more on the account for citibank. But collections wants 1500.

I called citibank and they told me they no longer have any information on my account, because it had been sent to collections. I checked my bank statement when I got it on June 05 and the check #258 that I gave them the numbers for, was not there. Somebody screwed up and didn't put it through. Now I owe even more than when this all began, because somebody didn't follow through. I can provide proof that I payed citibank faithfully every month and alot of them more than the agreement of the 67.60. I can also show that my bank statements skip over the check number I gave them, but..because their system voids all accounts that are sent to collection they couldn't check to see when my account was last accessed which could prove that I did call. I now have a bill for 1500+ interest and late fees rather than the 300 I had left to pay. All because somebody at citibank messed up and didn't do their part.

Tori of manchester, CT June 20, 2009

Citicard changed my due date from May 16 , and then the next month June 15. I paid the card on the 16th. They charged me a late fee AND raised my rate from 15 % to 29.9 %. Is this legal? They are a horrible company. Avoid them if you can.

Kim of Suwanee, GA June 20, 2009

Terribly unhappy with this company. I went with them as they had a high profile and were well known. They have switched my APR twice, from 0% to 25%. I was able to dispute the increase, which was a result of an accounting error on their part. The second time was because my autopay request was not processed in time. They would not reduce the APR even though it was their error. I've had credit cards for over 30 years. Never had to monitor as closely as with this company.

Beware of hidden charges, they will correct errors and make payments on line. What they don't tell you is that it costs 15.00 dollars for that "service". If you opt for the paperless notification, you might not notice these charges piling up. I'm in the process of switching companies. I hope that someone will read this and reconsider before they sign up for a 0% APR card with Citicard. As a business owner, I understand the whole point is to make money. It seems like there is a lot of effort to negate the 0% credit terms.

Debbie of Shoreline, WA June 4, 2009

My Sears account has been nothing but problems for me ever since being taken over by Citigroup. It seems that just about every month or so, they change the due date, which is probably so they can try to add late charges. I have always been on time and even paid off my balance whenever I can, so they don't really make extra money off me. When I disputed the added charges, they began sending me more letters and calling my home 2-3 times a day.

On one occasion, they had Bank of America try to chase me down by calling me at work. Now I screen all calls at home and at work. These people are ruthless! I have no idea what else can be done--even my state's attorney general has told me there's nothing else they can do. I guess maybe this negative publicity is all that's left. No damages yet, but I do not trust these devious Citigroup predators! I will no longer shop at Sears or K-Mart, either. I just hope I can outlast these criminals.

Margaret of Austin, TX June 4, 2009

On March 12th,2009, I received a phone call from Ryan at Citi, claiming I missed a payment, asking if I wanted to pay over the phone. I agreed, stating I had not received my bill, but I would go ahead & pay it off, and asked if he could send me confirmation via mail that I had paid off & closed the account. He agreed, and said he needed my address, which I gave. I never received anything by mail. I cut up my card.

On May 25th,2009, I received a call from Jina at Citi, who informed me I owed 261.65. I thought I had paid it off, but I had apparently only paid off the late fee. I asked her to send me my statements in the mail, and she verified my adress. On May 30th, 2009, Jennifer called, informing me of my past due account. She then saw that the post office had returned my statements, posting "undeliverable," and that it wasn't Citi's fault that I had never received a statement.

I asked to speak to a superior, and she put me in touch with Sam, who offered to email me my account within 24-48 hours. I had never registered to pay online, and was unable to do it before now, because I had cut up my card, which had the card number (and never had a statement). Sam waived the requirement, but I never received an email after 48 hours.

On June 3, 2009, a representative called me to get a payment again, stating I would rack up another 39 in late fees on June 11, 2009, unless I paid. I paid off the total amount (as far as I know). This constitutes ridiculously poor business practices. Hundreds of dollars in late fees & unknown past due statements.

Sheryl of Vandalia, OH June 18, 2009

I have been a customer of Citibank since for at least 15 years. In Jan 2009 my interest rate went from 9.65 to 24.99%. No warning, no late payments. When I called customer service I was told that it was because other customers have high default rate. In addition they kept changing my due date. When I called again, reference the changing of my due date, the customer service agent hung up on me. Now I get a letter that because of my credit rating (that has nothing to do with them) my credit limit was reduced. Since I have been a customer for 15 years, I have never seen anything that said my account with them would be based on my credit report of my other creditors. They did not grant me credit with Citi Bank so why should it be used against me?

Spencer of Spencer, WI June 13, 2009

I have an account with Citi Card. My payment has always been due on the 4th of the month. In June it was changed to the 2nd. I made the payment as always on the 4th and it was late. My interest rate went from 5.24% to 28.99% I have NO agreement with this company since I did not agree to a rate change the begining of the year. They closed my account and all contact with them thru the internet. I feel this company is taking advantage of me unfairly and my rate should be reinstated to 5.24%. I spoke to Andrew a supervisor and he would not change the rate back. I agreed to the late fee.

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