181 replies to this topic

[Mike_Citi]

Another question for Mike!


Does CITI allow product changes on the credit cards? Like, If I wanted to switch from ThankYou Preferred to the Dividend Platinum Select card...?

They do, that's what I posted a little higher up

I went from Plat. Select to ThankYou...it was a very relatively painless process, the guy took all of about 5 minutes and as a result of switching I got a lower APR on the ThankYou plus the added bonus of the rewards points that you get for using the card.

Hello all, hope everyone had a nice holiday weekend. Just a quick message that anyone interested in switching CitiCard products should call the standard customer service number. This is not always possible.

Thx,

Mike, Citi

[Mike_Citi]

Mike,

I applied for the Citi Hilton Honors CC however my TU and EX files are frozen so no decision was rendered. How can I get your colleagues to pull my EQ which currently isn't frozen?

Thanks!
Gj

Hi Gjnnets! I'm tracking down some information, so I'll need to get back to you on this. I appreciate your patience.

Regards,

Mike, Citi

[markca]

Another question for Mike!


Does CITI allow product changes on the credit cards? Like, If I wanted to switch from ThankYou Preferred to the Dividend Platinum Select card...?

They do, that's what I posted a little higher up

I went from Plat. Select to ThankYou...it was a very relatively painless process, the guy took all of about 5 minutes and as a result of switching I got a lower APR on the ThankYou plus the added bonus of the rewards points that you get for using the card.

Hello all, hope everyone had a nice holiday weekend. Just a quick message that anyone interested in switching CitiCard products should call the standard customer service number. This is not always possible.

Thx,

Mike, Citi

Mike -- Is product switching done on a case by case basis then or is it only certain card types that qualify to switch to another product? If it is certain card types I suppose it wouldn't be possible to get a list of what is eligible? Might save people here a few phone calls.

[Gjnnets]

Mike,

I applied for the Citi Hilton Honors CC however my TU and EX files are frozen so no decision was rendered. How can I get your colleagues to pull my EQ which currently isn't frozen?

Thanks!
Gj

Hi Gjnnets! I'm tracking down some information, so I'll need to get back to you on this. I appreciate your patience.

Regards,

Mike, Citi

Thank you for your help Mike.

[Mike_Citi]

Another question for Mike!


Does CITI allow product changes on the credit cards? Like, If I wanted to switch from ThankYou Preferred to the Dividend Platinum Select card...?

They do, that's what I posted a little higher up

I went from Plat. Select to ThankYou...it was a very relatively painless process, the guy took all of about 5 minutes and as a result of switching I got a lower APR on the ThankYou plus the added bonus of the rewards points that you get for using the card.

Hello all, hope everyone had a nice holiday weekend. Just a quick message that anyone interested in switching CitiCard products should call the standard customer service number. This is not always possible.

Thx,

Mike, Citi

Mike -- Is product switching done on a case by case basis then or is it only certain card types that qualify to switch to another product? If it is certain card types I suppose it wouldn't be possible to get a list of what is eligible? Might save people here a few phone calls.

Hello, happy Friday to all, the only guidance I can give here is that a customer must call in and have their account(s) reviewed to determine if a product switch is possible.

[Mike_Citi]

Mike,

I applied for the Citi Hilton Honors CC however my TU and EX files are frozen so no decision was rendered. How can I get your colleagues to pull my EQ which currently isn't frozen?

Thanks!
Gj

Hi Gjnnets! I'm tracking down some information, so I'll need to get back to you on this. I appreciate your patience.

Regards,

Mike, Citi

Thank you for your help Mike.

Gjnnets, thank you for your patience. I'm sorry, but I don't have a good answer for you. I'm told that we cannot accomplish what you're asking for.

Regards,

Mike, Citi

[susserTod]

Hello, Mike_Citi,

Can you provide insight as to how Citi evaluates long-time customers as it relates to getting new cards or CLIs? I've been a customer for more than 10 years with a perfect payment history with Citi. However, I recently applied for a new card (January 2011) and was declined. Further, a request for a CLI in April 2011 was also declined. When I called, they didnt give me any clear answer except to say that debt-to-income ratio was the reason. I don't understand this, given that I've paid this and every other credit account on my reports without fail and have a perfect payment history. Do they not consider a customer's account history? Is it just based strictly on the credit report score? My scores range from 662 through 712. My current limit is 18.2K and I was requesting either a CLI to 25K or a new card with a 3-5K limit.

Any insight you can provide is much appreciated. At this point I'm strongly considering going the Credit Union route if I can't continue my relationship with Citi.

Regards,
zeke

[Gjnnets]

Mike,

I applied for the Citi Hilton Honors CC however my TU and EX files are frozen so no decision was rendered. How can I get your colleagues to pull my EQ which currently isn't frozen?

Thanks!
Gj

Hi Gjnnets! I'm tracking down some information, so I'll need to get back to you on this. I appreciate your patience.

Regards,

Mike, Citi

Thank you for your help Mike.

Gjnnets, thank you for your patience. I'm sorry, but I don't have a good answer for you. I'm told that we cannot accomplish what you're asking for.

Regards,

Mike, Citi

Thanks Mike.

[cashnocredit]

Mike_Citi

With more and more of us boomers hitting retirement, there's an increasing need for charge cards rather than revolving credit. The secured card Citi offered a few years ago with a 25k, high interest CD was a killer product. That market may not have been the target but it fits their needs quite well. There needs to be more credit/charge products like that for seniors. It would offer financial flexibility without encouraging a build up of debt which is more useful in one's early career with a ramping income.

[blerg]

Citibank does not request a hard bureau inquiry of a individual’s credit report when opening a new checking account. This is true regardless of whether a prospective customer opens a new account by phone, in-branch, or online. One very important note though, if the prospective customer applies for Checking Plus (overdraft protection credit product) or any other credit product that Citi offers, then we will request a “hard inquiry” of their credit report. This is true for account openings through phone, in branches, and online.

Regards,

Mike, Citi
michael.cardace@citi.com

Just stopping in to thank you, Mike, for this info. Have been considering switching my checking from B of A to Citi to get the AAdvantage debit card, but was worried about the chance of a hard inquiry... good to know I can put that fear to rest.

[Mike_Citi]

Citibank does not request a hard bureau inquiry of a individual's credit report when opening a new checking account. This is true regardless of whether a prospective customer opens a new account by phone, in-branch, or online. One very important note though, if the prospective customer applies for Checking Plus (overdraft protection credit product) or any other credit product that Citi offers, then we will request a "hard inquiry" of their credit report. This is true for account openings through phone, in branches, and online.

Regards,

Mike, Citi
michael.cardace@citi.com

Just stopping in to thank you, Mike, for this info. Have been considering switching my checking from B of A to Citi to get the AAdvantage debit card, but was worried about the chance of a hard inquiry... good to know I can put that fear to rest.

Blerg, you're welcome! We'd love to have you

Let me know if you'd like me to put you in touch with someone to answer any of your questions about the AAdvantage debit card.

Regards,

Mike, Citi

[Mike_Citi]

Mike_Citi

With more and more of us boomers hitting retirement, there's an increasing need for charge cards rather than revolving credit. The secured card Citi offered a few years ago with a 25k, high interest CD was a killer product. That market may not have been the target but it fits their needs quite well. There needs to be more credit/charge products like that for seniors. It would offer financial flexibility without encouraging a build up of debt which is more useful in one's early career with a ramping income.

cashnocredit, thx very much for this feedback, I have passed it on to folks at Citi Cards who work on new product development. Please also visit one of our new community sites (http://communities.citi.com/innovation). On this site we like to hear feedback on current products we offer as well as receive customer insights about things you'd like to see.

Thx,

Mike, Citi

[sherman_must_die]

What's the max CL on the Forward? I was told I should consider different product since I'm at the max.

[Meltz]

Hey mike, I'm looking to get my first citi card, but I have had 2 inquires/new accounts in the last 2 months. Will citi deny my application thinking I have too many inquires in a short period? Thanks.

[Mike_Citi]

Hi Meltz, I'm sorry, but I can't make any comments about your chances of being approved for a Citi credit card. Let me know how things turn out.

Regards,

Mike, Citi

[Mike_Citi]

Meltz, also, thanks very much for your interest in Citi.

[Mike_Citi]

What's the max CL on the Forward? I was told I should consider different product since I'm at the max.

Hello, my apologies, but I can't discuss credit lines.

[BW1216]

Hello, Mike_Citi,

Can you provide insight as to how Citi evaluates long-time customers as it relates to getting new cards or CLIs? I've been a customer for more than 10 years with a perfect payment history with Citi. However, I recently applied for a new card (January 2011) and was declined. Further, a request for a CLI in April 2011 was also declined. When I called, they didnt give me any clear answer except to say that debt-to-income ratio was the reason. I don't understand this, given that I've paid this and every other credit account on my reports without fail and have a perfect payment history. Do they not consider a customer's account history? Is it just based strictly on the credit report score? My scores range from 662 through 712. My current limit is 18.2K and I was requesting either a CLI to 25K or a new card with a 3-5K limit.

Any insight you can provide is much appreciated. At this point I'm strongly considering going the Credit Union route if I can't continue my relationship with Citi.

Regards,
zeke

Not to steal Mike's thunder, but your reason was given.

Your DTI is probably not in an acceptable range for Citi. I would imagine they took the income you reported minus the liabilities listed on your CR and came up with a number. They probably think your outstanding credit limits are enough for your debt to income which is why you were denied on both fronts.

You should try to call for RECON.

I could be totally wrong on all of this, since I don't work for Citibank, but I think that the answer is clear.

[susserTod]

BW1216,

Thanks for your reply. Given there was no reply from Mike_Citi, I presumed that there is an implicit message being delivered. I've moved to a credit union and I am in the process of transferring my remaining balance and closing my accounts (Citi and Sears). Sears account already has a zero balance.

Regards,
zeke

[ADT]

BW1216,

Thanks for your reply. Given there was no reply from Mike_Citi, I presumed that there is an implicit message being delivered. I've moved to a credit union and I am in the process of transferring my remaining balance and closing my accounts (Citi and Sears). Sears account already has a zero balance.

Regards,
zeke

I think this was a smart move on your part. In my opinion, Citi does not offer acceptable credit products. I have accounts with 3 Credit Unions and I am very happy with the results! High credit limits, great interest rates and great customer service. That's more then I will ever say for my Citi account, which is only open to take advantage of Sears 12 month no interest program when buying large appliances. Citi appears to not want our business, so I take it to those who do!

PSECU ROCKS!

[Mike_Citi]

BW1216,

Thanks for your reply. Given there was no reply from Mike_Citi, I presumed that there is an implicit message being delivered. I've moved to a credit union and I am in the process of transferring my remaining balance and closing my accounts (Citi and Sears). Sears account already has a zero balance.

Regards,
zeke

BW1216, apologies for not responding to you from your post on 7/9, my intent here is to respond as much as possible. While I can't comment specifically on your Citi accounts and credit report, I do know that when we tell a consumer/customer we've declined them a new card or CLI because of their debt to income ratio we're saying that based on our lending policies, we can't extend you additional credit given your income and current debt as it's being reported at the bureaus. We certainly appreciate you being a long standing customer, and I recommend you keep your Citi accounts open in the event you'd like to use them in the future.

If you have any additional concerns or questions, please send me a PM or an email.

Kind regards,

Mike Cardace, Citi
michael.cardace@citi.com

[Mike_Citi]

BW1216,

Thanks for your reply. Given there was no reply from Mike_Citi, I presumed that there is an implicit message being delivered. I've moved to a credit union and I am in the process of transferring my remaining balance and closing my accounts (Citi and Sears). Sears account already has a zero balance.

Regards,
zeke

I think this was a smart move on your part. In my opinion, Citi does not offer acceptable credit products. I have accounts with 3 Credit Unions and I am very happy with the results! High credit limits, great interest rates and great customer service. That's more then I will ever say for my Citi account, which is only open to take advantage of Sears 12 month no interest program when buying large appliances. Citi appears to not want our business, so I take it to those who do!

PSECU ROCKS!

ADT, I completely respect your opinion, but I disagree, and not just because I work for Citi. I'm a Citi credit card customer as well. I had the Citi AT&T Universal Card long before I began working for Citi, and I was always really happy with the credit line, rate, and service. Today, I have 2 Citi cards (Dividend & ThankYou).
And just to show you that I'm not completely biased, I do have cards with other banks also . I politely ask you to take a look at www.citicards.com, and I hope you'll agree that there are many great products with very competitive interest rates (introductory and "goto") and rewards programs.

On the topic of customer service, I can tell form visiting many forums & blog sites that we have room for improvement to ensure that each and every time a customer contacts Citi they get great service. That's our goal, and it's a work in progress.

ps: All this being said, I am very happy to hear that you're happy with your credit union accounts!

Kind regards, and best wishes,

Mike Cardace, Citi
michael.cardace@citi.com

[loxosceles]

Mike, out of curiosity, is a card like the Citi Forward harder to qualify for because it has nice rewards?

I want a Forward because of the rewards (better for amazon purchases than amazon's own card) and I like Citi's virtual/temp credit card feature. However, if the Citi Forward is harder to qualify for, I'll go for a different one and then try to switch later, or try for an entirely different card and wait to see if I can get my score up into the excellent range before trying for the Forward. I don't know my actual FICO all I know is creditkarma's estimate which is good but not excellent, and looking through CreditKarma's list of cards, among all visa and amex it shows, the Citi Forward is the ONLY card that CK thinks I have a poor chance at getting.


Perhaps very nice reward cards are harder to qualify for, because the rewards end up cutting into the bank's profit (and thus buffer if there end up being credit problems), but what do I know?

[Meltz]

Mike, out of curiosity, is a card like the Citi Forward harder to qualify for because it has nice rewards?

I want a Forward because of the rewards (better for amazon purchases than amazon's own card) and I like Citi's virtual/temp credit card feature. However, if the Citi Forward is harder to qualify for, I'll go for a different one and then try to switch later, or try for an entirely different card and wait to see if I can get my score up into the excellent range before trying for the Forward. I don't know my actual FICO all I know is creditkarma's estimate which is good but not excellent, and looking through CreditKarma's list of cards, among all visa and amex it shows, the Citi Forward is the ONLY card that CK thinks I have a poor chance at getting.


Perhaps very nice reward cards are harder to qualify for, because the rewards end up cutting into the bank's profit (and thus buffer if there end up being credit problems), but what do I know?

Mike will say he doesnt know because bankers usually will never say if youll be accepted or not, part of the way things work with banks, thats confidential. I'd say yes most high rewards cards are harder to qualify for but from what I hear their forward is probably the easiest of them all to qualify for. If your a student they have a student version as well, which I heard people new to the credit system have been getting accepted for. Give it a shot, good luck.

[Mike_Citi]

Mike, out of curiosity, is a card like the Citi Forward harder to qualify for because it has nice rewards?

I want a Forward because of the rewards (better for amazon purchases than amazon's own card) and I like Citi's virtual/temp credit card feature. However, if the Citi Forward is harder to qualify for, I'll go for a different one and then try to switch later, or try for an entirely different card and wait to see if I can get my score up into the excellent range before trying for the Forward. I don't know my actual FICO all I know is creditkarma's estimate which is good but not excellent, and looking through CreditKarma's list of cards, among all visa and amex it shows, the Citi Forward is the ONLY card that CK thinks I have a poor chance at getting.


Perhaps very nice reward cards are harder to qualify for, because the rewards end up cutting into the bank's profit (and thus buffer if there end up being credit problems), but what do I know?

loxosceles & Meltz, I'm not going to say 'I don't know' because that would be a lame answer. Some of my answers take a little more time than others, so I'll be back in touch soon. However, you should know that federal regulations are such that I cannot say anything that would discourage a person from applying for credit. So, you're not going to get a "yes" or "no" answer on someone's chances of being approved. But, I think there is some light I'll be able to shed and correct some general misunderstandings........stay tuned.