CitiBank has locked my card because they can't verify my phone number

[ClaimJumper]

Three weeks ago I received a CitiBank 2% Cashback card.

 

I received a letter in the mail asking me to call in and verify my recent transactions, so I did and it got weird.

 

I was told that my card was locked down (can't be used and can't access the website) because the phone number I used can't be traced back to my name.

 

I've had the same cell phone number (no longer have a land line) for 15 years going all the way back to Bell South, then AT&T and three years ago transferred it to Cricket.

 

The rep on the phone told me that I needed to have a telephone number that can be traced back to me. This is very odd.

 

I asked her how can I pay my bill since I can't access the website and she told me I can't. I know I can push a payment through, but I didn't get into that with her.

 

Anyone ever had this problem... What's the solution?

[wingwalker]

Wow... so many people have prepaid phones that don't have names attached to it.

 

Can you go into a branch and get this straightened out?

[ClaimJumper]

Wow... so many people have prepaid phones that don't have names attached to it.

 

Can you go into a branch and get this straightened out?

 

No. I asked them that. They said the bank would tell me to call the number on the back of the card.

 

I just left the Cricket store because phone support from India was of zero help. The guy there said he doesn't know how to get a number published. He said places like AT&T and Verizon require a SSN for all none prepaid phones so I may have to get an AT&T or Verizon phone just to solve this problem. That will really eat away at my 2% cash back savings.

 

 

I went to the Cricket store because customer support in India was of zero help.

[brazen]

Have you had fraud on your credit bureau previously or moved recently? Likely something flagged and they want to make sure you are who you are. Do your current credit trades have that phone number as a contact number for you?

Edited September 2, 2017 by brazen

[direct]

I had the same issue with Sam's Club business Mastercard. Took me about 2 weeks to straighten it out. Had to send via mail a letter on my business letterhead stating that the phone number is our business phone number. We are using a google voice number ringing to a cell phone as our business line. Not sure how Citi is going to handle it but this is one of the few reasons I still keep a residential landline so creditors can verify without jumping through hoops.

[ClaimJumper]

Have you had fraud on your credit bureau previously or moved recently? Likely something flagged and they want to make sure you are who you are. Do your current credit trades have that phone number as a contact number for you?

 

 

All my trade lines have the same phone number.

 

I even broke my card in with a first purchase at Starbucks.

 

But then last week I was buying some things for a party at the grocery store and it declined a $400 purchase, I guess that was the trigger. I tried the card the next day for a smaller amount and it worked fine but now they are telling me its "locked" which I guess is the same thing as frozen.

 

Anyway, I ordered a landline from AT&T and it will be installed on Tuesday. Had to go through a credit check so I guess that may be another HP to keep the card. I'm hoping that over the years that 2% makes it worth the hassle.

[BlackKnight1983]

I'm not sure what to say about this, but the phone number I use on my Citi cards isn't registered to me. It's a family plan that is in my wife's name (her maiden name), and we have different addresses (even though we live together, we have two houses).

[PotO]

Three weeks ago I received a CitiBank 2% Cashback card.

 

I received a letter in the mail asking me to call in and verify my recent transactions, so I did and it got weird.

 

I was told that my card was locked down (can't be used and can't access the website) because the phone number I used can't be traced back to my name.

 

I've had the same cell phone number (no longer have a land line) for 15 years going all the way back to Bell South, then AT&T and three years ago transferred it to Cricket.

 

The rep on the phone told me that I needed to have a telephone number that can be traced back to me. This is very odd.

 

I asked her how can I pay my bill since I can't access the website and she told me I can't. I know I can push a payment through, but I didn't get into that with her.

 

Anyone ever had this problem... What's the solution?

Sorry to hear this is happening to you. I used to think only Synchrony and Comenity had such a cellphone fetish.

 

I used to think it was an issue where the phone number wasn't listed on your credit bureau files, but I discovered that isn't the case. Actually they use one or both of two methods to link the number back to you. One method is where they check directly with your cellphone providers caller ID system. The second method is they utilize a service that checks -- but no idea how -- who the cellphone subscriber is.

 

My cell number has been on my credit reports for decades and I had an issue where Synch would not send me the verification SMS they like to use for CLIs. On a whim, I went to my provider's website and changed my caller ID to reflect my name and acouple of days later Synch could miraculously verify my number.

 

My wife uses the same cell number and Synch would never verify her even though that number is on all her credit reports. I tried changing my caller ID to her name and finally Synch could verify it.

 

Not sure if that would work with you. If not, I'd try contacting their EO and see what can be done. Or try to dig up data on the service(s) they use to verify cell numbers and contact them. It's so freaking stupid that they pull these stunts.

[Cactus Flower]

This is why I keep a landline.. despite never using it!

[Cactus Flower]

So what do people do in these scenarios:

 

1. young adult child/student living with mom and dad

2. people renting a room in someone's house

3. landline is in your roommate's name....

4. anyone living with another person and the landline is in the other person's name

 

there are not workarounds for stuff like this?

 

just wondering.

Edited September 2, 2017 by Cactus Flower

[PotO]

So what do people do in these scenarios:

 

1. young adult child/student living with mom and dad

2. people renting a room in someone's house

3. landline is in your roommate's name....

4. anyone living with another person and the landline is in the other person's name

 

there are not workarounds for stuff like this?

 

just wondering.

5. households where wife doesn't use husband's surname

 

And I do agree. There should be workarounds.

[ICANHASMUNY?]

Three weeks ago I received a CitiBank 2% Cashback card.

 

I received a letter in the mail asking me to call in and verify my recent transactions, so I did and it got weird.

 

I was told that my card was locked down (can't be used and can't access the website) because the phone number I used can't be traced back to my name.

 

I've had the same cell phone number (no longer have a land line) for 15 years going all the way back to Bell South, then AT&T and three years ago transferred it to Cricket.

 

The rep on the phone told me that I needed to have a telephone number that can be traced back to me. This is very odd.

 

I asked her how can I pay my bill since I can't access the website and she told me I can't. I know I can push a payment through, but I didn't get into that with her.

 

Anyone ever had this problem... What's the solution?

 

file a complaint with the CFPB

 

state the same - & you've had this Number for 15 years, it's the Same phone number listed on all your credit reports, don't know what " service" Citibank is utilizing for checking phone numbers, but it a fail , they need tod find a different method

 

as it is, you can't make a payment on a new account online, and they have locked you out and you're going to default because Citibank's internal processes are screwed up .

[Redlegs]

The IRS is the same way when it comes to payments. When I first started submitting payments for a family member it wanted to use a phone number to identify her but it wouldn't allow that since they had prepaid service. Now I have that problem plus an additional one. My carrier shows up as a VoIP connection so certain services won't verify me over the phone.

[tobettercredit]

 

Have you had fraud on your credit bureau previously or moved recently? Likely something flagged and they want to make sure you are who you are. Do your current credit trades have that phone number as a contact number for you?

 

All my trade lines have the same phone number.

 

I even broke my card in with a first purchase at Starbucks.

 

But then last week I was buying some things for a party at the grocery store and it declined a $400 purchase, I guess that was the trigger. I tried the card the next day for a smaller amount and it worked fine but now they are telling me its "locked" which I guess is the same thing as frozen.

 

Anyway, I ordered a landline from AT&T and it will be installed on Tuesday. Had to go through a credit check so I guess that may be another HP to keep the card. I'm hoping that over the years that 2% makes it worth the hassle.

No hard pull from ATT. They only check if you owed them and never paid in the past

[tobettercredit]

So what do people do in these scenarios:

 

1. young adult child/student living with mom and dad

2. people renting a room in someone's house

3. landline is in your roommate's name....

4. anyone living with another person and the landline is in the other person's name

 

there are not workarounds for stuff like this?

 

just wondering.

If you have Metro, Cricket, or some bootleg phone service you can run into trouble with lenders as the bootleg phone service might not be linked to your address or your phone might be linked to MR Hung Hong the service provider who resides in Hong Kong. Edited September 2, 2017 by tobettercredit

[Cactus Flower]

 

So what do people do in these scenarios:

 

1. young adult child/student living with mom and dad

2. people renting a room in someone's house

3. landline is in your roommate's name....

4. anyone living with another person and the landline is in the other person's name

 

there are not workarounds for stuff like this?

 

just wondering.

If you have Metro, Cricket, or some bootleg phone service you can run into trouble with lenders as the bootleg phone service might not be linked to your address or your phone might be linked to MR Hung Hong the service provider who resides in Hong Kong.

 

ahh okay, well my son doesn't have any other phone than one that 's on my family plan .. and we don't live at the same address .. and the TMobile account is in my name. I wondered if he was going to have trouble opening up credit cards because of this. Even where he lives now, the landline is not in his name.

[tobettercredit]

 

 

So what do people do in these scenarios:

 

1. young adult child/student living with mom and dad

2. people renting a room in someone's house

3. landline is in your roommate's name....

4. anyone living with another person and the landline is in the other person's name

 

there are not workarounds for stuff like this?

 

just wondering.

If you have Metro, Cricket, or some bootleg phone service you can run into trouble with lenders as the bootleg phone service might not be linked to your address or your phone might be linked to MR Hung Hong the service provider who resides in Hong Kong.

ahh okay, well my son doesn't have any other phone than one that 's on my family plan .. and we don't live at the same address .. and the TMobile account is in my name. I wondered if he was going to have trouble opening up credit cards because of this. Even where he lives now, the landline is not in his name.

Landline doen't have to be in his name but must correspond to address he provided to lenders. This is a ID verification issue not really an issue with phone. Problem can be easily solved by subscribing to a major phone provider.

[ronsetoe]

I do not have a landline. I have used Metro PCS for years and before that I was with Virgin and I have never had a problem. For the past couple of years I have used my company issued cell number on applications and I have never had any problems either. good luck

[clydemaui]

Fwiw, I had this issue before, went to...List yourself 411... for free and it fixed the unable to verify number, not sure if it is still available.

 

May work. Landlines ported to Verizon prepaid for about 7 years, prior was Tracfone for about 4 years with majikjak forwarding.

[Konrad2012]

AMEX and CapOne have both given me isssues in the past about telephone number verification issues.

[PotO]

AMEX and CapOne have both given me isssues in the past about telephone number verification issues.

Never had issues with AmEx.

 

Fortunately not all issuers are fixated on phone verification. I think the most common ones are Comenity and Synch. I was surprised to hear Citi is also onboard.

[brazen]

I know it's a pain but it's probably for your protection with all the fraud and ID theft going on.

[brazen]

 

Three weeks ago I received a CitiBank 2% Cashback card.

 

I received a letter in the mail asking me to call in and verify my recent transactions, so I did and it got weird.

 

I was told that my card was locked down (can't be used and can't access the website) because the phone number I used can't be traced back to my name.

 

I've had the same cell phone number (no longer have a land line) for 15 years going all the way back to Bell South, then AT&T and three years ago transferred it to Cricket.

 

The rep on the phone told me that I needed to have a telephone number that can be traced back to me. This is very odd.

 

I asked her how can I pay my bill since I can't access the website and she told me I can't. I know I can push a payment through, but I didn't get into that with her.

 

Anyone ever had this problem... What's the solution?

file a complaint with the CFPB

 

state the same - & you've had this Number for 15 years, it's the Same phone number listed on all your credit reports, don't know what " service" Citibank is utilizing for checking phone numbers, but it a fail , they need tod find a different method

 

as it is, you can't make a payment on a new account online, and they have locked you out and you're going to default because Citibank's internal processes are screwed up .

Send in a bill pay payment, there is no reason to default.

[PotO]

I know it's a pain but it's probably for your protection with all the fraud and ID theft going on.

I look at it another way.

 

It's for THEIR own protection. I'm covered by Zero Liability.

 

Lately I've noticed a lot of issuers going all anal retentive in the name of "security" at the expense of making life a pain in the rear for customers. Look at Synchrony. I have four Synch cards, three of which are at the max of $35k. Unlike many, I don't like to call and go from 0 to 35 in one easy call; I break it into smaller portions. Yet each and every time I call it's the same crap -- SMS verification. That's anal retentive security theater.

 

Then there is the crap with logging on to online banking. Not only do you need a password, but then there are security pictures, PINs, answers to secret questions and now the moronic codes sent to either e-mail or your cellphone. Wells Fartgo is the worst -- they always have to send the code to a cellphone so if no cellphone then no login. People need to fight back.

[credit_help]

 

I know it's a pain but it's probably for your protection with all the fraud and ID theft going on.

I look at it another way.

 

It's for THEIR own protection. I'm covered by Zero Liability.

 

Lately I've noticed a lot of issuers going all anal retentive in the name of "security" at the expense of making life a pain in the rear for customers. Look at Synchrony. I have four Synch cards, three of which are at the max of $35k. Unlike many, I don't like to call and go from 0 to 35 in one easy call; I break it into smaller portions. Yet each and every time I call it's the same crap -- SMS verification. That's anal retentive security theater.

 

Then there is the crap with logging on to online banking. Not only do you need a password, but then there are security pictures, PINs, answers to secret questions and now the moronic codes sent to either e-mail or your cellphone. Wells Fartgo is the worst -- they always have to send the code to a cellphone so if no cellphone then no login. People need to fight back.

Mobile apps don't have this issue. You can even use fingerprint to login. Of course Synchrony does not have an app.