@mnegron1969 wrote:Finally the dreaded email came today, I was denined for the following:
1. The credit privileges on your existing account(s) are currently restricted. DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS??
2. Too many recent credit inquiries are recorded on your credit bureau report. I HAD 3 AT TIME OF APPLYING
Whatever, I won't app with them again after hearing all the negatives about Citi. As for the inquiry, it'll get B* off anyway so no harm done. What gets me is that they called and asked for verification and made it sound like I was approved. Aholes.
Sorry to hear. I wouldn't app with them again for quite awhile.
@frogfan12 wrote:I have had nothing but good experiences with Citi. My first relationship with Citi was a CC and I had to have quite a bit of info verified with them. I don't think it's them being difficult...I think it's just the nature of credit these days. There are more rules and regulations than there used to be. I received the 7-10 day response and I had to call in a couple of times to ensure that my app was moving along. Since opening my first CC with Citi, I have since opened a bank account and my mortgage is with them. Based on my wonderful experiences I have since dumped BOA due to their shady behavior.
The bottom line of my post is you have to base your perception of a company like Citi based on your own experiences rather than those of others who have been scorned.
That's rather true. I think all big banks have their bad moments. Maybe at times it's who originates and then handles an account. BoA goes back and forth (at least I can give them that, they have their "box of chocolates" moments). Citi, I'm no longer impressed with. Years ago they were great, I think when they tried to grow so fast (too fast) is when they went "iffy" and now if you're "new" to them, it's like a cross between BoA and Cap 1. I think had we kept the old Citi accounts from years ago, we'd still like them too. Would I apply for them again now after knowing how they can be about new accounts? NOPE. And I wouldn't recommend anyone else do so either.
And I never thought I'd EVER recommend BoA over Citi (BoA is not my fav at all). I do think though everyone is better off with a CU now days. Lately I've been recommending, if banks come up in conversation, to look into a good CU. So far we really like the phone CSR's and the way they handle things with PenFed and NFCU (even though NFCU is new to us, the people on the phone are amazing compared to the average big bank CSR).
And really, when should a decent, or any, customer ever be "scorned"? In my knowledge of the business world we consider that to be the result of poor CS. And that often results in a company (big or small) trying to grow\expand too fast. Both BoA and Citi wanted to be "the bank of the everything to the world" and they found out what all biz owners find out, expand too fast and you'll trip and possibly land on your face, iffy CS is the first sign usually.
The last line of your post is sort of saying "take your chances where others have had iffy results, you might just get lucky".
To me, and anyone with an understanding of marketing, demographics and knowing one's clients. Offering a previous customer a 21 month 0% promotion with a code to accept, knowing their score, history etc only to give them something they can't really use, is a near bait and switch tactic as far as the CC industry goes.
So how does one handle a bank like Citi that pulls that kind of baloney? Keep a somewhat high balance on the card, pay double the min just before the due date, locking up as much money of theirs as possible at 0% right up to 20th month. No way will I play a game with them hoping they'll be "nice" to me. And then proceed to warn others about what they can possibly expect from that company so they don't fall for it.
You can love or hate these companies based on whether you get through their machinery without a snag or whether they catch you and put you through the wringer only to drop you out the bad egg chute.
I love Citi right now ONLY because I recently (for the first time) passed their hurdle and got instant approval. I'm very sure that had I not, there would be no luck in the recon process. I merely got lucky.
On the other hand, I just went through nearly the same thing you described, except with Chase.
So - each of them is as bad as the other. You win some and lose some. Sorry you got shuttled down the wrong chute. I think maybe the only reason I skated through is that I had exactly 2 inquiries on my EX report at the time of application (not anymore, thanks to Chase! 
) And why did I get snagged by Chase? Who knows... they can come up with one bogus reason after another, but if they don't want to give me credit, they won't. That's how it is with both companies (and plenty of other companies, I'm sure.)
@RyVision wrote:That's rather true. I think all big banks have their bad moments. Maybe at times it's who originates and then handles an account. BoA goes back and forth (at least I can give them that, they have their "box of chocolates" moments). Citi, I'm no longer impressed with. Years ago they were great, I think when they tried to grow so fast (too fast) is when they went "iffy" and now if you're "new" to them, it's like a cross between BoA and Cap 1. I think had we kept the old Citi accounts from years ago, we'd still like them too. Would I apply for them again now after knowing how they can be about new accounts? NOPE. And I wouldn't recommend anyone else do so either.
And I never thought I'd EVER recommend BoA over Citi (BoA is not my fav at all). I do think though everyone is better off with a CU now days. Lately I've been recommending, if banks come up in conversation, to look into a good CU. So far we really like the phone CSR's and the way they handle things with PenFed and NFCU (even though NFCU is new to us, the people on the phone are amazing compared to the average big bank CSR).
And really, when should a decent, or any, customer ever be "scorned"? In my knowledge of the business world we consider that to be the result of poor CS. And that often results in a company (big or small) trying to grow\expand too fast. Both BoA and Citi wanted to be "the bank of the everything to the world" and they found out what all biz owners find out, expand too fast and you'll trip and possibly land on your face, iffy CS is the first sign usually.
The last line of your post is sort of saying "take your chances where others have had iffy results, you might just get lucky".
To me, and anyone with an understanding of marketing, demographics and knowing one's clients. Offering a previous customer a 21 month 0% promotion with a code to accept, knowing their score, history etc only to give them something they can't really use, is a near bait and switch tactic as far as the CC industry goes.
So how does one handle a bank like Citi that pulls that kind of baloney? Keep a somewhat high balance on the card, pay double the min just before the due date, locking up as much money of theirs as possible at 0% right up to 20th month. No way will I play a game with them hoping they'll be "nice" to me. And then proceed to warn others about what they can possibly expect from that company so they don't fall for it.
Actually, that's not what I meant at all. What I meant was we're all adults and you have to take other people's experiences with a grain of salt. When making a decision, i.e. where to bank or where to apply for a credit card, you have to look at ALL aspects, both positive and negative, of financial institutions. I have had accounts with BOA, Citi, a local bank, and a credit union. As much as I hate BOA, I've had even worse experiences with two separate credit unions. So does that mean I log on to the boards and bash credit unions every single time they're mentioned? No, I don't. My experience with CUs has been even WORSE service than with big banks. My terrible CS experiences were in person at two different credit unions about 7 years apart. That isn't a coincedence. That just seems to be pretty standard with CUs. But once again, if someone wants to sing praises of CUs I let them go right ahead. So you will not see me on here praising CUs ever. I just wanted to mention that Citi isn't all that bad. I'm not endorsing them by any means, just trying to present them in a positive light based on my experiences. But I guess that's not acceptable because you're P.O.ed that you didn't get a ridiculous CL from Citi.
@frogfan12 wrote:
@RyVision wrote:That's rather true. I think all big banks have their bad moments. Maybe at times it's who originates and then handles an account. BoA goes back and forth (at least I can give them that, they have their "box of chocolates" moments). Citi, I'm no longer impressed with. Years ago they were great, I think when they tried to grow so fast (too fast) is when they went "iffy" and now if you're "new" to them, it's like a cross between BoA and Cap 1. I think had we kept the old Citi accounts from years ago, we'd still like them too. Would I apply for them again now after knowing how they can be about new accounts? NOPE. And I wouldn't recommend anyone else do so either.
And I never thought I'd EVER recommend BoA over Citi (BoA is not my fav at all). I do think though everyone is better off with a CU now days. Lately I've been recommending, if banks come up in conversation, to look into a good CU. So far we really like the phone CSR's and the way they handle things with PenFed and NFCU (even though NFCU is new to us, the people on the phone are amazing compared to the average big bank CSR).
And really, when should a decent, or any, customer ever be "scorned"? In my knowledge of the business world we consider that to be the result of poor CS. And that often results in a company (big or small) trying to grow\expand too fast. Both BoA and Citi wanted to be "the bank of the everything to the world" and they found out what all biz owners find out, expand too fast and you'll trip and possibly land on your face, iffy CS is the first sign usually.
The last line of your post is sort of saying "take your chances where others have had iffy results, you might just get lucky".
To me, and anyone with an understanding of marketing, demographics and knowing one's clients. Offering a previous customer a 21 month 0% promotion with a code to accept, knowing their score, history etc only to give them something they can't really use, is a near bait and switch tactic as far as the CC industry goes.
So how does one handle a bank like Citi that pulls that kind of baloney? Keep a somewhat high balance on the card, pay double the min just before the due date, locking up as much money of theirs as possible at 0% right up to 20th month. No way will I play a game with them hoping they'll be "nice" to me. And then proceed to warn others about what they can possibly expect from that company so they don't fall for it.
Actually, that's not what I meant at all. What I meant was we're all adults and you have to take other people's experiences with a grain of salt. When making a decision, i.e. where to bank or where to apply for a credit card, you have to look at ALL aspects, both positive and negative, of financial institutions. I have had accounts with BOA, Citi, a local bank, and a credit union. As much as I hate BOA, I've had even worse experiences with two separate credit unions. So does that mean I log on to the boards and bash credit unions every single time they're mentioned? No, I don't. My experience with CUs has been even WORSE service than with big banks. My terrible CS experiences were in person at two different credit unions about 7 years apart. That isn't a coincedence. That just seems to be pretty standard with CUs. But once again, if someone wants to sing praises of CUs I let them go right ahead. So you will not see me on here praising CUs ever. I just wanted to mention that Citi isn't all that bad. I'm not endorsing them by any means, just trying to present them in a positive light based on my experiences. But I guess that's not acceptable because you're P.O.ed that you didn't get a ridiculous CL from Citi.
Yes, we do all have to take the opinions of others with a grain of salt. Also, look at those opinions or reviews from our own perspective, as in "how does that compare to my situation?".
I'm not "P.O.ed" about not getting a "ridiculous CL from Citi, I'm "P.O.'d" that they sent an invite, with a code, to a previous customer with 5 figure limits, already knowing their current score and implying they were offering a great 21 month "deal" on 0%, only to have never meant that at all. This was not a "cold call in app" it was an offer from them that was out of line considering previous history. If you ran a business you'd understand my perspective in knowing what you're marketing to whom. Even Cap 1 knows better than to waste time mailing offers to people carrying a Centurion only to approve them for a subprime later.
Frankly, if enough people come out my favorite restaurant and puke after eating that days special, I'm not going to have the special if I eat there that day. If I had heard horrible reviews on the CU's we joined, we wouldn't have joined. Citi can be as iffy as it wants to be, but it's only fair others know even a past history a good score and perfect report along with an invite from Citi doesn't mean they'll live up to their offer. They're now a weak company (look up their stats) with failing marketing and CS to prove it. Simple as that. They are now a spin of the wheel and it's best that people know that.
And you said what you meant with that last line or you wouldn't be here reading REVIEWS of others experiences and insight only to feel offended that someone called you on your "bottom line" and you didn't like another's opinion. Your bottom line: """The bottom line of my post is you have to base your perception of a company like Citi based on your own experiences rather than those of others who have been scorned."" Is like saying "others opinions are meaningless, so go find out for yourself."
This: """Actually, that's not what I meant at all. What I meant was we're all adults and you have to take other people's experiences with a grain of salt. When making a decision, i.e. where to bank or where to apply for a credit card, you have to look at ALL aspects, both positive and negative, of financial institutions. I have had accounts with BOA, Citi, a local bank, and a credit union. As much as I hate BOA, I've had even worse experiences with two separate credit unions. So does that mean I log on to the boards and bash credit unions every single time they're mentioned? No, I don't. My experience with CUs has been even WORSE service than with big banks.""
I can actually accept (the part in bold would have made a much better bottom line verses the one in the previous post), you shared your experience. You may not have reviewed anything about a specific CU, of the 2 you tried but you gave info, even admitting hating BOA a bit (though without a reason why). I clearly stated the reason behind my opinion of Citi when it came to ONE type of offer for others to understand, that does not mean EVERYONE will have a bad experience with Citi (or ALL big banks, seeing as you generalized my comment to that degree). It's a targeted opionion about a specific issue, not about their response to each and every application, invite or not etc etc. I hope I cleared that up.
I'm playing nice...I just had to say my piece. I'm done. 
I would like to apologize to the OP for the crazy turn this thread has taken. My only intent in posting on this thread was to give my 2 cents, not to engage in a dialogue with other posters. And in response to Ryvision's latest post, I have mentioned in other places throughout the myFICO forum why I dislike BOA. This thread was not about BOA, but rather Citi, so I chose to share my experiences with Citi and calling in regarding an application.
While I may not be a business person, I am an educator and I instruct my students to argue and write coherently. Because I like to practice what I preach to my students, I chose to ignore your inferences that I know nothing about business. Actually, I know quite a few businessowners personally. While I may not be extremely business saavy, I do have a concept of acceptable customer service standards and what makes good business. Like I previously mentioned, the OP wanted to know about phoning in post Citi app, so that is the experience I shared.
Thank you and good evening.
@frogfan12 wrote:I'm playing nice...I just had to say my piece. I'm done.
And I'm fine with that, and that you have a good relationship with Citi with more than one product as well. And my post wasn't meant to offend you (neither of them), only relate an experience with Citi on one product offer.
Now I just have to hope Citi doesn't surprise us with some huge CLI causing me to come back and inform everyone of it on every post I've mentioned them in! 
And if a CU I've praised does something really unusual, I'll be here letting others know it too.