What a fiasco. I made the hugest mistake of applying for their Forward STUDENT card the other day and got the 7-10 day message. I called in the next day to check my status and nobody could locate my application. I called every single number I could find, I chatted, I did everything and they all said they couldn't find any record of my application.
I even got into with one lady who said that the application must not have went through so I should reapply then I explained to her that Citi pulled my TU and she said no that's not possible. I said YES it is, I was alerted, ironically enough, via my CITI Identity Monitor that my report was pulled. She then basically said I was SOL and had to now dispute it with TransUnion. Then I called TU and they said they needed at letter from Citi stating that the pull was a mistake, as well as a copy of my report with the INQ in question marked and blah blah blah. So I finally as a last-ditch effort called one last time and this lady managed to find my card in a "different system." *rolls eyes*
Anyway she said that it was still being processed and a decision had not been reached to call back tomorrow. So I called back just now and spoke with another unhelpful rep whom I could barely understand who took nearly 15 minutes to locate my application, then told me I had been denied for too many recent inquiries. I asked how many was too many "oh we can't tell you that." I asked what they considered to be "recent" inquiries, oh I can't tell you that either. BULL. So then as she's blabbering on with her script-reading she suddenly says "why didn't you apply for the student version?" I was like, uh, I did. She said "no, you applied for the regular version. There's a lighter requirement for the student version, you should apply for that one, but it will be another inquiry." UHH **bleep**?? You tell me I'm denied because of too many inquiries, and your suggestion is to apply AGAIN for a different version of the card? Are you kidding me right now?
First off, she was either a complete imbecile or lying through her teeth as I am absolutely 1,000% sure I applied for the student version as I specifically remember going to "student cards" and applying for the Forward, entering in all my school information and all that. So then I ask why can't they just use the report they pulled for the (allegedly) regular Forward and use it for the Student? Or just change my application. Oh we can't do that either, you have to reapply. I ask to speak with an underwriter, oh you can only contact them by mail. "They don't have phones" <--- she LITERALLY said that to me. After that I hung up before I starting saying some very hateful things.
So anyway, off the soapbox, does anyone have any suggestions on what to do next, or know/recommend a certain number I should call?
These last few days have just amazed me. I'm shocked that I've never had this horrid service with my current card (knock on wood) because literally every person I talked to was a bumbling fool.
Actually, I take that back. The retention number I called I actually got a very nice lady who politely said she couldn't do anything because it wasn't her department. I'm thinking of calling that number again and begging the person to help me or at least transfer me to someone past the customer service drones.
/rant
**See page three for final outcome**
I wish I could help. You have my sympathies! I can totally understand your frustration. I've been there, too. Sometimes I get off the phone and just scream at the top of my lungs. 
I would probably go through all of the backdoor sticky numbers and see if any of them could help. Hopefully someone here will have some words of wisdom for you. 
PM sent.
@bichonmom wrote:I wish I could help. You have my sympathies! I can totally understand your frustration. I've been there, too. Sometimes I get off the phone and just scream at the top of my lungs.
I would probably go through all of the backdoor sticky numbers and see if any of them could help. Hopefully someone here will have some words of wisdom for you.
I literally couldn't do anything but shake my head. I mean...it's not bad enough that you tell me to apply for another card after you informed me I was just denied for too many inquiries, but then you tell me your underwriters can only be reached by mail and don't have phones!?! What are they, locked in windowless dungeon or something? You've gotta be bleepin' kidding me.
I need to woosa or something.
@FloridaState12 wrote:What a fiasco. I made the hugest mistake of applying for their Forward STUDENT card the other day and got the 7-10 day message. I called in the next day to check my status and nobody could locate my application. I called every single number I could find, I chatted, I did everything and they all said they couldn't find any record of my application.
I even got into with one lady who said that the application must not have went through so I should reapply then I explained to her that Citi pulled my TU and she said no that's not possible. I said YES it is, I was alerted, ironically enough, via my CITI Identity Monitor that my report was pulled. She then basically said I was SOL and had to now dispute it with TransUnion. Then I called TU and they said they needed at letter from Citi stating that the pull was a mistake, as well as a copy of my report with the INQ in question marked and blah blah blah. So I finally as a last-ditch effort called one last time and this lady managed to find my card in a "different system." *rolls eyes*
Anyway she said that it was still being processed and a decision had not been reached to call back tomorrow. So I called back just now and spoke with another unhelpful rep whom I could barely understand who took nearly 15 minutes to locate my application, then told me I had been denied for too many recent inquiries. I asked how many was too many "oh we can't tell you that." I asked what they considered to be "recent" inquiries, oh I can't tell you that either. BULL. So then as she's blabbering on with her script-reading she suddenly says "why didn't you apply for the student version?" I was like, uh, I did. She said "no, you applied for the regular version. There's a lighter requirement for the student version, you should apply for that one, but it will be another inquiry." UHH **bleep**?? You tell me I'm denied because of too many inquiries, and your suggestion is to apply AGAIN for a different version of the card? Are you kidding me right now?
First off, she was either a complete imbecile or lying through her teeth as I am absolutely 1,000% sure I applied for the student version as I specifically remember going to "student cards" and applying for the Forward, entering in all my school information and all that. So then I ask why can't they just use the report they pulled for the (allegedly) regular Forward and use it for the Student? Or just change my application. Oh we can't do that either, you have to reapply. I ask to speak with an underwriter, oh you can only contact them by mail. "They don't have phones" <--- she LITERALLY said that to me. After that I hung up before I starting saying some very hateful things.
So anyway, off the soapbox, does anyone have any suggestions on what to do next, or know/recommend a certain number I should call?
These last few days have just amazed me. I'm shocked that I've never had this horrid service with my current card (knock on wood) because literally every person I talked to was a bumbling fool.
Actually, I take that back. The retention number I called I actually got a very nice lady who politely said she couldn't do anything because it wasn't her department. I'm thinking of calling that number again and begging the person to help me or at least transfer me to someone past the customer service drones.
/rant
1. She was most likely both. And 2. Not surprised!
Ummmm.... Welcome to Citi, kind of?
Well, if nothing else we found out where Capital One CSRs go when they get fired....
Now that I somewhat shared my opinion of Citi.....
I have to add that I think your idea of calling the rentention number again is most likely your best bet. ESP if you already have a card with them. Just my 2 cents.
@RyVision wrote:1. She was most likely both. And 2. Not surprised!
Ummmm.... Welcome to Citi, kind of?
Yeah I wouldn't doubt she was both. I knew as soon as she answered I wasn't going to get anywhere...I never do with foreign call centers. They're always just the frontline customer service robots who can't and/or won't do anything helpful. But for some reason, I foolishly held out hope.
I'm really surprised as I didn't have any problems when I applied for my first Citi card. I applied, they said they needed more information, a chat window popped up, I verified a few pieces of info and got approved for my highest CL to date. It was a breeze. This experience turned out to be the polar opposite.
@RyVision wrote:Now that I somewhat shared my opinion of Citi.....
I have to add that I think your idea of calling the rentention number again is most likely your best bet. ESP if you already have a card with them. Just my 2 cents.
That is true. I could say something along the lines of "with the hellish service I've been enduring these past few days, I'm contemplating closing my existing account. I don't want to do business with a bank this incompetent."
Even though i would never close that account as it's my highest CL and I actually really do like the card. The main reason I applied was hoping I'd get another good card with a fat CL. 