topic Re: [advice needed] approved then declined from Citi in Credit Card Applications

[advice needed] approved then declined from Citi

Anonymous — Fri, 07 Jul 2017 03:55:31 GMT

Hey everyone! I kind of ran into a pickle today, and am beyond annoyed, to say the least. So I figured I would make an account here and post to see what my next steps should be.

So my fico score is in the lower 700s, have a decent amount of credit cards with over $1500 credit limits.

Anyhoo, so i got a letter in the mail today from Citi, which was a pre-selected to apply for the Citi Double Cash card with a reference number and all of that. So i went to the website that the letter said, typed in the reference number and my last name, and applied. I've never had a Citi card before, and I had low hopes for getting approved, but surprisingly i got approved for a $500 credit limit. I was kinda shocked honestly, and started to fill out the steps of accepting paperless statements, and creating an online login. Halfway through doing that, it said the page was denied; which i thought was weird, but also my luck. So i gave it a few hours and tried to log in with the username and password, thinking it worked but just gave a weird error. It said my username didn't exist.. and i didn't want to waste an inquiry, so I called the number to track an application.

The automatic system asked for my SSN, but it couldn't find any application with it, and redirected me to a representative. NOW HERE IS WHERE THE ANGER PROTRUDES. The representative said I was declined. Like what. You wanna sa.. what. So i asked to speak to an account manager, and she was more useless than the representative, to be fair. She said their systems denied me because it couldn't verify my phone number, and that it was a system flaw. I tried explaining that I was originally approved though, and it asked me to verify my phone number, which i successfully did. All she would keep saying is sorry. She flat out said "I see you were approved for a $500 credit limit but our policy says if we can't verify the address which you live we can't give it to you."

Wait what. It was just my phone number. Granted, I have only lived here for a few months, but i offered to show utility bills, copies of anything they want; but again 'it doesn't fit their policy.'

So after 30 minutes on the phone with her, trying to understand how lousy their system can honestly be, and not offering any help, i was done, over it. After her just saying sorry, and admitting it was a system flaw, without offering ANY resolution, i'm at a stump. Do i call a backdoor number to try and get them to reconsider? Do I try to call back and speak above her? Do i just leave it alone?..

I usually accept declines, but when it's something like this.. its hard to. First the pre-selection letter, then the actual web page itself showing I was approved for $500, then somehow being declined..

Sorry for the long wall of text, i needed to rant, and some advice.

Thanks guys!

Re: [advice needed] approved then declined from Citi

jtw34240 — Thu, 06 Jul 2017 05:38:11 GMT

Call the executive office at Citi maybe they can push it through

Re: [advice needed] approved then declined from Citi

Anonymous — Thu, 06 Jul 2017 21:53:42 GMT

Welcome to the board and sorry to hear about this debacle. If you really want it after all this debacle then definately follow up with the executive office. Update the thread with final updates--

Re: [advice needed] approved then declined from Citi

Anonymous — Tue, 08 May 2018 19:13:27 GMT

Wondering what happened here.

Re: [advice needed] approved then declined from Citi

FinStar — Tue, 08 May 2018 19:18:59 GMT

Seems like the OP didn't return to update the thread on the outcome. Lots of them float around like orphaned threads 😉

Did you experience a similar situation? I noticed your DC was approved, though.

Re: [advice needed] approved then declined from Citi

Anonymous — Tue, 08 May 2018 19:25:04 GMT

I got the message of "congrats you're approved for $7.9k, materials and card will arrive in 7-10 days."

Seconds later, i got an email saying: Thank you for your interest in the card...we are reviewing application...will get back to you within 7-10 days. The link on the email to check the status says the same.

Re: [advice needed] approved then declined from Citi

FinStar — Tue, 08 May 2018 19:29:26 GMT

That's a pretty standard or generic response. I wouldn't worry about it. If it gives you the jitters, you can call the automated application status line in a day or so which should provide the updated status of your application.

Within the next few days, you should get an email that confirms the approval followed by a snail mail confirmation.

Re: [advice needed] approved then declined from Citi

Anonymous — Tue, 08 May 2018 19:36:58 GMT

Man!! i feel a little better now. Thought they got spooked because of the inquiries i have from today.

Re: [advice needed] approved then declined from Citi

Anonymous — Tue, 08 May 2018 22:39:05 GMT

Same thing happened to me I apped for citi dc and got a email saying I was approved then the next day I received another email saying I was declined about a week later the card came in with a limit of 800 and a year later it’s still at 800 been denied cli every month saying a cli is not eligible for this account guess I’m stuck

Re: [advice needed] approved then declined from Citi

FinStar — Tue, 08 May 2018 22:43:09 GMT

In your specific case, I'm wondering why the account appears to be restricted from any CLIs.

When you were initially declined, did they provide any reasons? Have you reached out to them and asked them why your account is not eligible for it?

Re: [advice needed] approved then declined from Citi

Anonymous — Tue, 08 May 2018 22:47:33 GMT

Got the card when my score was 660 prolly still in a low bucket now my scores are 720-706-695 Fico and cant buy a cli. Apped for these cards after citi I cant figure citi out not budging
Disco 8000
AMEX blue cash 5000
AMEX everyday card 5000
Amex delta gold 5000
Cap one quicksilver 2000
And a whopping 800 from **bleep**ibank

Re: [advice needed] approved then declined from Citi

Anonymous — Tue, 08 May 2018 22:49:48 GMT

Every time I call for cli I get the generic bs your not eligible please try again at a later time blah blah. On the 16th of this month is my anniversary if no cli it’s getting shredded

Re: [advice needed] approved then declined from Citi

FinStar — Wed, 09 May 2018 00:59:18 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Every time I call for cli I get the generic bs your not eligible please try again at a later time blah blah. On the 16th of this month is my anniversary if no cli it’s getting shredded

If it's not providing you the needed flexibility then it's likely "stuck" and perhaps time to part ways. Are you putting a lot of spend on it or do you typically do so with your other CCs?

Re: [advice needed] approved then declined from Citi

Anonymous — Wed, 09 May 2018 03:09:45 GMT

I charge 400 every month and pif and only use 20% of all my available credit monthly today I went to the cli page and it wants a hard pull all of a sudden 11 Months I’ve had the soft pull language since it opened now all of a sudden it’s a hard pull on my 12th month lol they can kick rocks

Re: [advice needed] approved then declined from Citi

Brian_Earl_Spilner — Wed, 09 May 2018 05:20:08 GMT

I ditched Vito after they pulled the same with me years ago. I might give them a try in the future, but I'm still salty. What pushed me over the edge was when I called the executive office and they told me they didn't care I was a loyal customer for 3 years, the numbers are the numbers and that was it. She straight up told me that we were just data points to them. Canceled my card after I let that fester for about a week.

Re: [advice needed] approved then declined from Citi

fuzzle — Wed, 09 May 2018 10:46:38 GMT

I had a similar experience trying to open a checking account: it's a bank too big to operate that should have been dimantled years ago, but the government stole our money to keep it going