Citi Bank is awful

[Anonymous]

Maybe I am just having a bad day, but after getting the dreaded we will contact you in 10 days I get a letter telling me to call.  I call the number and the CSR is verifying the info.  Asking what state did you apply from to which I said I use a VPN (I live overseas but have a US address I use for my other cards) and it was callifornia where the server is located.  Asks for the Phone number which I have him and it's a Skype number that I also use for other cards. Asks for SSN which I have him and the mailing address. Then he says we will be in contact in 5-7 days to which I just said cancel my application.  I'm not gonna jump through hoops for a diamond preferred card.  I've got a 784 EQ that they pulled and the other scores are 744 and 728.  I think I am not going to to apply for citi ever again.  I'll stick with chase and apply for the Sapphire preferred in the fall.  I have the freedom flex that was instantly approved a few months ago (I've banked with them for 13 years).l and go for an Amex when I move home next spring.  

rant over.  Sorry

[FinStar]

It's unfortunate the application outcome didn't turn out as you had expected.

That said, every FI has their own sophisticated methods to verify your identity (per KYC protocols), especially if you're a potential new Citi customer.  Given that you used a VPN (regardless where the server resides) + Skype, likely raised some flags.  This isn't to say it wasn't you, but given the number of fraud instances globally, they were simply doing their own due-diligence to make sure it was you who legitimately applied, that's all.  

[Brian_Earl_Spilner]

I'm not a fan of citi, but I agree with fin, there was nothing wrong with what they did. If someone had an opened an account fraudulently in your name I'm sure you would be pretty ticked if they hadn't done their due diligence.

[coldfusion]

Citi is one of the more outwardly aggressive lenders with regard to potential fraud and your making a deliberate effort to obfuscate your location set off red flags.  It can get to the point at times where their diligence can be a nuisance and for other reasons some people would agree with your premise that Citi is awful, but in this instance it's more that you outsmarted yourself a bit by taking basically the same steps that a two-bit fraudster would try to take when you applied for the card.    

You walked and quacked like a duck so they're going to fact-check your claim that you're a chicken.

[Gmood1]

10+ for Fin!

I app right here in the US and have multiple accounts with Citi. Guess what, they still take me through the same interrogation. 

Once complete, the analyst says "congrats" you've been approved for blah blah blah. 

I do tell them while in the conversation, I know @FinStar . That seems to push things along. 

Don't let those interrogations detour you. You may actually have been approved. Citi is the only major lender I'm with, that has never denied me a tradeline.

[Remedios]

Why is Citi awful when you had that exact same situation here  but Amex wasn't awful?

[LakeLife]

Sorry, but I don't consider it awful that they are careful with doling out credit.  Sorry about the outcome for you, but I can understand their position in your case. I also think they would have worked with you with a little persistence on your end. You are a in a unique position.

Security and identity theft has nothing to do with FICO scores.

[Anonymous]

I was mainly venting my frustration at apping from overseas.  I completely understand the need for security and am happy they do their due diligence and they may have approved me.  But chances are the next thing they would have asked for is a valid ID and 9 times out of 10 passports won't work.  I don't have a valid DL since I've been overseas for 7 years and mine expired in July 2019. The pandemic made it impossible for me to get home and renew and hindsight 20/20.  I am sure Citi is a wonderful company I'm just frustrated is all.  I can sit tight with the cards I have and get another chase card in the fall.  

[Horseshoez]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I was mainly venting my frustration at apping from overseas.  I completely understand the need for security and am happy they do their due diligence and they may have approved me.  But chances are the next thing they would have asked for is a valid ID and 9 times out of 10 passports won't work.  I don't have a valid DL since I've been overseas for 7 years and mine expired in July 2019. The pandemic made it impossible for me to get home and renew and hindsight 20/20.  I am sure Citi is a wonderful company I'm just frustrated is all.  I can sit tight with the cards I have and get another chase card in the fall.  

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I work for a large financial institution (not banking or credit) and even those of us who are not customer facing are required to go through semi-annual fraud training; pretty much everything you did triggered red flags.  As has already been stated, had you actually been a fraudster and had Citi granted the card, you'd have been pretty upset.  

[Remedios]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I was mainly venting my frustration at apping from overseas.  I completely understand the need for security and am happy they do their due diligence and they may have approved me.  But chances are the next thing they would have asked for is a valid ID and 9 times out of 10 passports won't work.  I don't have a valid DL since I've been overseas for 7 years and mine expired in July 2019. The pandemic made it impossible for me to get home and renew and hindsight 20/20.  I am sure Citi is a wonderful company I'm just frustrated is all.  I can sit tight with the cards I have and get another chase card in the fall.  

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One of my card apps for becu triggered fraud because I used my son's computer and, yup VPN.

I had to physically walk into the branch not to complete the application, but for them to release freeze on all accounts. 

I didn't like it one bit, but in the end, they were protecting my accounts, it wasn't an attempt to inconvenience me.

At that time, I was a customer for 10 years or longer, and phone call wasn't sufficient. 

I'm not so sure you should have cancelled your application. While expired ID and password typically aren't acceptable, due to pandemic an exception could have been made if they were able to see both documents,along with ss card and proof of residence for both domestic and foreign address. 

My mom is resident alien, and it worked for her even though her green card expired and she cannot make it to embassy right now.