Citibank's credit card 'Virtual Account Numbers': anyone having issues?
 

Hello,
I searched first but couldn't find an answer, I hope this is the correct forum to post in with this. Is anyone else having recent problems using the VAN generation app on the Citi website? I can't even download it. Yes, I tried everything and my computer/browers are compatible. After I accept the terms and click the 'download' icon, it just takes me back to the first VAN page.
I called Citi support and confirmed that my compter/browsers are up to spec. The friendly rep told me she'd look into it and would call me back. When she called me back she mentioned that some updates were done to the system and to wait 'about two weeks' and everything should be fine. :confused:
Does that make any sense?

There are 2 methods to use the VAN generator. I never download the software to my computer, simply use the Web-based application. Used it less than a week ago and no issue.

Are you saying it is the web-based application giving you problem?

I know Citi has trouble matching the actual billing with the authorization done by the merchants when I used virtual account numbers on 2 separate cards just a few weeks ago, despite the billing was correctly posted under the virtual account number, the authorizations never drop off. It took frustrating calls to Citi to have them dropped and CLs restored. (Otherwise Citi said it would take 30 days to make it auto-drop off!) It remains to be seen if the latest 3rd attempt would encounter same issue or the billing would be correctly matched with the authorization.

Thanks for the response. I didn't discover Citi's VAN feature until a few days ago. Since then I cannot get either the download for the app to initiate or the web-based version to work. Once I accept the terms and proceed to the next step, it just takes me back to the beginning. I emailed them last night as well and received a prompt response:

'Our programmers are working on the issue you reported and we expect to have it resolved soon.'

Is this acknowledgment of an issue or is it a boilerplate response? The issue is definitely not on my end. I even tried multiple computers to no avail.

Not boilerplate. They are aware of it and try to fix it. How long it takes is anybody's guess. Some upgrades went awry. At least this is not like Chase which online access was down for almost 2 full days a few weeks ago! Chase ultimately sent an apology email and said it would reimburse any fee for any late payments caused by website outage.

A week or so ago the site was down - unable to log in at all and kept return back to the log in page but there was no message displayed about website down. I finally called web support and they were aware the issue, told me to try several hours later or following morning.

Not to highjack the OP but does any one know if one can generate virtual accounts from Citi's amex version of card?

NO.

AMEX card does not have that ability - whether it is Citi's or AMEX AMEX.

I use the web based version and must disable the browser's pop-up blocker in order for the VAN generator window to appear.

You tried this recently and it worked? My blockers are are (and have been) all disabled.

I just checked - no issue to generate virtual account using web based version.

I should work at Citi CS...
 

Figured it out.
Apparently one cannot download the app or use the web-based VAN if one has an Amex product linked to the same profile containing a Visa/MC.
Thanks to all for the input.

Not true.

I just generated a Virtual Account used the web-based VAN for an MC which is in the SAME profile with an AMEX product.

I know AMEX card cannot be set as default card (the first card on the screen) in the past because it does not have Virtual Account ability. May be now the website allows you to set AMEX as default card, but because AMEX has no virtual account, so it prevents you to do so?

I first made sure that the non-Amex card was the default one and I still had problems. It wasn't until I decoupled the Amex that the app worked and was also able to download it as well.
Weird, but at least it has been resolved.

It is truly weird. You mean you have to delete the AMEX from your account profile before you can even use the Web-Based generator?

The only thing I could think of is, your AMEX Citicard is the First Citicard you got in your profile and so despite it is not set as a default account, it still has some behind the scene stuff to make it a pseudo default account in some coding, thus preventing you to get the generator.

No CSR at Citi would ever figure this out because it is most likely caused by programming glitch.

Otherwise it defies the experiences I have, i.e. AMEX / MC / VISA all co-exist in same profile. When using the generator, AMEX card number is NOT among the Select a Card screen because it does not have that ability.

Weird indeed. I don't remember which card I registered first, but all I know now is that I can finally crank out VANs. Finally!
A minor inconvenience, but I can live with it. Thank you for the input.

I'm having the same exact problem. I've had my Citi AMEX card canceled for over a year now, but it still shows up online. (It reflects its been canceled though) How exactly did you decouple the AMEX? Thank you in advance!