Citi data breach compensation offers & discussion
Jun 9, 2011, 3:57 pm
#1
In memoriam
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 4,020
Citi data breach compensation offers & discussion
Due to recently announced hacking into Citi's credit card account info it appears that they have a new offer for folks who call to cancel due to fear of hacking (and, by the way, IMHO, all Citi card holders are now at severe risk of spamming and spear fishing scams due to the breach whether you close acct or not).
The offer of today was $85 statement credit after five purchases in next three months or 3K AA miles AND free ID Guard program for six months with no auto renew after six months.
Not bad, except for the personal info theft matter. Why don't they secure their computers? (Rhetorical question-we know why, competence and cost, lack of legal penalties for allowing info theft).
The offer of today was $85 statement credit after five purchases in next three months or 3K AA miles AND free ID Guard program for six months with no auto renew after six months.
Not bad, except for the personal info theft matter. Why don't they secure their computers? (Rhetorical question-we know why, competence and cost, lack of legal penalties for allowing info theft).
Jun 9, 2011, 7:04 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: S Cal
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat, United Silver, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 1,142
Citi's phones are probably ringing off the hook after the news report earlier today that several hundred thousand accounts were compromised.
I've got both a personal and a business Citicard. I've been thinking of closing the biz card before the annual fee hits in the fall. (I use the personal card and rarely use the business card.) So I called and was transferred to a CSR.
The Citi rep told me the following:
- 1% of Citicard accounts were compromised
- if your account was compromised, Citi will contact you via email and/or letter
- Citi does know which accounts were compromised. The rep was able to tell me on the phone that my accounts are still secure.
- I was offered either 2500 bonus miles to keep my biz card or a $75 statement credit if I spend $5K in the next 6 months. I took the 2500 miles and will decide in a few months whether to keep this account open or to close it.
- There are other, different offers for those customers whose accounts were compromised
I've got both a personal and a business Citicard. I've been thinking of closing the biz card before the annual fee hits in the fall. (I use the personal card and rarely use the business card.) So I called and was transferred to a CSR.
The Citi rep told me the following:
- 1% of Citicard accounts were compromised
- if your account was compromised, Citi will contact you via email and/or letter
- Citi does know which accounts were compromised. The rep was able to tell me on the phone that my accounts are still secure.
- I was offered either 2500 bonus miles to keep my biz card or a $75 statement credit if I spend $5K in the next 6 months. I took the 2500 miles and will decide in a few months whether to keep this account open or to close it.
- There are other, different offers for those customers whose accounts were compromised
Jun 9, 2011, 7:33 pm
#3
In memoriam
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 4,020
Jun 9, 2011, 11:12 pm
#4
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: S Cal
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat, United Silver, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 1,142
When my wife got home, we called Citi about her accounts. She has a total of 3 Citicards (and I have 2). The CSR informed us that 2 of her accounts were secure but one had been compromised. The CSR said that there would be a message in the compromised account if we went to the Citicards website. And the CSR proceeded to give my wife a code for IdentityGuard for 6 months.
Once we got off the phone with Citi, we signed in to all of our accounts at citicards.com one by one. When we signed into the account for the one card we were told was compromised, we very quickly reached a warning page informing us and telling us that a new card would be issued. We then signed on to all of our other cards, but there was no warning message for any of those we had been told were secure.
Citi is not perfect, but I will say that I have generally been pleased with their customer service when problems arise.
Jun 10, 2011, 1:10 am
#5
In memoriam
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 4,020
Sorry, bridge already sold ...
But, no matter what Citi says it is unlikely they really know what happened and what was taken and for which accounts.
I have worked on these matters before and, guess what, the corporation tries to present a best case situation, even if they don't have a clue.
Back on the retention topic, it appears that Citi is now offering any card holder who calls 180 days of ID Guard service which, among other things, lets you access credit scores and reports at no cost. Usually around 10-13 bucks a month.
But, no matter what Citi says it is unlikely they really know what happened and what was taken and for which accounts.
I have worked on these matters before and, guess what, the corporation tries to present a best case situation, even if they don't have a clue.
Back on the retention topic, it appears that Citi is now offering any card holder who calls 180 days of ID Guard service which, among other things, lets you access credit scores and reports at no cost. Usually around 10-13 bucks a month.
Jun 10, 2011, 5:17 pm
#8
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: SEA
Posts: 174
One more datapoint
Although my account wasn't in the 1%, I figured this would be as good a time as any to call about canceling, since my annual fee would be charged in about a month. Post-bonus, this was really a back-up card for me, maybe $100 spend/mo, so I'm not a big fish to them. But maybe they'd make me an offer to stay.
When I told the CS agent I wanted to cancel, he first told me that my account wasn't affected. When I insisted on canceling, he transferred me to the retention expert.
The more I said I wanted to quit, the more bennies she offered to get me to stay (pretty much the same ones listed above).
Since I do like the idea of keeping the card so I can keep my AA account fresh, I ultimately accepted:
$85 statement credit after 5 purchases in next 3 months (zeroes out the annual fee) and 6 months of Identity Guard.
I get the feeling that if they send you to the retention expert, you have a little negotiating power. I mentioned that, in addition to the security breach, the timing made sense for me to quit before my annual fee was due. That's when she offered the statement credit, which I accepted. Then I asked if I could also have the Identity Guard and she said yes.
They did seem eager not to lose this low-value customer. She put in quite the hard sell. All in all, I'm satisfied to have another year of the card without a fee.
When I told the CS agent I wanted to cancel, he first told me that my account wasn't affected. When I insisted on canceling, he transferred me to the retention expert.
The more I said I wanted to quit, the more bennies she offered to get me to stay (pretty much the same ones listed above).
Since I do like the idea of keeping the card so I can keep my AA account fresh, I ultimately accepted:
$85 statement credit after 5 purchases in next 3 months (zeroes out the annual fee) and 6 months of Identity Guard.
I get the feeling that if they send you to the retention expert, you have a little negotiating power. I mentioned that, in addition to the security breach, the timing made sense for me to quit before my annual fee was due. That's when she offered the statement credit, which I accepted. Then I asked if I could also have the Identity Guard and she said yes.
They did seem eager not to lose this low-value customer. She put in quite the hard sell. All in all, I'm satisfied to have another year of the card without a fee.
Jun 10, 2011, 6:22 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,854
This is getting a bit off-topic, but you may yet have to hand over the deed for that bridge.
When my wife got home, we called Citi about her accounts. She has a total of 3 Citicards (and I have 2). The CSR informed us that 2 of her accounts were secure but one had been compromised. The CSR said that there would be a message in the compromised account if we went to the Citicards website. And the CSR proceeded to give my wife a code for IdentityGuard for 6 months.
Once we got off the phone with Citi, we signed in to all of our accounts at citicards.com one by one. When we signed into the account for the one card we were told was compromised, we very quickly reached a warning page informing us and telling us that a new card would be issued. We then signed on to all of our other cards, but there was no warning message for any of those we had been told were secure.
Citi is not perfect, but I will say that I have generally been pleased with their customer service when problems arise.
When my wife got home, we called Citi about her accounts. She has a total of 3 Citicards (and I have 2). The CSR informed us that 2 of her accounts were secure but one had been compromised. The CSR said that there would be a message in the compromised account if we went to the Citicards website. And the CSR proceeded to give my wife a code for IdentityGuard for 6 months.
Once we got off the phone with Citi, we signed in to all of our accounts at citicards.com one by one. When we signed into the account for the one card we were told was compromised, we very quickly reached a warning page informing us and telling us that a new card would be issued. We then signed on to all of our other cards, but there was no warning message for any of those we had been told were secure.
Citi is not perfect, but I will say that I have generally been pleased with their customer service when problems arise.
It is so much more convenient to have all the accounts listed on one single page. I wish they can combine the business side with the personal side as well. The business card site is years BEHIND the personal card site in terms of easy to use and the real time reflection of activities.