Originally Posted by
bigshooter
I can also confirm it's their fraud department. You can usually get a $500-$1000 transaction to go through on first try with a new card. If you try to purchase a second round of cards or go any higher most likely a decline. Citi's fraud department can clear it up, but of course you're done for the day at Simon and need to go back the next day. I met min spend on 18+ cards through Simon starting early last year.
Just to clarify things
When my
AA World Elite card was being denied no matter what the amount of GC purchase ($500-4000), it was not a new card. It was several years old and had an average monthly spend of between $2-10K (mostly business related expenses). So the fraud department knew very well that the card was active and paid monthly.
I did give up at SM after numerous failed attempts at using the card for GC purchases and being told by the fraud department that all was copacetic (after the denial). No matter how I tried to forewarn them about the purchase, they still denied it. I even called before sending the charge through and getting the "all clear to go", and then trying to buy the cards and still got declined (as if it were an automatic event). I finally gave up.
So, I can say this. I did not use any other Citi card and have no experience with them in the above matter. If people say they work, then I believe them.
My card and accounts were not new, and were well seasoned and current. Most spending was organic business type charges.
My card did work at other venues, such as OM and OD (which is where I did use it for GC purchases).
I currently have no reason to use my AA card for anything other than business type expenses with AA, so until the new year, I will not be using it for MS related activties.