Call from Citi asking me about GC purchases :/
Jan 23, 2018, 2:26 pm
#16
Join Date: Oct 2017
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Jan 23, 2018, 2:58 pm
#17
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Moreland Hills (CLE)
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Posts: 5,521
Know folks that have been shut down.
"Cycling" more than the credit line per month probably sets off some sort of "alarm".
ALSO:
One thing that could also trigger someone looking at your account(s) is if you log in frequently.
(It is a cybersecurity concern/trip wire.)
Not sure what "frequently" means, but more than once a day is probably too much.
"Cycling" more than the credit line per month probably sets off some sort of "alarm".
ALSO:
One thing that could also trigger someone looking at your account(s) is if you log in frequently.
(It is a cybersecurity concern/trip wire.)
Not sure what "frequently" means, but more than once a day is probably too much.
Jan 23, 2018, 5:15 pm
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,762
Had that call last summer, super nice friendly lady asking me the same and telling me the same, there is no problem sir, we just are making sure everything is fine bla, bla, bla, stopped MS for around 3 months and in Nov 2017 after my first GC purchase i got shutdown, the good thing is that it was few days after the statement cut so my points went to my AA account before i got shutdown, lost over $200 in my Costco visa card though.
Sorry to say but you are shutdown, if you value your relationship with ------ bank stop all MS for good or you will be shutdown after your first GC purchase.
Hope this help ^
Sorry to say but you are shutdown, if you value your relationship with ------ bank stop all MS for good or you will be shutdown after your first GC purchase.
Hope this help ^
Was it a TYP card?
From the past reading Citi cares more about the double cash, and then the TYP cards but tend to leave the AA cards alone.
Last edited by ChrisFlyer66; Mar 24, 2019 at 10:34 pm Reason: remove profanity from quote
Jan 23, 2018, 5:36 pm
#20
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 116
AA, i was asked for the SM purchases, was doing 10k on a 15k CL at that time, Costco was 99% organic spend and 1% GC for the 4% CB, i stopped doing it couple of months before got shutdown because it was hard for me to find a gas station that sell GCs with credit card so i stopped doing it.
Jan 23, 2018, 5:46 pm
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
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AA, i was asked for the SM purchases, was doing 10k on a 15k CL at that time, Costco was 99% organic spend and 1% GC for the 4% CB, i stopped doing it couple of months before got shutdown because it was hard for me to find a gas station that sell GCs with credit card so i stopped doing it.
This is the first time I read about shut down due to MS on AA card. Seems always involving the CB or TYPs.
You might fare a lot better had you done the ms on the SPG card - would get you 1.25x or even better going thru Marriott travel package redemption. amex does not seem to care if it is regular spend. Their transaction fee earning is far more than the 1% earning you get on the SPG.
I also suspect that the first GC bought after 3 months hiatus does not trigger the shut down. The shutdown would come regardless once you got that call. At least now Citi calls so people have enough time to empty out their TYPs and may stop spending on any reward earning cards.
Last edited by Happy; Jan 23, 2018 at 6:05 pm
Jan 23, 2018, 7:15 pm
#23
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AMEX does not reward sign up bonus on SM spend but does not seem to care on regular earning.
Jan 23, 2018, 7:36 pm
#24
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Jan 24, 2018, 7:18 am
#26
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 615
How long did the SM purchases continue before you got the call? Did you do the 10k amount each transaction like in easily recognized amount?
This is the first time I read about shut down due to MS on AA card. Seems always involving the CB or TYPs.
You might fare a lot better had you done the ms on the SPG card - would get you 1.25x or even better going thru Marriott travel package redemption. amex does not seem to care if it is regular spend. Their transaction fee earning is far more than the 1% earning you get on the SPG.
I also suspect that the first GC bought after 3 months hiatus does not trigger the shut down. The shutdown would come regardless once you got that call. At least now Citi calls so people have enough time to empty out their TYPs and may stop spending on any reward earning cards.
This is the first time I read about shut down due to MS on AA card. Seems always involving the CB or TYPs.
You might fare a lot better had you done the ms on the SPG card - would get you 1.25x or even better going thru Marriott travel package redemption. amex does not seem to care if it is regular spend. Their transaction fee earning is far more than the 1% earning you get on the SPG.
I also suspect that the first GC bought after 3 months hiatus does not trigger the shut down. The shutdown would come regardless once you got that call. At least now Citi calls so people have enough time to empty out their TYPs and may stop spending on any reward earning cards.
Regarding AMEX, yeah, they seem to be more strict with bonus spend (RAT) but still curious if shut downs ever happen on charge card MS on bonus cats.
Jan 24, 2018, 7:45 am
#27
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,207
What exactly did you say back to the agent?
I got a call from Chase a while back about purchasing patterns. Turned out to be a pro-forma thing they were doing for people who might be buying gift cards for business purposes, just a regulatory compliance set of checkboxes. Bored agent asking questions, I gave them the answers they wanted to hear, and that was the end of it. Agents just want to move on to to next call and hit their quota. Don't think they get a BONUS for shutting you down. If it's stores that report L3, say you buy GC and do X with them.. Company bonusses, charity, whatever. Give them a happy ending, you'll get one too.
I got a call from Chase a while back about purchasing patterns. Turned out to be a pro-forma thing they were doing for people who might be buying gift cards for business purposes, just a regulatory compliance set of checkboxes. Bored agent asking questions, I gave them the answers they wanted to hear, and that was the end of it. Agents just want to move on to to next call and hit their quota. Don't think they get a BONUS for shutting you down. If it's stores that report L3, say you buy GC and do X with them.. Company bonusses, charity, whatever. Give them a happy ending, you'll get one too.
Jan 24, 2018, 7:45 am
#28
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
Likely they will shut down the credit card accounts of any authorized users, even if they never used their card. And they will shut down any other bank account and credit accounts the authorized users (or household members sharing the same address) have that are independent of you.
Jan 24, 2018, 8:24 am
#29
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
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That is why the AA card shut down is odd, unless Citi does not make any money even on the 1x card due to they overpaid for AA miles. Possible.
Jan 24, 2018, 8:58 am
#30
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: Continental Onepass, Hilton, Marriott, USAir and now UA
Posts: 6,440
I am surprised that you were even able to use the Citi AA card at SM to buy $10K worth of cards. I have been forever stymied by Citi denying my GC charges at SM (and I am talking as little as $3000!!). Citi declines the transaction and makes me call them to release the account which they do, but SM has the 24 hour rule where you cannot use a declined card for a subsequent purchase for the next 24 hours.
Citi will let me use their card for buying $400 worth of VGCs at Staples or Office Max and I suspect if I purchased $500 of SMGCs I would be okay, but it's easier just to use someone else's card.
Citi will let me use their card for buying $400 worth of VGCs at Staples or Office Max and I suspect if I purchased $500 of SMGCs I would be okay, but it's easier just to use someone else's card.