Call from Citi asking me about GC purchases :/
Jan 23, 2018, 10:23 am
#1
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 465
Call from Citi asking me about GC purchases :/
Got a call from Citi asking about my gift card purchases and specifically asking if I was trying to gain rewards. The lady was super nice and said not to worry as this is just to make sure you are doing this activity etc. She verified income and asked other questions she was clearly reading from. But I know better and this could be a precursor to a shut down. Have been with Citi for 15 yrs and value this relationship. Phone number was 1855 688 0555, call lasted 5 minutes.
Anyone know if this is the kiss of death?
Anyone know if this is the kiss of death?
Jan 23, 2018, 11:19 am
#4
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 910
Which Citi card was this about? What's this card's history has been in the last year or so, like mostly gift card purchases or also organic spend? Do you use other Citi cards to by gift cards or do you churn (open and close soon after) Citi cards for AA miles?
If I had gotten the call I'd probably tried to get a number to call them back on the pretense I was busy at the moment, then find out if that particular store reports Level 3 data to banks (mute point if it is GC or GCM). If they don't, I wouldn't admit to buying gift cards, admitting that probably ups the chances of a shut down.
If I had gotten the call I'd probably tried to get a number to call them back on the pretense I was busy at the moment, then find out if that particular store reports Level 3 data to banks (mute point if it is GC or GCM). If they don't, I wouldn't admit to buying gift cards, admitting that probably ups the chances of a shut down.
Jan 23, 2018, 11:20 am
#5
Join Date: Dec 2008
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Also could you give some sort of idea of what volume per month, even if only a ballpark. Clearly $5k pm is going to attract different attention than $50k pm
Jan 23, 2018, 11:24 am
#6
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: Marriott/SPG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 887
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.
Last edited by ElPresidente; Jan 23, 2018 at 11:30 am
Jan 23, 2018, 12:35 pm
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Jan 23, 2018, 1:20 pm
#12
Join Date: Nov 2013
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Jan 23, 2018, 1:23 pm
#13
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 116
Got a call from Citi asking about my gift card purchases and specifically asking if I was trying to gain rewards. The lady was super nice and said not to worry as this is just to make sure you are doing this activity etc. She verified income and asked other questions she was clearly reading from. But I know better and this could be a precursor to a shut down. Have been with Citi for 15 yrs and value this relationship. Phone number was 1855 688 0555, call lasted 5 minutes.
Anyone know if this is the kiss of death?
Anyone know if this is the kiss of death?
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 ^
Last edited by ChrisFlyer66; Mar 24, 2019 at 10:33 pm Reason: profane
Jan 23, 2018, 1:31 pm
#14
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 465
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 ^
Last edited by ChrisFlyer66; Mar 24, 2019 at 10:33 pm Reason: quoted profanit
Jan 23, 2018, 1:42 pm
#15
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: USA
Posts: 78
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 ^
Last edited by ChrisFlyer66; Mar 24, 2019 at 10:34 pm Reason: quoted profanity