In this post, earlier this year, I wrote about how this seems to be the year for premium travel credit cards. Over the last few months we’ve seen two big players in the space refresh their premium credit cards. Chase started by making changes to the Sapphire Reserve, followed by Amex revamping the Platinum card as well. Citi launched their own premium credit card this year, the Citi Strata Elite card, with an annual fee of $595. However, it seems like many customers are having a tough time while using the card. What’s worse is that many of them are seeing transactions denied and their accounts locked.
Premium Credit Card Gone Wrong
As per the Wall Street Journal, it seems like many customers are having a torrid time with the Citi Strata Elite card. The common problem that many customers have reported goes like this. Customers use the card, then Citi locks it due to security reasons. Once it gets locked and they call CIti’s customer service, they’re asked to submit an income verification form from the IRS to get it unlocked.
Across the country, Citi Strata Elite customers say they have been locked out of their accounts for weeks, unable to make purchases or redeem rewards that cost an annual fee of $595. To unlock the cards and rewards, the bank is requiring customers to submit an income-verification form from the Internal Revenue Service.
Customer Stories
One customer based out of Texas signed up for the card and started using it for everyday purchases. All of a sudden, the card started getting declined. The Citi App notified him that he needed to send tax documents to Citi in order to get his account unlocked.
“For about a month after receiving his card, Collett used it for everyday purchases to reach that spending target. Then the card suddenly started getting declined. When he checked the Citi app, he saw an alert saying he needed to submit additional documentation. After mailing in the requested IRS form, he was told he wouldn’t be notified when his account status changed.
“It was a game of checking the app every day to see if I could finally use my card,” said Collett, who filed a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in September. “It was just ridiculous on their side.””
Another customer, Janice, was traveling abroad when her account was locked. Citi told her that six of her card accounts would be closed if she failed to send the IRS form in the next 30 days. She eventually had to book a last minute flight to fix the issue.
“Janice Lintz, 62, was abroad when she received notice that her six Citi accounts would be closed if the bank didn’t receive the IRS form within 30 days. The final days of what was supposed to be a retirement adventure turned into repeated calls with customer service.
Since she couldn’t get confirmation that Citi received the document despite spending $118 on courier fees, she decided to cut her trip short and resolve the issue from home, shelling out $600 for a last-minute flight to Washington, D.C.”
Citi’s Response
Citi’s response to customer complaints hasn’t been adequate. Also, they seem to be facing a lot of the same issues for years now.
In a written response to Collett’s complaint reviewed by the Journal, Citi said credit-card issuers can suspend or close accounts at their discretion.
So far, some cardholders say, Citi has declined to prorate the annual fee to account for the weeks they were unable to use their cards. They say the bank has also refused to extend the bonus window.
Citi has been dealing with deeper structural problems. Since 2020, regulators have pressed the bank to fix its operational systems, which remain poorly integrated after years of acquisitions.
My Experience
Unfortunately, I’m not at all surprised to read these stories. I have my own story with Citi as well. I’d signed up for the Citi Prestige Card right after it was launched. In 2017, I was in India for a work trip which got extended. I also had to travel to Singapore and then back to the US later. Since my trip was extended, I was looking to book a vacation by transferring by Citi points. My plan was to travel to Singapore for work and then fly to Koh Samui for a short vacation.
However, Citi’s system kept showing errors when I was trying to transfer my points. I called their customer service and told them about the issue. Citi’s rep told me that my US number was inactive to send a one time code. I told them that I’m happy to authenticate via email or send them my latest utility bill or photo ID copy to verify my name and address. That wasn’t enough. In the end, I transferred my Amex points to Singapore without any issue.
The Pundit’s Mantra
In contrast, I’ve used my Amex and Chase cards around the world with no issues whatsoever. In 2023, I spent a significant time in the UAE and India for work. I always used my Amex Platinum Card for booking flights and my Chase Sapphire Preferred card for dining and other purchases. I faced no issues whatsoever. I’ve traveled to 25 countries in the last 10 years and never has either Amex or Chase locked my card. Also, I’ve been able to transfer Chase and Amex points without any issues while being outside the US for extended periods of time due to work.
Citi wants to play in the premium credit card space with the likes of Amex and Chase. However, its clunky IT infrastructure and customer service will continue to be its achilles heel, until it is fixed. After my torrid experience back in 2017, I canceled all my Citi cards and haven’t signed up for a new Citi card ever since.
So what’s the moral of the story here?
While rewards and welcome bonuses may get the customers in, it’s good service and a reliable IT/Security infrastructure that keeps them with you in the long run.
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Shiti is truly the worst. I’m one of those who have multiple locked cards. Oddly, they locked 3 cards but left 3 unlocked.
Will cancel every card that has a fee after this experience, despite having been with them for decades.
I will, however, now churn them for bonuses out of pure spite, making only the minimum spend to get a bonus.
But I will never count on them, like I do Chase and Amex, who get close to 7 figures in spend from me every year.
Sounds on brand for Shitibank. I had a similar experience, complained to CFPB now I’m shadow banned from Citi.