Citibank rewards <> FF points

[cmdwedge]

Hi guys, long time no post.

My fiance applied for the Citibank Gold no-fee card about 18-24 months ago and has been using it, more or less, with not much trouble - except for when she needs to actually call them. They are the most condescending, fake politeness customer care people around. When we headed for Europe in Dec 06, she called them to let them know that they would start seeing some European names on the credit card for the next 7 weeks. There was a pause, then 'And what would you like me to do about that, Ms. Cmdwedge?' Idiots.

When she applied for it, there was a space there for her QFF number, which she put in. Now, I understand that to 'get' your points across to QFF, you need to transfer them in 5,000 point lots from Citibank rewards over to QFF. But on the page for Citibank rewards, there's no indication of any way to actually do that transfer. It's like it's not linked at all.

She'd call Citibank, but says that basically she'd need to dedicate 3 hours of her (very busy already) workday to the phone call, as they are impossible to actually communicate with.

Can someone who is a little more informed than I give us a hand? Point us in the right direction?

Thanks guys,

Phil

 

[Alanslegal]

When she applied for it, there was a space there for her QFF number, which she put in. Now, I understand that to 'get' your points across to QFF, you need to transfer them in 5,000 point lots from Citibank rewards over to QFF. But on the page for Citibank rewards, there's no indication of any way to actually do that transfer. It's like it's not linked at all.

Can someone who is a little more informed than I give us a hand? Point us in the right direction?

Thanks guys,

Phil

Hi,

Yes there is a place on the online banking site to t/f CB points to FF points.

Click on "account services" at the top tab - then click select the card which you want to t/f poinst from(assuming you have more than 1 cb product with points) - then click on the "your travel" icon and then this should give you 3 options (QFF, Virgin Blue and CB take Flight Options) - click on QFF and bang. you can redeem but in lots of 5000

Hope this helps,

cheers, AC

 

[cmdwedge]

And she found it just as your reply popped up, AC. Thanks a lot for your help!

 

[drron]

Now increased to blocks of 10000.

 

[josko]

I understand your frustrations with Citibank especially the fake plastic voice on the other end of the line.

Funny though.....I recently purchased some Aegean Airline tickets on line using my Citibank Gold CC only to have the airline decline my CC!

When I rang Citibank they confirmed that they had put a stop on the transaction and suspended my card because it was deemed suspicious....get this though....Citibank customer service drone then told me I should have advised them prior to booking that I was going to use the card for foriegn transactions!

Of course he had no answer when I told him that I had used this card OS on at least a dozen occasions over the last 10 years with no problem.

Anyway....he strongly advised that I call Citibank before departing these shores in future because there is a good chance the CC will be suspended again

It seems that we cant win with these people!

Cheers

Josko:evil:

 

[Alanslegal]

yes the call centre is way below average, however, I have an australian gold card - ableit supplementary one - and when i transacted this card 2 days ago in Santa Monica, California... CB placed a restriction on this card.... I then went into the CB Santa Monica branch (as I was only a block away) and the personal banker there, went out of his own way including spending close to an hour of his time to assist me to remove this restriction block on my account which involved 99% of the time being on hold, trying to call his american head office then the Syd based 24hr line? and so on, good service from this CB staff member down at the base level.....

 

[JohnK]

Sorry for gong off topic but I had a good chuckle reading about Citibank call centre experience.

I have a Citibank Readicredit and used it in the US and Europe for cash withdrawals in August and September and had a query on the limited information that is provided on the statements. When I rang the call centre they were more concerned with card being used in Thailand in July and wanted to issue me a new card. I explained that I travel there regularly, did call and warn them that I will be using the card in SE Asia and will be there again in December. She still persevered and as I could not be bothered I asked her to cancel the card and I was issued a new card and pin a few days later.

Citibank does appear to panic when the card gets used overseas even when you advise them that it will be used for overseas transactions. It will be interesting to see whether the card gets flagged again in December during my trip to SE Asia again.

 

[NM]

Citibank does appear to panic when the card gets used overseas even when you advise them that it will be used for overseas transactions. It will be interesting to see whether the card gets flagged again in December during my trip to SE Asia again.

I have used my Readicredit card many times in Malaysia without any issues from Citibank.

 

[straitman]

Citibank does appear to panic when the card gets used overseas even when you advise them that it will be used for overseas transactions. It will be interesting to see whether the card gets flagged again in December during my trip to SE Asia again.

JohnK,

What about next week in NZ :?:

Isn't NZ overseas or have I missed where they've become a state :!:

 

[bambbbam2]

JohnK,

Isn't NZ overseas or have I missed where they've become a state :!:

Well under the Aus constitution, they are entitled to be a state of Australia if they want..

 

[straitman]

Well under the Aus constitution, they are entitled to be a state of Australia if they want..

More importantly though is, what do we want :?:

 

[oz_mark]

The fraud detection stuff in cards these days is pretty sophisticated, and in my experience pretty good at detecting things. Citibank detected a fraudulent transaction in the US once on my account, and I know someone who got a call as their card was used in a different state in Australia to what it was normally used in (was a legit transaction though)

There are always going to be fraud hat they don't detect, and conversely legit transaction that get flagged as potentially fraudulent. The trick is to get the balance right. While I am sure that country does have a weight in their formula, it is by no means the only one.

As for Thailand, it may have been a specific transaction that concerened them. For example, some hotels have a much worse problem than others in the region. Indeed, I have heard the response to a query about a hotel transaction of the nature of 'We don't normally have a problem with that hotel'

 

[JohnK]

What about next week in NZ :?:

Isn't NZ overseas or have I missed where they've become a state :!:

I suspect that Citibank will not feel threatened if the card is used in New Zealand. I don't think New Zealand has a serious history of card cloning or fraud.

As for Thailand, it may have been a specific transaction that concerened them. For example, some hotels have a much worse problem than others in the region. Indeed, I have heard the response to a query about a hotel transaction of the nature of 'We don't normally have a problem with that hotel'

I can understand Citibank having an issue with a vendor in Thailand but I only ever use the card at ATMs! I use my Amex to pay for accommodation and airfares and have never had an issue.

 

[SIA1A]

I can understand Citibank having an issue with a vendor in Thailand but I only ever use the card at ATMs! I use my Amex to pay for accommodation and airfares and have never had an issue.

I used a Citicard just once on a recent trip to Thailand. I used it to make an ATM cash withdrawal. The withdrawal went fine but a few days after returning to Australia (the card was still active) I received a call from Citi's fraud detection unit in Sydney. The advice: the card would be cancellled at the conclusion of the phone call and a new card would be issued.

The caller said that card skimming is rife in Thailand and that ATMs there are often bugged with skimmers.

 

[serfty]

Standard practice with Citi these days - use it in Thailand and you'll need a new card and number forthwith.

Happened to me last year as well, about 6 weeks after returning. I had no fraudulent transactions - it's simply policy.

 

[robertz]

Standard practice with Citi these days - use it in

Thailand and you'll need a new card and number forthwith.

1 important thing to watch with Citibank is this. When they replace your CC, they also take offline all the statements associated with that card number. Happened to me with 5 statements. Asking them to put them back online, was met with "We cant do that, but we can fax them to you for $7 per statement"

A quick email telling them to fax me the statements at no charge, or I will close the account, was met with a fax within the hour...

On their CC fraud matching software, In my view CommBank have a lot better way of handling potential fraudulent transactions. Instead of just suspending or canceling the card, they will ring you beforehand to have a chat about what’s going on. They also tell U the transactions that have been authorised. Citibank will not tell you anything. They say "We cant give you that information due to the Privacy Act" Ask them what part of the Privacy Act they are referring to, and they will say. "We cant give out that information"

Pfffft, they are really a bunch of clowns....

Rob

 

[JohnK]

I used a Citicard just once on a recent trip to Thailand. I used it to make an ATM cash withdrawal. The withdrawal went fine but a few days after returning to Australia (the card was still active) I received a call from Citi's fraud detection unit in Sydney.

I also used the card a few times at ATMs in Thailand in December and I have not had a call from Citibank yet.

The advice: the card would be cancellled at the conclusion of the phone call and a new card would be issued.

Interesting that you were not given a choice. Even though the lady persevered when my card was cancelled I still had the option to retain the original card.

 

[oz_mark]

On their CC fraud matching software, In my view CommBank have a lot better way of handling potential fraudulent transactions. Instead of just suspending or canceling the card, they will ring you beforehand to have a chat about what’s going on. They also tell U the transactions that have been authorised. Citibank will not tell you anything. They say "We cant give you that information due to the Privacy Act" Ask them what part of the Privacy Act they are referring to, and they will say. "We cant give out that information"

I haven't had that trouble with Citibank, they rang me about the suspect transaction and cancelled it after I confirmed it was not of my doing.

 

[straitman]

On their CC fraud matching software, In my view CommBank have a lot better way of handling potential fraudulent transactions. Instead of just suspending or canceling the card, they will ring you beforehand to have a chat about what’s going on. They also tell U the transactions that have been authorised.

Rob

robertz,

Trouble I've had several times with CBA is they have rung my home number and left messages to call them back rather than call my mobile that is actually "mobile" and with me. On occasions I have not arrived home for several weeks which sort of defeats the purpose of the call. :evil:

 

[Evan]

I have found ANZ very good and have called me a few times (on mobile) and asked about transactions that may have to them looked suspect.

If your a regular traveller it seems they worry less than if you don't travel often and suddenly use your card in somwhere like Thailand.

E