Doesn't Citi's website have an option where an overpayment can be mailed to you as a check? I know they used to have this before the site redesign, and I had used it several times. Haven't had to use it with the new design so not sure where it would be.

Is it me, or have major financial institutions deliberately slowed down their computerized banking? It takes nearly a week for credit charges to appear online; at Bank of America, transactions made on a Friday and the rest of the weekend are considered 'pending' until Tuesday morning.

I hope this doesn't sound too "blame to original poster-y", but if you close the account, wouldn't they have to send you the refund? You could threaten to close the account if they don't send you a refund, and then actually do it if they refuse to send the check.

@Anks329: It would still take 7 - 14 days for the check to arrive. It looks like this fellow would like the ETF reversed.

I've had something similar where I checked my balance at an ATM and apparantly it was off b/c I went into overdaft with a purchase less than what I thought I had and was told by the bank I should have called the bank instead and not relied on an ATM balance check...

Last year I paid an electricity bill through Citibank's website. They sent a check to my electricity company.... one month later. I got slapped with about $50 in late fees and no one would take blame. I don't trust their online system any more.

The Citicards website is just horribly confusing in general. I noticed that my payments don't usually post for a few days, but get credited for the day I scheduled them. I'm guessing that it wasn't on his pending payments because it had gone through, but hadn't yet posted to his account. I've had this issue too, but if you check your payment history its right there that day.

lol i use Citibank's website for everything, never failed me. I schedule payments to my credit cards, utilities, transfers between institutions (free).. For the OP, I think this is just more eDarwinism

Same exact thing happened to me with Verizon Wireless (though for a much smaller amount). I'd been using autopay for a few months, but keeping tabs on it. Last month, I noticed that a day or two before the bill was due, there were no scheduled payments and nothing pending to withdraw from my checking account. I got nervous, since the autopay always worked about a week before the bill was due, so I authorized a payment - only to see that a few hours later, the autopayment went through as well.

Annoying, even though it's just $47 that I double paid, and I'm okay if it sits as a credit towards next month. But I think this is it for me and autopayments.... maybe Verizon & Citibank are using the same dumb software? Or is it something more malicious?

I stopped doing business on Citibanks' site for pretty much the same reasons the OP had. It's like walking through a mine field and as for getting some help, forget it.

This happened to me. I amended a scheduled payment by bumping the payment date forward 1 week. The payment went through as I intended, but imagine my surprise when a second one went through the week afterwards! It took me a month to make the bank drones understand that the error was with their payment software - apparently it puts the new payment on before deleting the old payment to prevent "missing" scheduled payments, but in this case failed to delete the old one.

While I didn't get charged for the resulting negative balance I didn't get the (admittedly tiny) interest on the money that went out either. I don't feel like wasting any more time in the phone queue for what amounts to $2 in lost interest.

Capital One/Wells Fargo hosed me once like this too. I made my credit card payment via ETF as always, then five days later couldn't remember if I had or not. I checked my accounts online at both C1 and WF, and neither showed any sign of the ETF, so I paid it (again). Lo and behold, they both went through in the next 24 hours magically. This of course being more in line with C1's statement on their site that payments made before a certain time will post THAT DAY.

This is why I closed my Citibank checking account! Their site would show deposits I made twice and falsely inflate my balance when I called on the phone. After I overdrafted and they didn't give a shit, I cancelled that account quick.

I've also noticed that my payments take an exceedingly long time to show up on Citibank's web site. It seems ridiculous to me that they can't have more up-to-date information on their web site.

This is not nearly as annoying as BOA who's site used to show me all my current transactions when I had an LL Bean card, but who inexplicably now only shows me my transactions up to the last statement date (ever since I was forced to switch to a different card with them).

@nacio: Someone just jinxed themselves. Enjoy your bad karma.

@nacio: Wow! What a great post! We're all so glad you're the perfect specimen of a human being and have never ever had any problems with your bank. Back to your cave, troll

I had a similar problem a few months ago, only instead of doubling my scheduled payments, they still took them out after I had cancelled them! I had switched my checking account from WAMU to Chase and before I did so I went online and cancelled every automatic payment I had set up from my WAMU account. A few weeks later, I completed the transfer to Chase, emptying my WAMU account. Much to my surprise, a week later I checked my WAMU account and saw that it had been overdrawn - not surprising since it was empty! And that I had multiple overdraw fees. The culprit? Verizon Wireless. Apparently, cancelling a scheduled payment 3 weeks before it has been made has no effect. They will still pull the money from your account even if you tell them not to. Of course, it wasn't WAMU's fault that this happened, so I had to pay all the fees to get it straightened out. If only there was a company with better cell reception in NYC - I would cancel Verizon in a heartbeat just for the mess they made of my accounts.

@nacio: Enjoy your check from Citibank for that fantastic plug!

That's odd...at least with my Citibank card, the website won't let me pay more than the current balance. And there is a disclaimer stating that if the balance of the account is less than the scheduled payment amount at the time the payment is drafted, the payment will be adjusted to prevent a negative balance.

The thing that irks me about this is that I can't schedule a payment to cover charges I know will clear before the payment gets processed.

DO NOT CANCEL THE CARD! (Unless you're paying an annual fee.)

For starters, it will just hurt your credit score, because you're reducing your total available credit. And since a big part of your credit score is your used/available ratio, you end up hurting yourself by canceling the card.

Secondly, keeping a card around that you don't use just costs Citi more money to keep you on their files. Unless you're an environmentalist, be sure to sign up for paper statements, too. It only adds a few cents a month to their bill, but it gives you so much more satisfaction to know that at least you're costing them money.

Wow, My credit Union is exactly the opposite (Navy Federal)

Their web bill pay shows you exactly what payments you have set up, what was paid for a specific account and when (even pops up when you select the payer showing the last 3 months!)

When you cancel, make or change a payment you can see it immediately!

Credit Unions FTW.

Heck my other credit union has check deposit via my scanner 8) no more mailing checks! Weeee

As for the Verizon thing nicemarmot617 had, that's why I never schedule payments from the provider (I'm assuming that was the problem) - always through the bank. Most providers (Verizon, gas companies, utilities) systems are archaic at best and almost criminal at worst. If you told Verizon not to pull the scheduled payment, then you need to go back to Verizon and make them pay the fees.

I had a very similar thing happen to me with my US Airways Mastercard. They double-billed a $4000 charge because of the unclear aspects of their website...1 week before Christmas.

I finally got it fixed by EECBing the execs of Barclays bank AND the execs of US Airways. After the EECB, it was 2 days before I got ALL the money back (both payments) and essentially was given an interest-free loan for 1 month (so $16 extra interest that month).

As annoyed as I was at the problem, they eventually made good.

@codpilot: Where is the option to pay off the outstanding balance every month?

Where is the button to pay your bill on the actual credit card statement screen?

NFCU has some good things going for it, but its website is NOT one of them.

Knock on wood, I've had no problems with their site. Except once when it was locked for security and then they had to send me a new card. On the other hand, I just don't schedule payments; I just use the "pay now" option whenever I feel like it. It's always credit at close of business, just like they say.

@nacio: You're just a meanie. You have no evidence that the OP is a victim of his supposed own stupdity, your claim of darwanisim is unfounded.

@Duffin: @TomCruisesTesticles: @Tmoney02: Nah, you're just reading it wrong. That post makes much more sense like this:

ll s Ctbnk's wbst fr vrythng, nvr fld m. schdl pymnts t my crdt crds, tlts, trnsfrs btwn nstttns (fr).. Fr th P, thnk ths s jst mr Drwnsm

Full disclosure: I have experienced a similar frustration with the Citicards site. I used to pay directly from within my CitiBANK account online, as a transfer. The payment would show up immediately on the Citicards site, but then the next day, and for 1-2 days, would disappear as if I never paid it! What's worse, CitiCARDS had no record of the payment however CitiBANK did. It would always fix itself, but I'd wind up sweating it out for 1-2 days.

So now I just pay it directly from the CitiCARDS website.

the same thing happened to me only it was $2,700 with amex corporate. That's why I still get the paper bill mailed because at least its decipherable how much I owe now.

As has been suggested here many times, NEVER EVER give 3rd-party billers access to your checking account. For example @nicemarmot617: got screwed by Verizon even though the Verizon auto draft was supposedly canceled, and as I read it, the OP was having Citibank autodraft the payment from his bank account rather than sending a bill-pay transaction FROM his bank account.

Since every company seems to feel a need to re-invent the wheel, and they all have different policies and quirks, it's easiest for me to always use my bank's bill-pay system. There's one set of policies to remember, and I have a feel for when a transaction will occur based on when I schedule it, etc. I still have to pay attention, because of course credit card issuers change the due date from time to time trying to trip marks ..er.. customers with the odd late fee, but overall it works well for me. In nicemarmot's case, for example, it would be easier to resolve the situation because if WAMU can't cancel WAMU's own payments, it's WAMU's problem. Instead, Verizon will point the finger at nicemarmot, WAMU will point the finger at both, and the mark ..er.. customer ends up footing the bill.

I use Chase for my online banking, and I have a credit card through them as well. The same problem crops up when you schedule to make a payment on a Chase credit card - it doesn't "show up" in your checking account balance or on the site for a couple of days, leaving you to wonder whether or not you successfully scheduled the payment.

What's weird is that if you ever schedule a payment to anyone -besides- Chase, the balance of that payment is deducted from your checking account immediately. Who knows?

OP here. Thanks a lot for the advice and support, everyone. I definitely will NOT be canceling the card now. I will call again tonight and calmly try to escalate. If I still get nowhere, I will probably follow what DHT said. Just pay my final bill and stop using it.

If that happens, can anyone recommend a good dividend Visa or MC to replace it? I have a Discover, but not all places accept it.

Thanks again.

@mtobey: Navy Federal Credit Union has several different options with cash dividends AND outstanding customer service. The only problem that you might have is that their website blows.

American Express just did this to me. I have been fighting a losing battle with them for 4 months. It has resulted in my bank account having 988 deducted twice, even tho I only owed them 613. They are always nice at CSR, but the answer is the same. Cant lower the interest rate they boosted because of their mistake, nor the ding to by credit by lowering my limit to less than the balance I am carrying. Sweet guys, cc co's.

credit card companies are required by the Fair Credit Billing Act to refund overpayment within seven biz days, provided that the amount is greater than $1. some issue the refund in the form of a snailmail check, others reverse the EFT. not that i don't believe the OP, but overpaying a credit card is what most AOR folks do when they play the 0% BT game. and i've never heard of any credit card companies refuse to issue a refund, especially the big ones like citi (and no i don't work for citi).

[www.ftc.gov]

Won't they give you a credit on your account?

hmmm, same exact thing happened with my Fidelity mastercard this past month.

I wonder if they use the same online processing, but the site fidelity uses was particularly screwed up this past month.

@Anks329: Yes, they do. There is an option to request a refund check but that would probably take a while to process.

I've been using the citibank website without any trouble whatsoever for years. I don't find it confusing or hard to use at all.

@ The OP:

Pre-scheduled payments do not post until 5pm on the scheduled day. According to your dates, you scheduled for an August 1st, Friday, payment. Depending on your timezone, this may have bumped you until August 4th, Monday, for your payment to show in their system because of the weekend. I had similar problems, but it is plainly written on their site.

As for getting a refund, that is completely justified, as your account should be at $0.00 if paid in full and why should they hold that money for you to basically use as a debit card?

I'm impressed that they offered him restitution at all. Wayyyy back in the 1990's, I once wrote a check for $400 as a payment for a Visa. Although the "Four Hundred Dollars and 00/00 cents" was clearly written out on the check, Visa thought my number "4" looked like a "9" and ran it through for $900. Not only did they refuse to give any of the money back (even though $400 was more than the minimum amount due), but they argued that (a) what you write on the second line has no meaning, only what number you put in the little box, and (b) if my bank was willing to put it through, I had no recourse.

Grrrr...

@mtobey: Citi should send you an email *immediately* when a payment is scheduled and again when it posts, with all the details.

I know what are saying-- the Citi website calendar/schedule thingy blows-- I rarely look at it-- but having the original email they sent regarding my scheduled payment is proof enough for me that it's gonna happen.

Perhaps you aren't signed up for all of the alerts and whatnots, under your personal preferences? Sounds like you use the no-paper billing, but maybe there's an extra step you're missing out on.

Good luck.

@meg9: They will, but it doesn't help when you want cash, not credit.

I'm still confused how the second charge was allowed to take place. Citi won't let me set up payments that will exceed the amount I currently owe. Although thinking about it, if the OP had an aditional $700+ that would be billed the next cycle, Citi would allow the payment.

@nicemarmot617: If Verizon was at fault for not canceling the scheduled drafts when you told them to, you should pursue them for the overdraft fees you incurred. Their customer service is slow in my experience but does eventually work if you keep a positive attitude. If you have the date (or can closely approximate the date) you did the cancellation, it will help. I hope you get your money back.

@bonzombiekitty: Yeah, my balance for the next billing cycle exceeded $755, so they've applied it toward that. But, obviously, I'd rather not let Citi have that money a month early.

Although I generally love to sing the praises of Citi, I have to admit that their site needs a major overhaul, it can be confusing and redundant at times.

@Snakeophelia: What you write out long hand IS in fact the legal payment amount according to everything I've ever heard. You probably want to take that matter up with bank regulators.

@ohiomensch: Considering that a "ding" on a credit report is what I'd consider "damage" and "a loss", I'd tell AE that you're going to file a claim or lawsuit against them.

For the OP, not to criticize, but is it really that important to pay off a $750 bill when it leaves you only $800 in your bank account right before going away on a trip? Yeah, we all hate interest charges, but the few dollars it would cost to carry a balance for one month in order to have a little bit more cushion in your account before a trip might have been worth it.

If I had seen that the $755 scheduled payment didn't go through 'as scheduled' I would have just arranged to make the minimum payment (what, like $50?) and worry about the balance the following month when I didn't have a trip looming. In that case, you would have only ended up overpaying by $50 and still had over $700 in your account for the start of the trip.

@Keter: exactly. That is only thing they are *supposed* to read, although modern optical character reader machines probably only read what's in the box.

Try making a check out to yourself, with the long-hand line blank. No bank should cash it.

This has happened to us with Chase twice, and the federal governments student loan repayment website twice.

I blame ourselves, but it was hard when we had only budgeted to pay for certain bills once/month, instead of twice. Lucky for us all of our over-payments are applied to the principal.

@Jevia: I don't think you know what "not to criticize" means.

@mtobey: Read my post!