For some reason, Citibank won’t let customers using Linux computers log in to their online accounts. Adam argues that in 2009 this doesn’t make sense, especially when no other major corporate website blocks him like this.

I’m writing about a longstanding issue I’ve had with Citibank. Given that it’s now 2009 and web account management has transitioned from a fringe benefit to “the way business is done,” I frequently struggle with Citibank because they seem to have decided to not support Linux and Firefox as clients for their online credit card account management sites. A quick Google search of “citibank Linux” will pull back loads of hits of people complaining about this issue and all sorts of inventive workarounds. I don’t want to mess around with inventive workarounds, I want to be able to access my accounts online from my PC like I do for my cell phone provider, three other banks, my 401k manager, my school and scores of other places where online paperwork takes place as part of the business of real life. I’m even able to do online business with the State of New York, the State of Calfifornia, the IRS and even some obscure federal agencies. It is 2009, if we don’t get jetpacks, I at least expect my bank to have a website that supports all the major platforms.

I haven’t tried to contact them, because I know for sure I’m just going to get some script about “we’ve made this decision because of *bs reason here*” and I really don’t want to deal with the headache of changing credit cards. All I (and the thousands of others out there who have Linux desktops) want is to be able to access our accounts the same way we are able to access accounts for every other major vendor. The only way this is going to happen is if they get bad press that may shy future business away, specifically, people should know up front that they are not going to provide the same level of service (ie: support for the three major client platforms on the Internet) as their peers before their customers begin the application process.

Incidentally: I can successfully apply for and receive a credit card through Citibank using Firefox and Linux, but after they’ve got my business, I can’t login to manage my account. What’s up with that?

Anyway, some people would say that this is kind of a fringe complaint and that Linux doesn’t have a lot of market share. I don’t really care if it does or it doesn’t, apparently the rest of the world has chosen to support Linux (Citibank account management is pretty much the only website I’ve had problems accessing under Linux in YEARS) and if they’re not going to follow industry best practices and instead provide inferior service, they need to be upfront about it. Alternatively, and ideally, they get with the program.

I’m curious, are there other Linux users out there who are frustrated with a company for not providing an online service that works on Linux?

(Photo: HighlandBlade)

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