Tammy’s been trying to get a new Citibank card to replace her expired one since March. For two months Citibank has lied, stalled, and generally screwed around with her access to her money. For two months, a a series of increasingly senior people have told her her card is on the way. They even told her they’d overnight it, twice. Read her story,

Hello all at Consumerist! I have been reading your blog daily for the last couple of years now. I love how informative this website has been to all walks of consumerists. I have never felt compelled to write to you until now:

I have been banking with Citi Bank since 2005. I know that is not very long to be with a financial center. My Citi Bank Debit/MasterCard expired in April of this year. I was under the impression that they would automatically send me the replacement card. Just as a hunch, I called Citi Bank’s 800 number to find out when I should get my replacement card. I made this phone call in late March. I was told that I should receive my card by the 2nd week of April and that if I did not receive said card, I should call back. Some time past and I nearly forgot about the 2 weeks period on when I should get my card. I called Citi Bank on one of the last days of April (possibly the 28th) & I was told that I would receive my new card on May 2nd. May 2nd came, and there was no card. I waited for the weekend, thinking that maybe I would get it in the mail May 3rd or May 5th. Still no card. Mind you, I can not access my account online with out an active card.

I called on May 5th and was told by one of the customer service representatives that he would over night the card to me and I should get it May 7th. That did not happen. On May 7th, I finally asked to speak to a supervisor and he said that that order was never placed and that the card would be sent to me May 12th. I told him that I need to pay bills, I want to access my account online and I get paid this Friday. I need an active card to do all those things. He then ordered a card for me to be sent over night, UPS, to the financial center near my work to be picked up May 9th (tomorrow).

But here is the kicker: Today, May 8th, I received the replacement card that the supervisor said was never sent out from May 5th that was over nighted. I went to UPS to pick it up. I decided to call Citi Bank to find out if I can activate this card. I was then told that this card was blocked and that I have to go to the financial center to get the card that was overnighted.

I am at my wits end with the scenario. I have been ON them to send me my replacement card. Please correct me if I’m wrong, but shouldn’t this be an automatic thing on their end? Or is it up to me to be chasing them for this card?

I know that I should have written down the name of every person that I spoke to, but I did not know I would have this run around for a replacement card. What advice can you give a consumerist who is angry,confused, and frustrated? Would it do me any good to complain about this to Citi Bank? What would they do? Apologize for the inconvenience? Any advice is greatly appreciated

Thank you,

Tammy

Next time, Tammy, when you’ve discovered that you’ve been lied to and you need help, call the offices of CEO William Rhodes. Follow the steps outlined in the link, and someone should be able to help you.

(photo:Jenna Belle)

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