Citibank Cannot Send Functional Replacement Atm Card

[brahmburgers]

Calls to their support personnel are supposed to be toll-free, (they're not) - but that's just one of a slew of lesser hassles.

Granted, Citibank personnel seem to want to assist, however there are so many manifold security measures in place - that the process of replacing an ATM card - becomes non-functional/useless. They just can't make it work for me, despite over 20 phone calls during a nine month period.

details of my plight;

http://wonderfull.com/citibank.htm

[jdinasia]

did you ask them to send it to Citibank BKK and have them confirm your identity?

I read the whole story ... what a drag ... but it appears they tried HARD to make things work for you .. and your conclusion is wrong ... Citibank has not gotten YOU a replacement card that functions. This does not mean it fails with other people.

Edited March 30, 2007 by jdinasia

[Mid]

give them a home address and have a friend forward ??

[Old Man River]

Calls to their support personnel are supposed to be toll-free, (they're not) - but that's just one of a slew of lesser hassles.

Granted, Citibank personnel seem to want to assist, however there are so many manifold security measures in place - that the process of replacing an ATM card - becomes non-functional/useless. They just can't make it work for me, despite over 20 phone calls during a nine month period.

details of my plight;

http://wonderfull.com/citibank.htm

Since this isn't working for you, transfer the money to a Thai bank, and use an ATM near where you are. Do this, at least until you can get to the country where you bank with Citibank and have them help you directly.

[think_too_mut]

So, you tucked yourself in a cave in Nakhon Nowhere and you want the whole world (Citibank the largest bank on earth, FedEx, Citibank to start using SMS because they can deliver to your hideout) to change and revolve around you?

Why is old PIN not supposed to work with a replacement card?

I had 3 cards replaced (1 lost in Thailand, 2 demagnetized) and my PIN is still the same.

In Japan, it takes 1 week to get ATM card replacement (the cards are done in India but their staff do not know that and always claim strict security is the reason for 5 days).

All 3 times I walked into the issuing branch (next to my office) but the card had to be delivered to my home, where there is nobody. No way to send it to my office or to the branch where I can pick it up in person. After 1st attempt, the courier they use would leave a note and deliver the card to Post Office nearest to me. I have to go there in person or call them to arrange alternative address and only then that can be my office or anywhere. You could have done that.

Why would UPS cost "heck lot more than 80 cents airmail"? At the scale Citibank uses them, the arrangement they have makes UPS cheaper than regular mail and it is not up to an individual employee to change the way they operate and send you a letter on their private initiative. Who wants to lose job for that?

The fact that it has already taken you 9 months to resolve such a trivial thing as an ATM card from the world's biggest bank speaks volumes and totally discredits your story.

If it were 9 days, someone would believe something is wrong with Citibank.

[sonicdragon]

That's a tale of woe and you have my sympathies.

I bank with citibank in hong kong and although I have my complaints overall they are pretty good and I've had replacement cards sent on numerous occasions.

I have the following suggestions for you:

1. change your registered address to one in the USA, or anywhere that you think they can deliver to without problems (obviously you need someone trustworthy to receive it, such as a family member ?) and then have it sent by EMS or Fedex to you.

2. have them send everything to citibank thailand in bangkok - I realise that you would then have to travel from chiang rai to bangkok to collect it. I have done this in the past when I was without fixed abode in thailand.

3. change banks.

[sonicdragon]

In Japan, it takes 1 week to get ATM card replacement (the cards are done in India but their staff do not know that and always claim strict security is the reason for 5 days).

Banking in Japan is backward. I do a lot of business there. I don't bank with citibank - we use BOTM-UFJ instead - but their internet banking shuts down around 10PM 'till 6AM, and even some ATMs did not work after certain hours last time I was there.

As for replacement cards, in HK you can walk into any branch of citi and walk out with a new atm card in 10 mins. Same for many banks in thailand.

Anyway - my suggestions are already posted.

[popshirt]

Yes, change banks.

I opened an account with Citibank in the US simply because they had an office in Bangkok and was assured that they were united through a world-wide network, blah blah. Not true. Citibank Bangkok could do NOTHING for me.

[think_too_mut]

In Japan, it takes 1 week to get ATM card replacement (the cards are done in India but their staff do not know that and always claim strict security is the reason for 5 days).

Banking in Japan is backward. I do a lot of business there. I don't bank with citibank - we use BOTM-UFJ instead - but their internet banking shuts down around 10PM 'till 6AM, and even some ATMs did not work after certain hours last time I was there.

As for replacement cards, in HK you can walk into any branch of citi and walk out with a new atm card in 10 mins. Same for many banks in thailand.

Anyway - my suggestions are already posted.

Japanese banking is backwards, probably 10-15 years behind even Thai banks.

No wonder - with near zero interest rates for a decade and strict regulations it's pain in the neck to deal with any of them.

Citibank stands out as it has English speaking customer facing staff, ATMs with English guidance and most westerners bank with them.

Internet banking is good and always on.

Still, so infexible, crippled with overregulation, Citibank in Japan does things well.

In my native Australia, ATM cards are issued on the spot too, I was shocked when I saw how it works in Japan. Friends calmed me saying "you should see other banks".

[sonicdragon]

In Japan, it takes 1 week to get ATM card replacement (the cards are done in India but their staff do not know that and always claim strict security is the reason for 5 days).

Banking in Japan is backward. I do a lot of business there. I don't bank with citibank - we use BOTM-UFJ instead - but their internet banking shuts down around 10PM 'till 6AM, and even some ATMs did not work after certain hours last time I was there.

As for replacement cards, in HK you can walk into any branch of citi and walk out with a new atm card in 10 mins. Same for many banks in thailand.

Anyway - my suggestions are already posted.

Japanese banking is backwards, probably 10-15 years behind even Thai banks.

No wonder - with near zero interest rates for a decade and strict regulations it's pain in the neck to deal with any of them.

Citibank stands out as it has English speaking customer facing staff, ATMs with English guidance and most westerners bank with them.

Internet banking is good and always on.

Still, so infexible, crippled with overregulation, Citibank in Japan does things well.

In my native Australia, ATM cards are issued on the spot too, I was shocked when I saw how it works in Japan. Friends calmed me saying "you should see other banks".

Don't get me started I have never encountered so much frustration than in Japan. for example it took 2 months for BOTM to open our branch office account. And even now, most of our customers prefer to pay us by transfering money to our account at the ATM - not using internet banking, or with credit card.

Anyway, back to the OP - let's give him some credit - it doesnt seem like the kind of thing a person would make up. Maybe he has another account and therefore getting the replacement citi card was not a priority. Anyway, the reason I went off about japanese banks is this: can you imagine being a japanese in a foreign country and wanting to get a replacement ATM card from a domestic bank sent to you ? My ex GF (japanese) was in that position and it was impossible. I know US banks are more progressive but it doesn't surprise me in the least that they are inflexible to the point of the problems the OP has.

[think_too_mut]

Anyway, back to the OP - let's give him some credit - it doesnt seem like the kind of thing a person would make up.

I'm not saying the OP made up the story.

It just begs one's opinion that he's been doing something wrong and I just don't know who would listen to his cry "Do not use Citibank".

[Gary A]

Toll free Citibank Thailand 001 800 12066 0819. And yes, it works.

[hotgeekus]

After one year of posting on Thaivisa, I have now become one of them so bare with me if you get pissed off....

After (over) nine months of issues with Citibank, it seems that you don't want to fix it, as it seems a whole lot easier then to spend the time to post it on the web.

The day before I moved to Thailand, my ATM card got eaten in Chicago (yes I left it in the machine).

I changed my address to a mail forwarder in USA (they get my mail, give me a physical address and send me mail once a month with USPS int express). They sent the card to the address, a month later it was forwarded to me. With my skypeout number I called, got the card turned on and used it with the pin that was sent seperately.

Not so difficult. While I understand your dealings with citibank are frustrating, seems like time to play a different game and get smarter than them.

[ProThaiExpat]

I am with most in this thread that OP's woes may be mostly self generated, but certainly dramatized.

I have had my Citibank Credit Card re-issued, replaced, delivered and changed as to fees while in Thailand with no trouble.

However, being specific, I have had ATM problems with ATM cards issued by U.S. banks and so rather that fight it, I merely wired funds to a local Thai bank and use their Hip card which works every time. Not only is it an ATM card but it acts as a debit card as well.

Just don't understand why an ATM card on a U.S. bank is such a necessity or offer an advantage over using local bank cards.

[brahmburgers]

update from original post:

> yes, I will change banks as soon as feasible.

> I have rec'd replacement cards in the past, and sometimes they get to me, and sometimes they get stolen in the mail. Usually, the PIN remains the same, so there hasn't been the problem I'm currently having.

> another glitch that's contributed to the long string of glitches: my phone connection in rural Thailand is tenuous, so it sometimes breaks off. I always give my tel# to Citibank supervisors, and they always say they'll call back, but they never do.

> The latest twist is they've got a newfangled security measure for assigning a PIN over the phone. I just did it for the first time (they never told me about it in many earlier phone calls, maybe it's a new option). I answered about 20 personal c.card questions (correctly) and was transferred to another supervisor who asked me to choose a 4-digit PIN. I have to wait until tomorrow to see whether it will work.

> the postings are appreciated, though a bit odd to be talking so much about Japanese banks. And yes, I may have been a bit too dramatic, but I doubt I have a secret wish for such problems to fester in my life. I like having access to my money, and have been doing everything possible to get this worked out.

[Gary A]

I no longer use my Citibank ATM card here in Thailand. It is WAY to expensive. First there's the 3% currency exchange fee and then you get the offshore rate. It's much cheaper to pay $30 for a wire transfer as long as you wire a decent amount. If you wire $6,000 the percentage is only a half percent.

[jmac]

To answer those of you who recommended changing banks; I recentlu tried changing banks in the US. It turned to be impossible to open a new account without being there. The requirements can not be met if you do not reside there. They required a notorized document (can be done at embassy in BKK, requiring travel) They also required copies of current utility bills sent to my home address. PO Boxes were not acceptable. All this was with a internet based bank with few physical branches. If anyone knows of any banks that have less stringent requirements please share. The reason for changing was the high fees at Citibank. I was looking for a bank with no foreign fees for atms. I now pay 1% with my backup bank.

[Gary A]

To answer those of you who recommended changing banks; I recentlu tried changing banks in the US. It turned to be impossible to open a new account without being there. The requirements can not be met if you do not reside there. They required a notorized document (can be done at embassy in BKK, requiring travel) They also required copies of current utility bills sent to my home address. PO Boxes were not acceptable. All this was with a internet based bank with few physical branches. If anyone knows of any banks that have less stringent requirements please share. The reason for changing was the high fees at Citibank. I was looking for a bank with no foreign fees for atms. I now pay 1% with my backup bank.

I have been trying to get a new US bank account since Citibank raised their ATM fee to three percent. I have spent MANY hours surfing and emailing different banks including Internet banks. Same answer from them all. You have to be a US resident with a US address. The last one I tried was HSBC. Here are the replies from ING and HSBC;

In order to open an account with ING DIRECT USA, you must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and have a Social Security Number, a U.S address (within the 50 states or the District of Columbia), and a personal checking account with a bank chartered in the U.S.

Thank you for your recent e-mail to HSBC Bank USA, N.A.

The online savings accounts are only available for USA addresses

only. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

[brahmburgers]

update from original poster:

After the protracted 'answer all twenty questions perfectly' quiz, they assured me my chosen 4 digit PIN (told to them by me) would work. The next day, I tried the new PIN and it didn't work. One more let down in a long string of let downs from Citibank - dating from June 07.