Citibank: I Spit On You!

[Jingthing]

I was interested in citibank for their online wire services.

Well, I was unable to open an online access account with them, even though I gave a US address, US phone number, etc, as required.

Upon initial tentative opening online, they sent an email with what was needed to verify, and I had no problem with the required items, but it turns out they basically lied. They kept upping the ante and adding new requirements not mentioned in the initial communications, until I failed their criteria. Without going into granular details about what happpened (won't do that) the idea of this topic is to warn people of the misleading practices of this bank. I am so happy they refused to do business with me even though they wasted my time and money.

Expats, save yourself the headache! If you are already with them, OK. But if you are thinking of doing business with them, they rank in my own personal expat bank Hall of Shame.

Edited June 2, 2008 by Jingthing

[Tomkagai]

I was interested in citibank for their online wire services.

Well, I was unable to open an online access account with them, even though I gave a US address, US phone number, etc, as required.

Upon initial tentative opening online, they sent an email with what was needed to verify, and I had no problem with the required items, but it turns out they basically lied. They kept upping the ante and adding new requirements not mentioned in the initial communications, until I failed their criteria. Without going into granular details about what happpened (won't do that) the idea of this topic is to warn people of the misleading practices of this bank. I am so happy they refused to do business with me even though they wasted my time and money.

Expats, save yourself the headache! If you are already with them, OK. But if you are thinking of doing business with them, they rank in my own personal expat bank Hall of Shame.

Been with Citibank International Personal banking out of Singapore for years, and cannot say enough good things about them, excellent, effcient and very prompt customer service....far better than the experiences I had with HSBC and a few UK banks I could mention...

[Jingthing]

I am referring to Citibank USA.

[Tomkagai]

Should have been specific then....

[Jingthing]

Should have been specific then....

True, but the US address, US phone number, could have clued you in, Captain.

[dekka007]

Citibank IPB in Singapore are frankly the best bank I have ever dealt with.

Anyway the CIA can't be wrong on their bank selection

Edited June 2, 2008 by dekka007

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I am referring to Citibank USA.

[sweetchariot]

If you don't have sufficient funds and/ or credit history then they won't take you on as a customer. This is how they are able to afford to provide excellent customer service to their proper customers.

[Tomkagai]

Citibank IPB in Singapore are frankly the best bank I have ever dealt with.

Anyway the CIA can't be wrong on their bank selection

Nice to see another poster who thinks the same thing as I do as regards the service provided by Citibank IPB...

[Prakanong]

Citibank IPB in Singapore are frankly the best bank I have ever dealt with.

Anyway the CIA can't be wrong on their bank selection

Thats 2 of you on this thread - I am looking at changing banks from DBS in singapore so will take a look at Citibank.

I had to go in the Suntec Branch for a pal recently and they werre very politie and efficient - the only trhing though is not as many ATM's as DBS

[Prakanong]

"my own personal expat bank Hall of Shame. "

Baht Buses

Culinary Racism

Citibank

Not have a good time of it are we

GOM 2 ?

[Tomkagai]

Citibank IPB in Singapore are frankly the best bank I have ever dealt with.

Anyway the CIA can't be wrong on their bank selection

Thats 2 of you on this thread - I am looking at changing banks from DBS in singapore so will take a look at Citibank.

I had to go in the Suntec Branch for a pal recently and they werre very politie and efficient - the only trhing though is not as many ATM's as DBS

Maintain a minimum of US$ 20,000 in your account and you can use just about any ATM -No ATM fees or bank charges....

[Prakanong]

Citibank IPB in Singapore are frankly the best bank I have ever dealt with.

Anyway the CIA can't be wrong on their bank selection

Thats 2 of you on this thread - I am looking at changing banks from DBS in singapore so will take a look at Citibank.

I had to go in the Suntec Branch for a pal recently and they werre very politie and efficient - the only trhing though is not as many ATM's as DBS

Maintain a minimum of US$ 20,000 in your account and you can use just about any ATM -No ATM fees or bank charges....

There is an ATM close to Harry's Bar where I drink and at the MRT closest to the office so that covers me

I think there might even be one in the shopping centre closest to my condo too.

Will have to wait till I get my next EP - I have less than 6 months on this one and they do not let you do anything unlesse you have >6 months

[pampal]

I will look into Citibank Singapore

[dekka007]

Citigold department in Bangkok are also excellent if you are a singapore customer. I lost my ATM got a taxi down to Citibank in Silom and got a lot of emergency cash out in about 5 mins while enjoying a coffee and chatting to the pretty girls

I really cannot fault them. Also if you have a good relationship they are open to more or less anything with regard to lending..condo in Thailand etc. just chat to your personal banker.

[Prakanong]

My pal actually got almost a 100K USD taken from his account a few years ago from the Singapore branch.

Entirely his own fault as he gave all details away in a "Phishing" episode - his money did go through about 6 other citibank accounts then out to Germany then onto eastern Europe somewhere so they must have had others accounts too.

He got his money back even though Citibank were not liable.

[dekka007]

Speaking of Harrys Bar in SIN. If you get an Amex in Singapore good discounts there. Also they are giving a Dining At Raffles discount card free..which has some awesome savings check the Singapore Amex site.

[Tomkagai]

Citigold department in Bangkok are also excellent if you are a singapore customer. I lost my ATM got a taxi down to Citibank in Silom and got a lot of emergency cash out in about 5 mins while enjoying a coffee and chatting to the pretty girls

I really cannot fault them. Also if you have a good relationship they are open to more or less anything with regard to lending..condo in Thailand etc. just chat to your personal banker.

Good know you get the same service in BKK, never had to deal with them to date.

I broke my ATM card in Thailand, sent them an email on the on-line secure email, late Monday afternoon....Thursday morning knock on the door, courier service with the new card.....3 hours later call from relationship manager making sure I had received the card.

They are also very quick, if they see what appears to be strange things going on in your account, was down in Indonesia working, drew some cash and within 2 hours relationship manager calls asking about whether I have been drawing cash in Indonesia, the card was being used

[Prakanong]

Speaking of Harrys Bar in SIN. If you get an Amex in Singapore good discounts there. Also they are giving a Dining At Raffles discount card free..which has some awesome savings check the Singapore Amex site.

I have seen the posters for the discount with Amex - I have a corporate card but do not use it at Harry's

I will take a look at the site but as i said i am in the last 6 months of my EP so can not get any new cards etc

I already get discount at Harry's Boat Quay (none of the others) as a VIP - no kidding and I do not know how it happened!

The only other bar I get discount at is Morning Night in Suk soi 4????

[dekka007]

Its worth opening the amex platinum just to get the raffles card and the free longines watch.

Edited June 2, 2008 by dekka007

[Jingthing]

If you don't have sufficient funds and/ or credit history then they won't take you on as a customer. This is how they are able to afford to provide excellent customer service to their proper customers.

Wrong. My credit history is top shelf and there was NO MINIMUM amount required to open an online access account (their no checking option).

[Jingthing]

To clarify the issue I predict other US expats might have with opening Citibank accounts, the issues I had were related to proving US residence. I had all the proof needed as detailed online and on the initial email, but then when I met them, they upped the ante to a point where I couldn't meet their criteria. My complaint with them is changing the rules. I predict other US people living in Thailand will have problems opening accounts with them, or maybe even maintaining accounts with them, and my purpose is to signal a WARNING.

[Shango1]

The OP is right. I tried to open a US based account online with them and faxed and scanned my whole life to them (and met all of the requirments and criteria) and was still denied. I then found out that my company has a partnership with them that essentially guarantees acceptance for an account so I email a VP and complained about the service and run around. And then I was offered the account but I did not take it after all the hassles.

[cobra]

"my own personal expat bank Hall of Shame. "

Baht Buses

Culinary Racism

Citibank

Not have a good time of it are we

GOM 2 ?

Edited June 2, 2008 by cobra

[Jingthing]

The OP is right. I tried to open a US based account online with them and faxed and scanned my whole life to them (and met all of the requirments and criteria) and was still denied.

Thank you, My only motivation here was to save some fellow US expats some headaches and hassles and to justly diss a company that deserves it. It is one thing to have policies you publish and stick by them. It is quite another to misrepresent (LIE) those policies to your potential customers and waste their time and money. Again, I spit on you, Citibank! To the small minded bozonics who think all I do is complain, check out my rave thread about ETRADE BROKERAGE.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...6&hl=etrade

Edited June 2, 2008 by Jingthing

[bangkapiboy]

Citibank in USA is terrible. Fees and fees everywhere (unless of course you keep a high minimum in your checking like $6,000. In New York we are blessed with Commerce Bank (http://www.commerceonline.com) nowadays.

[ozsamurai]

I have had nothing but exceptional service from Citibank for many years. My Citigold account is in Japan, but recently when trying to link these accounts with a Thai account or one in the Philippines, they are nothing but a shadow of themselves. Has anyone been able to sucessfully negotiate any decent service from them here in Thailand?? I am seriously thinking that HSBC is the only way I can get somewhat international standards from a local bank. Multimoney accounts, online banking and a bit of the service I am used to..

Oz

[backflip]

I'm not sure what OP's "granular details" consist of, but I've never had any problem with Citibank USA, whether I used a US or Thai mailing address.

[Jingthing]

I'm not sure what OP's "granular details" consist of, but I've never had any problem with Citibank USA, whether I used a US or Thai mailing address.

Maybe things go more smoothly if you can actually open an account. Again, the idea here was to just warn people that Citibank USA lies about their opening account requirements. So, go ahead, and give it a try, if you feel lucky, and don't mind being abused. First time in my life, a financial institution refused my business. I followed all their written requirements, and then they came up with new ones. Again, I spit on Citibank!

Again, I don't mind if a business publishes requirements and if we can't meet them or don't like them, we can move on. The issue with Citibank is the misrepresentation of their policies.

Edited June 3, 2008 by Jingthing

[damocletian]

Frankly, I would have thought that you were fortunate in your rebuff. Any institution capable of losing $18 billion and rising should not, I would suggest, be a suitable repository for your temporal worth.