Citibank - think twice please.

eriphyle

We've had so much trouble from Citibank that we're moving banks. They seem to have no notion of customer service whatsoever.

In the last 5 years, they've randomly changed my partner's address several times, frozen his account when he didn't respond to letters to the *new* address, taken 2 weeks to fax through claim forms when the card was cloned and account emptied, refused him an overdraft to live on in the meantime, and refused to deal with him initially in person as they would not accept his passport and Met Police warrant card, ie, his Police ID to prove who he was. After the latest trouble, where the card wouldn't work in any cashpoint and Citibank refused to believe him, leaving him cashless for a weekend, he's finally giving them the boot.

Trouble is, I don't know where he should bank next? He tried to withdraw money by Visa in our local Barclays but they refused to deal with him unless he had a passport AND driving licence. Passport and Police ID are unacceptable, apparently. He doesn't drive so he was stuck.

Is this normal for banks to discriminate against non-drivers? I find it incredible that one's passport is not ID enough. I bank with Barclays and sometimes, they ask me questions to prove my ID in addition to my passport, NI card, etc which they want written down and passed through the glass. It's degrading - it's MY money!

Thanks everyone.

witches_cauldron

eriphyle wrote: »

We've had so much trouble from Citibank that we're moving banks. They seem to have no notion of customer service whatsoever.

In the last 5 years, they've randomly changed my partner's address several times, frozen his account when he didn't respond to letters to the *new* address, taken 2 weeks to fax through claim forms when the card was cloned and account emptied, refused him an overdraft to live on in the meantime, and refused to deal with him initially in person as they would not accept his passport and Met Police warrant card, ie, his Police ID to prove who he was. After the latest trouble, where the card wouldn't work in any cashpoint and Citibank refused to believe him, leaving him cashless for a weekend, he's finally giving them the boot.

Trouble is, I don't know where he should bank next? He tried to withdraw money by Visa in our local Barclays but they refused to deal with him unless he had a passport AND driving licence. Passport and Police ID are unacceptable, apparently. He doesn't drive so he was stuck.

Is this normal for banks to discriminate against non-drivers? I find it incredible that one's passport is not ID enough. I bank with Barclays and sometimes, they ask me questions to prove my ID in addition to my passport, NI card, etc which they want written down and passed through the glass. It's degrading - it's MY money!

Thanks everyone.

a police officer who can't drive. I never heard of that before.

Idiophreak

Citibank are *lame*...I've given up trying to cancel my credit card now - no matter how many times I ring, they still send me a statement every month. Absolute bunch of idiots.

Dagobert

eriphyle wrote:

Is this normal for banks to discriminate against non-drivers?

It's got nothing to do with discrimination.

Due to money laundering regulations banks require proof of name and proof of address. A driving licence can be used to prove the latter. Alternatively, utility bills or certain documents from HMRC are accepted.