Citi Card and their broken phone Payment system

superted187

Hi All,

Those of you that have a Citi Credit Card (e.g. Shell Mastercard from Citi) may be aware that Citi Card's phone payment system has been down for about 3 weeks now.

Citi are using this to their advantage and are attempting to charge their customers with late charges and interest charges, even though it is because of their broken systems their customers are unable to pay.

This happened to me. I made several attempts to pay before my due date by my normal preferred method - telephone. On the fifth failed attempt, I decided to speak to customer services, as my due date was rapidly approaching. I pointed out that I had attempted to Pay several times, and I was told that a note would be put on the "system" to insure that no interest charges or late fees would be incurred.

I also backed this up with a simple, short letter set to Citi Card's customer services, asking for the same.

After another failed attempt to use their phone payment system, I decided to sent payment in the form of a Cheque. It arrived a few days late.

Fast-forward to this month, and me receiving my next Bill, with Interest charges and Late Charges!

I immediately got on the phone to customer services, who annoyingly could see the note from the call, as well as the letter (that Citi hadn't bothered to reply to). She promptly reversed the late fees, but initially claimed to be unable to reverse the interest changes!!

I simply and flatly asked why she was unable to do so. She put me on hold for 5 minutes, and suddenly decided that she could now reverse the interest fees.

Anyway, I thought I'd share my story with you. Don't let your credit card company get away with anything similar! Remember to stay calm on the phone and carefully explain the facts. If they are in the wrong, they will eventually back down.

cifpower

Why not set up a direct debit?

Moggles_2

After another failed attempt to use their phone payment system, I decided to send payment in the form of a cheque. It arrived a few days late.

This was asking for trouble, tbh. Cheques can so easily be held up in the post.
A BACS transfer would be more reliable.

Paul_Herring

Those of you that have a Citi Credit Card (e.g. Shell Mastercard from Citi) may be aware that Citi Card's phone payment system has been down for about 3 weeks now.

Citi are using this to their advantage and are attempting to charge their customers with late charges and interest charges, even though it is because of their broken systems their customers are unable to pay.

Because, of course, there is absolutely no other way of paying?

As a last resort, don't the bills have those old fashioned counter-foils on with useless things like account numbers which you can take into any bank, and pay cold hard cash to pay the bill? Or maybe a cheque?

Or go into online banking, and use the self-same numbers to 'pay a bill' or whatever your bank calls it?

Or post the cheque in sufficient time in order for it to clear the post and their systems?

Or have a direct debit in place (for the minimum if necessary, and pay extra when you can?)

No - there clearly aren't any other methods of paying your bill on time, and they're clearly using the fact that their (admittedly inept) phone system is out of order (and for only 3 weeks, clearly insufficient time for customers to use another method) to rack up their customers' charges.



:rolleyes:

superted187

Paul_Herring wrote: »

Because, of course, there is absolutely no other way of paying?

As a last resort, don't the bills have those old fashioned counter-foils on with useless things like account numbers which you can take into any bank, and pay cold hard cash to pay the bill? Or maybe a cheque?

Or go into online banking, and use the self-same numbers to 'pay a bill' or whatever your bank calls it?

Or post the cheque in sufficient time in order for it to clear the post and their systems?

Or have a direct debit in place (for the minimum if necessary, and pay extra when you can?)

No - there clearly aren't any other methods of paying your bill on time, and they're clearly using the fact that their (admittedly inept) phone system is out of order (and for only 3 weeks, clearly insufficient time for customers to use another method) to rack up their customers' charges.



:rolleyes:

I cannot believe people on here are just putting down my preferred payment method.

Credit card companies are required to clearly outline payment methods with each bill. Citi Card outline Telephone payments as one of them.

I don't want to pay by Direct Debit. I don't want to Pay by internet banking. I don't want to put a cheque in the post. These are my choices. I'm the customer.

Citi Card are wrong for attempting to penalise me for the failings of their payment collection. You are wrong for attempting to criticize my choice of payment method.

This thread was supposed to be a "Look at what Citi Card are trying to do" not a "How to fit around Citi Card's appalling payment system".

When I tried to pay my bill over the phone and realised it was not working, I assumed that this was only temporary. This is not a silly assumption to make, especially when I was assured by customer services that it was a temporary problem.

And your last point is your worst.

"and for only 3 weeks, clearly insufficient time for customers to use another method"

This is just idiotic. Their payment system initially failed 10 days before my due date. Not 3 weeks before. So no, not enough time to pay by alternative ways.

evanjonesaber

The long and short of it is - they have listed several payment options for a reason. If one of them goes down, you can still pay via other methods.
The onus is on YOU, not THEM!

superted187

Not quite - if I attempt to pay and cannot because of faults on their systems, it is their problem.

Attempting to pay is very important when it comes to debt collection.

For example - If a debt collector threatens to send a bailiff around if a payment of £100 is not made now, you can offer a payment of a fraction of that, and the debt collector has no legal grounds to send a bailiff around. All because you made an attempt to pay.

Rob_07

Why did you not ask to make the payment whilst speaking to the adviser as they can process the payment for you by taking your card details from you, if the the automated system was down? I have done this for the last few months. I appreciate that you may not wish to give your card details to a real person over the phone but you are protected if anything happens.

Rob

cos_2

I sympathise with the OP here. I just happen to have my Barclaycard statement beside me so I took the chance to see what they say about payment options. There's no mention of trying option one, then two or three if there's a problem. They promote all equally and, as far as I can see, authorise me to take my choice.

I accept they won't be responsible for things outwith their control, e.g. postal delays. But they will take responsibilty for their own systems, I'd argue. So, if their own systems fail, they have to take the hit.

I fail to see why the OP needs to seek out alternative ways to pay. Glad he got a refund - good for Citi - and hope Citi can get their systems fixed.

jacktom_2

This was asking for trouble but they will take responsibilty for their own systems

Paul_Herring

Rob_07 wrote: »

Why did you not ask to make the payment whilst speaking to the adviser as they can process the payment for you by taking your card details from you, if the the automated system was down?

Because that isn't their preferred payment method, clearly.