MOST LIKELY DEAD! Citi CashReturns MasterCard - UNLIMITED 5% cash back for 3 months

MikeR397 said: PLEASE READ...

Here's a thought for everyone interested in the CR card.... As we all know, this 5% card is on its last limbs (ie we only have 1 working link to the 5% promo, rather than the paltry 1.2% promo). Once Citi closes this link down, we will all pretty much be out of luck. Therefore, I think it might be prudent for everyone to do their best to attract as little attention to this card and this link with Citi as possible. Here are some thoughts:

(1) Don't proactively call in to verify you are getting 5% Cash Back. It has been verified over and over that this link does work and you will get your 5%. Remember, wait until you get your check to see if you get the 5%, as at first it will only show you "base dollars earned" and not yet show the added 4% bonus (which will show up on the check!). So be patient, and don't proactively call unless you have a problem!

(2) Don't tell Citi the web address you applied to. All it takes is for a CSR to report that to a manager, who then says "wait, that promo should have already been shut down," and then take adverse action to our little hidden gem.

(3) Use common sense in anything else you do related to this link. I'm not saying this is a secret link for FWF only, but lets do what we can to keep it alive for as many people as possible for as long a time as possible. That means use common sense in how you use this link.

Thanks for anyone who helps out here!
I agree with points 2 and 3, but disagree with point 1. I've better rewards cards to use if I'm getting only 1% or 1.2% (with the advertised bonus on Citi's web site) Cash Back. For me, the *wood card can be as valuable as 3%, based on hotel prices and their hotel categories.

I'm not going to spend time and effort with the CashReturns card unless I know I'm getting the 5% Cash Back. And I don't want a large CL tied up in a dormant card if I can find a good Citi deal elsewhere, especially for BTs, assuming they'd let me close and consolidate or re-allocate the CR card.

IME, the CashReturns CSRs have been friendly and helpful. I don't think they're going to "tattle" to management just because people want confirm the 5% Cash Back for the first three months. I just can't see this as a factor in the longevity of the deal.

Having said that, I'd agree that discretion *could* be important vis-a-vis the link. I say "could" because, as we all know, this is a public forum with a thread devoted to this deal, so people can stumble upon this information here, if not elsewhere. I'm totally in favor of retaining the thread title, though, particularly the first word. That might discourage others from jumping onboard.

Dumb question - how do I apply for a credit line increase from within my account on the citi cards website? I looked at all of the menu options and am not seeing it anywhere. I searched their FAQ and they said there should be a "credit line increase" menu option under the "Tools and Services" menu. Does everyone else have this option?

glx, that should be understood - just trying to offer another way to verify you have the right link so that people don't feel the need to keep drawing attention to the offer.

lhendricks92 said: glx, that should be understood - just trying to offer another way to verify you have the right link so that people don't feel the need to keep drawing attention to the offer.
Thanks for the explanation. What recommendations, if any, do you have for people reporting successful applications using the link and confirming the bonus? I think the thread title already draws attention to the deal, despite the slightly discouraging first word.

TIA for your perspective on this.

glxpass said: lhendricks92 said: glx, that should be understood - just trying to offer another way to verify you have the right link so that people don't feel the need to keep drawing attention to the offer.
Thanks for the explanation. What recommendations, if any, do you have for people reporting successful applications using the link and confirming the bonus? I think the thread title already draws attention to the deal, despite the slightly discouraging first word.

TIA for your perspective on this.

Personally, I wouldn't call and draw Citi's attention to the existence of the bridgetrack link. The viability of the link is well-established - it's been around for 2 months, after all.

It could go away at any moment, but I doubt the functionality of the link will change if the promo and T&C pages stay as they are now.

xerty said: I agree with Mike. As with most things with CSRs, you can ask but their opinion isn't always reliable and no guarantee of accuracy. There isn't a single report of someone applying through the current link and not getting 5%, so unless that happens I see no reason to waste your time or theirs asking for meaningless and unreliable reassurances.

If for some reason their system screws up and you don't get the 4% bonus on your first printed statement, call them and get it sorted out. After all, it was clearly advertised in your application, so they have no reason/grounds to deny you.
By no means would I refer to a specific link when talking with a CSR. Nor would I disclose that a link (unless it was clearly at Citibank's web site) was the source of the offer. My practice has been to simply confirm that I'm getting 5% Cash Back for the first 3 months. See, I feel so strongly about not wanting to advertise the link that I bolded my statement.

Practically speaking, I think the odds are pretty high that if you see the bonus mentioned in the offer, you'll get it. And, as you point out, if you don't, you can always dispute it with a screen print. Like most people here, I also take relevant screen shots.

That being said, unless I'm misremembering, the promotion details aren't on the application, they're on the offer, which goes away when you start the application. To me, in order of decreasing preference, I'd want to see the details on:

1. The Terms and Conditions or Disclosures.
2. The application.
3. The offer only.

One last point, and I'll desist. If a CSR tells me something in my favor and I've documented it, even if the information is inaccurate, I feel that gives me more leverage during a potential dispute, especially if the CSR has notated the information on my account. As an aside, I've found the secure bank-mail messaging system within Citibank's banking division is very useful for keeping an audit trail of promotions and "reminding" Citibank when they forget to make good on their bonuses.

Although I'm pretty comfortable with this reasoning, I'm always willing to be persuaded otherwise, and appreciate constructive feedback.

hudson4351 said:
BTW, is the backside of everyone else's card upside down compared to the front side? I thought that was kind of weird.

All my Citi cards are like this. I've never really noticed before. The strip is still located at the "top" when looking at the front of the card though like other cards.

Looks like the link is now dead

hurt1024 said: Looks like the link is now dead

Jeez, looks like its dead!!!...i planned on applying for one today...oh well!

pekkle said: Whoa ... it was working as of 12:30 a.m. PST yesterday (er this morning) ...
You could be the last lucky one who got this card with 5% CashBack!

Alright FWF, I expect a full search party out tonight scouring the world wide web for any other lingering links to this deal. Encore, Encore, ENCORE!!!

Sweet crap, I just sent in my 6th (between wife and myself) cash returns card application 2 days ago.... Got approved today, glad I sent it in when I did.

Ipecac said: Still alive

OMG, Ipecac for Elite!

The old one didn't mention anything about the 5% after you clicked apply either, so that shouldn't be cause for concern. As usual, save the screenshots of the deal just in case there is an issue. Whether it works all the way through to the check in the mail may take a few weeks to confirm.

I tried shortening the URL like you had it and it gets an error when you click "apply now"

I could apply through this link and finished the application. I didn't get instant approval though. It seems now when you click "apply now", it will link you anywhere. Weird.

Ipecac's link stripped of session info

T&C shows 7.74% APR - a good sign.

Updated the OP.

Ipecac said: Still aliveMy savior! Great job Ipecac!

And thats the prettiest signup page we've had yet!

And good job with the link cleanup lhendricks. You have an impressive arsenal of venerable skills.

RagingBull said: If we applied with the session info previously would it have any effect on the CashBack offer?

Judging from all the successes I would doubt it. Failure rates are actually rare where someone reports they are only getting 1% back.

i think its dead again

alik99 said: i think its dead again ahhh, a mighty blow indeed.