Free round-trip ticket (20K TYP) w/ $25K Citi MM+ deposit

Has anybody had this issue where if you had an existing savings/checkings account and the CSR tells you that if you wanted to fund your account with a CC, they would consider it a transfer (and hence a cash advance) instead of a purchase? The rep I talked to today seemed pretty certain that it was going to go through as a cash advance to already existing accounts. That'll be a bummer.

yoyo2 said: glxpass said: alik99 said: glxpass said: ETA: I just called my CashReturns customer service number in order to warn them not to panic when they (or someone at Citi Cards) see the 38K charge on the card within the next few days. I was told they'd put a note in my file, which should prevent the transaction from being blocked and the fraud department from being notified. We shall see.
You will have to call them again to verify the charge and remove the hold on the credit card account. Then, you'd need to call citi bank new accounts department and have them run the charge again.
I've been told by a new accounts supervisor that Citi's "back office" actually runs the charge. So if there's a problem, it looks like I'll have to contact new accounts who in turn will have the back office try to put through the charge again -- maybe. I was also advised by the supervisor that if I wanted the 20K TYP, I should consider funding with a non-Citibank credit card. Not getting the TYP sounded like a possible outcome, but not a certain one. My main reason for funding this account with the CashReturns card was to get the 5% Cash Back; the TYP would be a nice bonus, but not a necessary one to me.

However, as has been mentioned in this thread before, it's unfortunate that Citi takes a "back office" approach, rather than just putting through the credit card charge upon applying for the account. I understand that Citibank needs to verify the information on the application, but all this could be done very quickly, without what I'm told is a 2 to 4 business day delay before charging the card.

I hope you're wrong that it will be necessary to call Citi cards because the charge needs to be verified, even though they've already been notified about the charge and its amount. Based on a similar experience with my wife's CashReturns card, I fear you are correct, however.
glxpass,

I think alik99 is right. Mine was denied this morning even though I called twice to note the account with amount and date. After I called card services to remove the block I was told the second time it will go through. Called the new account dept and was told they will try to run the charge through the second time (but they wont do the third time if second time get denied too). Not sure if you can call them in advance (my citicards.com showed a message to call 18009505114) so your charge can go through the first time. The second try will take at least 2 business days.
I called CashReturns customer service yet a third time in order to find out if there were something that could be done proactively in order to prevent blocking the upcoming funding transaction. I was told that if a transaction is blocked, it's system-generated and cannot be overriden in advance. So no matter how many times you warn Citi Cards of an upcoming transaction, and no matter how much detail you provide, the transaction might still get blocked.

After the block to one's account has been done, as has been mentioned previously, one would have to call Citi Cards, and get the block removed. Ideally, right away the charge could be re-tried. But (again as other posters have stated) Citibank's banking division has this ridiculous policy of having their "back office" handle all account opening processes, including funding one's account. Thus the at least two-business day wait until they again try to fund the account.

Between Citi Card's automatic blocking and the Citibank banking division's inefficient "back office" approach, funding a Citi deposit account with a large amount by credit card is a huge hassle.

Just an update, I got TYP for funding on my PPE card, and cash for using the Dividend Platinum Card. Combined with signup bonuses, I just bought my $1200 ticket to Europe for $88 in taxes (offset by the $112 in cash rewards on the Dividend card).

Thanks FW!

Funded with Citi cash returns. $25000 showed up as a purchase. Easy 1250 CashBack (5% promo). Thanks op for a very good deal.

1. CL on cash returns was 25300

2. Applied online using the link in op's message (promo CSZ2) on 05/04

3. Funded by Cash returns credit card on 05/07 (or 05/08).

4. Citi tried to charge on 05/12. Credit card fraud dept left a message to call and authorize the transaction. I authorized the transaction, but transaction got declined (Few days back too, I called citi cash returns credit card and told to expect a big purchase, but still fraud dept blocked the transaction). Citi bank called on 05/12 and told that the transaction was declined. I called credit card and they said that the block was removed when I authorized the transaction and told to re-try. I called Citi bank new a/c dept at 866-4481868 and told to try again. Citi charged on 05/14 and on 05/14, I saw the available credit limit decrease and on 05/15, saw the transaction posted.

Has anyone ever confirmed if the entire 25K MUST be deposited as one single transaction, and does that have to be the initial funding, i.e. the account must go from 0 balance to at least 25K in one transaction in order to qualify?

I don't have a cc with a 25K limit and I also don't quite have 25K in cash either, so I'd like to do a combination.

Looks like none of these current offers are for the MM+ account, but rather the USA, making the OP's title obselete as of this current batch of offers. Is this right?

the USA is probably a better account, but I ask because I'm already a USA customer but would like the CC funding option, which may require a new account application to get. Perhaps I could open a second USA account...

I have an existing Ultimate Savings Account and so I just added the checking. I'm planning to get the 40k points and I was able to fund the checking account with a credit card, but because my Ultimate Savings Account is an existing account, the CSR wouldn't let me fund that account with a CC. Interestingly, you can go over $1,000 when you fund the checking account and so I asked to have $7,000 transferred and it was no problem. Took about six minutes on the phone.

This is a nightmare, I called the number twice today, first CSR said she didn't know if it was possible to fund the 25K from multiple sources, she put me on hold to "go check" and then later came back and said I could. But she also told me the only way to fund with a cc was to do it online, I couldn't apply over the phone. Also to fund with cc I would have to do it today at the time of application and I couldn't wait until later (but before 5/31). I also asked if they take AMEX and she said yes she didn't see why not.

Later I called back and this CSR told me I could fund the 25K from multiple sources and that I wouldn't have to fund with cc today I could just go to a branch sometime in the next week and do the cc funding there. He told me I could apply on phone so I did and he forwarded my call to another guy. This guy then proceeded to tell me that the funding would all have to be done at once and that it has to be the initial funding. i.e. the account balance would have to go from 0 to 25K in one chunk. Which is a problem for me since I don't have a 25K cl on any card. I told him I would think about it some more and call him back.

He said the offer is good until midnight tonight, for whichever time zone you live in.

OK, just got off the phone with Citi at 11:30 PM my time, and managed to open both accounts using the CYF6 offer, for 40,000 TYP.

I called and was connected to their international (Indian) office, and this time the CSR allowed me to create the accounts and defer funding them until 5/31, and she told me I could fund the 25K from multiple sources if I wanted to, including credit card, and that the 25K didn't have to be all in one chunk, and that it must be the initial deposit like the last CSR told me.

She told me that I could do the funding by going to a branch. I then asked if I could also fund it online and she said I could. She also told me that the only credit cards allowed were Visa and Mastercard. I asked her about AMEX and she said no, only Visa and Mastercard.

Also she told me there would be no hard credit inquiry for applying. She did ask me for my SSN but said that was part of the government's war on terrorism.

Now I just need to figure out what credit cards I want to use. I have a Penfed card with a 20K limit so I may use that to get 1.25% Cash Back. Guess I'll try to increase that limit to 25K. Too bad I can't use my AMEX blue cash card with a 27.5K limit, I could have possibly gotten about 350$ Cash Back from that.

radheykrishna said: I just applied last night, but did not fund it. I have saved the CC funding pdf. I saw the quick summary and BOA funding is treated as purchase. Has anyone used MBNA. Is that treated also as purchase. Thx

Well, MBNA is BofA now, right?

esphan said: FWIW....I was told by a rep that bill payments must be a minimum of $25 to satisfy requirements of offer.

Has anyone that opened their accounts at a branch been able to fund by credit card, and was it done at a branch, by phone or by faxing in the form?
On my promotion terms, I see no specified minimum amount for bill payments. You should print or save your promotion terms, and if Citibank tries to vary from them, you should have a good case to prevent that.

esphan said: glxpass said:
On my promotion terms, I see no specified minimum amount for bill payments. You should print or save your promotion terms, and if Citibank tries to vary from them, you'll have a good case to prevent that.

Yes, I know a minimum bill payment amount isn't mentioned in the terms, I just wanted to share what I was told so others could possibly prevent a hassle later on.
I'd ask the CSR for documentation of that; CSRs are often wrong. I certainly wouldn't adhere to that $25 minimum, based solely on what a CSR told me, and especially with what he/she said not even mentioned in the disclosures for the promotion.

I applied online on 5/16 and specified initial CC funding amount which is above my CL. I was hoping to use my wife's credit card with a higher limit, but when I got to the last step (CC authorization form), I noticed that the cardholder's name must match the name on the account...

Any data points on funding the account with an amount other than specified on the application? Also, the authorization form does not ask for the account numbers anywhere nor does it ask how much to put into savings and how much into checking...

Has anyone here done the offer at the branch where they give 20k thank you points for money market plus account and the one online which gave 20k thank you points for money market plus account? If so can it both be linked to the same checking account or does it have to be different

My deposit of 32K showed up as purchase from Charles Schwab Visa.

Thanks OP.

juggler451 said: All is not lost. You can call Chase and ask them to issue you a second card on the account in your name. Then, ask them to expedite sending out that card, and Chase will either overnight it or send it second-day guaranteed.

Citi won't fund the same CC number over for you, but they will run a new CC number that is on the same account so long as it matches your name.

Good luck.

Nice thought except normally VISA/MC authorized user cards always have the same number. Only real AMEX issues authorized users cards with different numbers. I know for a fact Citi AMEX, Visa and Mastercard authorized user cards have the same number as the primary card holders, and Chase Visa and Mastercard do as well as my GF cards have the same number as mine. The only difference between her cards and mine is that her name is printed on her cards and 3 numbers(4 for Citi issued AMEX) on signature strip are different on her card than mine. The numbers on the front are the same for both her cards and mine. Citi nor Chase statement separate charges by card number.

Now on my AMEX issued Charge Card her card last 4 number on her card are totally different than mine. On the statement all her charges are bunch together as well under her card number and separated from the main card member charges.

Just another data point, now that my Ultimate Savings Account (USA) is funded. In this post, I use the word "Citibank" to refer to the division of Citibank that deals with deposit accounts, such as Checking, Savings, and Money Market accounts. I use the phrase "Citi Cards" to refer to Citibank's credit card division.

5/13 - Applied for USA via phone call to Citibank, offer CSX2 for 20K TYP using existing Citibank checking account. Funded at the same time with Citi CashReturns card for 38K (out of 43.8K CL). Was told that it would count as a purchase.

5/16 - Despite advance notification to Citi Cards CashReturns customer service, putting a note on my account warning of 38K purchase with Citibank, as others warned on this thread, the 38K transaction was declined and my CashReturns card was blocked. A call from a Citibank new accounts CSR late morning advised me of this, and gave me some additional information:

1. Citibank is aware of the problem with transactions funding with a Citi card getting declined, and is tracking the occurrences.
2. Citibank is working with Citi Cards in order to either prevent this from happening, so that Citibank doesn't have to expend twice the effort than they should in order to put through a single transaction. I guess they're not happy at the time and thus money being wasted doing this, especially from their own credit card division!
3. Citibank always codes funding with a credit card as a purchase.

I immediately called the Citi Cards CashReturns CSR, had the block removed, and was assured that the transaction should go through when Citibank retries it. I then called Citibank and was told that they'll retry the transaction within 24 - 48 business hours.

5/19 - Went to Citibank online and my USA account now shows as funded with 38K. Looked at my CashReturns card online, and my credit available has been reduced by 38K, although my current balance isn't yet affected. Called a CashReturns CSR and was told that the 38K was coded as a purchase.

I also received my welcome booklet for my new USA. Page 2 shows the "Promotional Disclosure..." for CSX2. Unfortunately, the Terms and Conditions say that the USA must be opened by 03/31/08, and accounts funded remotely via www.citibank.com or CitiPhone Banking must be funded by 4/30/08. Of course, the terms have the standard admonitions about depositing a minimum of 25K with funds not currently held at Citibank, and that the promotion can't be combined with any other offer. I called a Citibank CSR, and found out the following:

1. She researched promotion CSX2 and confirmed that the opening deadline was extended to 5/16, and the remote funding extended to 5/30. A note was put on my checking account record for future reference. She also filled out a form to be sent to the appropriate Citibank department advising them of the incorrect dates in the USA welcome booklet.

2. "Funds not currently held at Citibank" refers to deposit accounts, not funding with a Citi credit card. This is contrary to what others have reported, and there's no way to know the truth until enough time has passed after meeting the requirements to earn the TYP. I wouldn't advise funding with a Citi card unless the benefits of doing so outweigh the value of the 20K TYP.

3. The (now expired) Citibank MVS4 promotion giving $200 bonus for a new checking account, providing certain bill pay or direct deposit terms are met is totally separate from CSX2, and thus I should get both the $200 and the 20K TYP. A note was put into my account to that effect. (I also noted this information, along with the CSR's employee ID#.)

5/21 - The 38K now shows as a purchase on the CashReturns card and is reflected in the current balance. Paid it using a "trusted" checking account, so I hope the payment will post within the next couple of days. After that happens, I will use the CashReturns card to fund my wife's USA, which was opened online on 5/13, but not funded at that time. I also hope that the funding for her USA will go through without any delays. We shall see.

5/22 - My 38K payment posted to my CashReturns card, and the balance has been reduced, and my available credit has been raised by that amount. I'll now work on funding my wife's USA, for which we applied on-line on 5/13. (Later this morning...) I've just faxed the "Citibank Online Credit/Debit Card Deposit Form", with my wife's signature for 34K, and specifying "FOR ULTIMATE SAVINGS ACCT" with her account number. We used my CashReturns card on which she's an authorized user, so I hope the second time around is easier than the first. I asked the CashReturns CSR to put a note on the file that a 34K charge was imminent.

5/27 - The 34K CashReturns funding on my card with my wife's signature (she's an authorized user) with the faxed form now shows on my wife's Citibank online USA balance and and available balance. We had called Citibank earlier today in order to see what was taking so long. The CSR said not to worry about the 5/31 deadline for funding, as long as we had initiated the transaction (e.g. faxing the credit card authorization form) by the deadline. IOW, it wouldn't be our fault if Citi is slow to process the funding for the USA. The 34K reduction shows in my available credit, but not yet in the current balance.

The nice part is that the transaction didn't initially get declined, as did the previous 38K credit card funding of my USA. It just took a long time for Citi Cards to process the transaction.

Sorry for the longish post; I hope this information is useful.

ETA: No hard credit inquiry shows on my credit report for opening the USA by phone.

tuffghost said: glxpass said:

2. "Funds not currently held at Citibank" refer to deposit accounts, not funding with a Citi credit card.



I would love to believe this, but experience was that all 3 CSR's I spoke to on 5/16 told me that I could not fund it with a Citi credit card and qualify for the promotion.

I have a Cash Returns card as well that I'm thinking of using. Maybe I will use it to fund the checking account instead of the USA.
It's hard for me to know who to believe. Even if I don't get the TYP, the 5% bonus for using the CashReturns card far exceeds the value of those TYP, which is why I used that particular card. If the TYP value exceeded the CashReturns bonus, I wouldn't have used that card to fund the account.

Updated my post here (see below entry), where on 5/19, after a re-try, my Citi CashReturns funding of my Ultimate Savings Account (USA) transaction went through, reducing my available credit, but not yet showing on my current CashReturns balance -- although it does show the funding amount in my USA balance:

5/21 - The 38K now shows as a purchase on-line on the CashReturns card and is reflected in the current balance. Paid it using a "trusted" checking account, so I hope the payment will post within the next couple of days. After that happens, I will use the CashReturns card to fund my wife's USA, which was opened online on 5/13, but not funded at that time. I also hope that the funding for her USA will go through without any delays. We shall see.