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Citicards Complaint - Unreasonable Card Account Closure of Sears Citi Mastercard
Complaint
Had Sears credit card since 1984 at some point Sears exchanging it to a Citi Platinum Mastercard. Never late in 27 years and had zero balance on the card. Received new cards at expiration and called to activate as I wanted to use at Sears to purchase a refrigerator. When activating I informed them that my husband had passed away three years ago so no longer needed that extra card. They immediately cancelled the card/account even though I had been the only wage earner on the account since 1990 when my husband retired and continued employment to the present as a widow. I offered to give them current credit and employment info so they could keep the current card in place and retain the "customer since 1984" credit status but was rudely refused and told that they had already cancelled it and I would have to fill out a new application and re-apply at a Sears store or online. Asked to speak with a supervisor and explained that I didn't want to lose the years of experience on that card and she told me there was nothing she could do, the card was cancelled.
No way will I ever do business with Citi EVER AGAIN. If this is how they treat long term great card holders then I can totally believe the horrible stories that other people have reported. Opened a Capital One Venture VISA over the phone recently and they gave me more than twice the credit limit as I had on the Citi card ON THE SPOT.
What goes around comes around CITI. Wishing you what you do to others. As for SEARS...you need to find another credit card sponsor or risk losing the use of your card by other long term Sears customers (and stockholders) who have been loyal customers over the years. As an FYI, I bought the refrigerator at a different merchant with the Capital One card.
No way will I ever do business with Citi EVER AGAIN. If this is how they treat long term great card holders then I can totally believe the horrible stories that other people have reported. Opened a Capital One Venture VISA over the phone recently and they gave me more than twice the credit limit as I had on the Citi card ON THE SPOT.
What goes around comes around CITI. Wishing you what you do to others. As for SEARS...you need to find another credit card sponsor or risk losing the use of your card by other long term Sears customers (and stockholders) who have been loyal customers over the years. As an FYI, I bought the refrigerator at a different merchant with the Capital One card.
Comments:
Posted by BEJ on 2011-03-21:
If he was the primary account holder and you were an authorized user on the account, then they had every right to cancel the account when you informed them of his passing. You would then have to open an account in your own name.
Posted by jktshff1 on 2011-03-21:
I don't understand what benefits the "customer since 1984" gives you? Unless you had some kind of reward system set up. CC companies really don't give a rat's rear how long ya been a customer.
Posted by Ytropious on 2011-03-21:
Agree with jkt, these days it doesn't matter if you've been a customer 1 day or 25 years.
Posted by trmn8r on 2011-03-21:
jktshff1 -> the amount of time the person has been a customer is highly weighted in terms of one's credit score. They advise you to keep your oldest cards, even if you don't use them.
Posted by jktshff1 on 2011-03-21:
Then I guess if you use credit, that would matter.
Posted by trmn8r on 2011-03-21:
Correct. A person who doesn't use credit, could care less. A person who does, it matters. I am not one to track my credit score (I checked it once in my life), but even I have kept my oldest card. It sits on a shelf.
Posted by jktshff1 on 2011-03-21:
trmn, if I understand correctly, non use and a high open credit line makes your score go down. But again, I don't use them.
Posted by trmn8r on 2011-03-21:
jktshff1 -> The only penalties I can think of for not using a card is that the limit can be reduced (reducing your over all limit and thus increasing your utilization) or the card could be cancelled.
The statement I made is a generalization, and is widely suggested by people who pontificate on such matters. If your oldest card has the highest limit, then I would advise not leaving it in the shelf, for the reasons mentioned.
The statement I made is a generalization, and is widely suggested by people who pontificate on such matters. If your oldest card has the highest limit, then I would advise not leaving it in the shelf, for the reasons mentioned.
Posted by jktshff1 on 2011-03-21:
ok thanks. I guess ya gotta read the fine print and check your score often.
Posted by db1105 on 2011-03-21:
Sorry about the loss of your husband but when he passed you had an obligation to notify Citi. My wife is the primary on the same credit card and they won't let me do a thing administrative since she is listed as the primary even though I have a credit card in my name and make all the money.
The bottom line is that the rewards on the card are pretty good and it's not worth the effort on my part to change anything. If you can find a better deal on a credit card, but for those who pay in full every month this credit card is a very good deal.
The bottom line is that the rewards on the card are pretty good and it's not worth the effort on my part to change anything. If you can find a better deal on a credit card, but for those who pay in full every month this credit card is a very good deal.
Posted by bluediamond98 on 2011-03-21:
Sorry about the loss of your husband. When my husband passed away I called to cancel all of his cards. I was listed on his AMEX as an authorized user and they took my information and transferred the account to my name. They were the only ones that did that. I got the interest rate and the credit limit, member since 198X, etc... Everyone else - Chase, Citi, Penneys, Macy's simply closed the account so I think in general, that is how they handle things. Don't be insulted by it. Things worked out better for you anyway in the long run.
Posted by CoonCatOne on 2011-03-21:
I am so sorry for your loss and so sorry for the hassles you encountered. Sears is a weird company credit card wise. What an awful world we live in.
Posted by jktshff1 on 2011-03-23:
trm, just found this article this morning. Seems a reason to use one if you got it does exist.
http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-budgeting/article/112152/dangers-of-avoiding-credit?mod=series-m-article-c
http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-budgeting/article/112152/dangers-of-avoiding-credit?mod=series-m-article-c
Posted by MRM on 2011-03-23:
Thanks for the article, JKT! I have printed the article to motivate me in paying down my credit card debt.
Posted by L.F.S. on 2013-03-05:
From my experience, one thing for sure, when Sears goes under, they can thank CitiCard for the help.
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