"Today, 1:19 pm #914
Happy
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 15,233
Bait and Switch - Important Update
Around 2:45 EST, got a call from TY Dept in SD, informing me the closure of
TY account and TY cards (and other Citi cards closed) cannot be reversed
because the purchase of GCs at CVS are considered is an "abuse" to the
program, even though I only bought 2 GCs at less than 10% of the card's
credit line. That the security dept said I have committed "Fraud" therefore
the cards were closed regardless GC has NEVER been listed as a forbidden
item to buy in any T&Cs one can find, nor "Fraud" is ever defined in writing
in any of the T&Cs.
She claimed that because "fraud" and "abuse" were committed, Citi has the
right to close accounts and confiscate all points earned pass and present.
I pointed out that Citi made a retention offer, but never told customer that
GC purchase was forbidden. When customer bought GCs, (and in this case, so
little of them), Citi took away the bait, and used the excuse to confiscate
customer's prior years' earning, thus get away with its liability to pay out
the rewards. A bait and switch in its worst form.
I told her that since I did not have phone recording facility, I was in a
distinct disadvantage position, when it comes to the need to retrieve the
phone records so we could verify exactly what she said as representing Citi'
s position on this, I wanted her to send me a letter in writing with the
definitions she told me how the "fraud" and "abuse" are defined by Citi so I
can have it in writing to take it to arbitration or other channels. She
said a customer cannot dictate how Citi words its letter but she would send
a letter on the account closure which is final.
She did not know my AA and HHonor cards were also closed. Then she said it
was because i committed "fraud" to purchase GCs at merchant's where it
earned category bonus. I asked her to clarify whether GC purchase itself is
considered "fraud" and "abuse" on any card, or it is ONLY when purchased
with cards with category bonuses? She said she did not know that she had to
check with Citi's legal dept.
Again she reiterated the decision to closed my accounts and confiscated all
my points earned from prior years was final. She would send me a letter
which has to g
I would let the community know what exact wordings are on the letter.
So Citi did tell me, verbally, what the reasons were, "fraud" and "abuse" on
2 GCs purchases that allows them to take away 188K TYPs earned 4 years ago."