Citibank Plus - No Fee No Overseas Transaction Fee Account

[Mr_Orange]

No fee in Kuwait or Bahrain. Bahrain even has a Citibank ATM at the airport.

I've found airports often have a Citi ATM. Sure fire way of knowing it is fee free.

 

[moa999]

More on Vietnam.
HSBC allowed >2m withdrawal after selecting other and manually typing number, but charged VND60k ($4). Another local bank Sascombank charged 30k ($2) for 2m.

So many notes, very easy to get it wrong.

 

[Dr_Fliptop]

Hi

Long time lurker, first time poster.

I signed up for one of these today. Beware - the web sign-up is not working properly.

After trying several times to submit my application, I gave up and called.

Turns out there is a "known issue" with the web sign up - if you provide your TFN - it doesn't work! If you don't provide your TFN - it works fine! You'd think they'd fix it!!

Cheers

 

[thehound]

Hi

Long time lurker, first time poster.

I signed up for one of these today. Beware - the web sign-up is not working properly.

After trying several times to submit my application, I gave up and called.

Turns out there is a "known issue" with the web sign up - if you provide your TFN - it doesn't work! If you don't provide your TFN - it works fine! You'd think they'd fix it!!

Cheers

You'd think so, but this is Citibank we're talking about! You'll come to understand what I mean once you have deal with their call centre a few times...

 

[Mr_Orange]

Hi

Long time lurker, first time poster.

I signed up for one of these today. Beware - the web sign-up is not working properly.

After trying several times to submit my application, I gave up and called.

Turns out there is a "known issue" with the web sign up - if you provide your TFN - it doesn't work! If you don't provide your TFN - it works fine! You'd think they'd fix it!!

Cheers

As thehound said, you will find all sorts of, how shall I put it, quirks with Citibank.

Also, welcome to AFF! Maybe head on over to the introductions section and tell us a bit about yourself.

 

[cove]

Calling Citibank has improved but I still avoid any contact if it is possible. We have 4 cards running so that isn't impossible.
With Citibank US the call centre is totally excellent.

 

[dlm01]

I noticed this card before my recent trip and my whole family applied for a card. The positives are that the exchange rate is very good. Probably the best I have experienced for any type of card and Citibank does not charge any fees. It also comes with an online saver account so you can earn interest on your money whilst your not using it. It also means that if you do not use all the AUD you put on the card whilst overseas there is no exchange cost for converting it back. Just go to a Westpac or Citibank ATM when you get back and draw out the money. However.... make sure without fail that you contact them before you leave to advise them which countries you will be in. They have a very very very intrusive fraud protection software and at a drop of a hat they will suspend your card and you will not be able to access your money without having to call them. This happened to me several times despite that fact that I advised them. Also I tried to use a Citibank ATM in NY and it would not work, there advise was go across the road to JP Morgan, pay the $4 atm charge and with draw the money from there. We also went into the branch to try to resolve the problem only to be told they could not help us as the card was issued in Australia. We asked to call from their premises and they said they had no phones to be able to call internationally. Finally my daughter is in the UK using the card. By and large she has had a good experience until after having made serval orders from ASDA for groceries Citibank decided that the latest order looked like a fraudulent transaction despite it being the same as all the previous ones and stopped her card until she rang the Philippines. As far as concept goes this is the best but don't rely solely on this card for access to money or you could be in trouble.

 

[Isochronous]

Surprised to read all these stories about the card being suspended for suspected fraud - I never report my travel patterns and never have a problem.

 

[Cynicor]

Surprised to read all these stories about the card being suspended for suspected fraud - I never report my travel patterns and never have a problem.

Same. They must have very sophisticated software, and pretty much guaranteed they look at the other cards in your account too (I.e. signature in my case). Never had a card cut off and only ever use this one for oseas cash.

 

[NT2010]

Having been using Citibank cards for years, I think they have very "random" software, certainly not sophisticated one.
I have never pcalled them when going overseas except recent trip two weeks ago. Interestingly enough, I only have problem once and it was in this same trip.
Citibank's own ATM at Hong Kong airport could provide me with correct balance on my account but refused to let me withdraw cash.
i rang them and the guy told me to make sure it is Citibank ATM, I said YES I am standing in front of three Citi ATMS, then he advised me to use other bank's ATM.
I ended up withdrawing cash from the local bank ATM and luckily without fee too.
i won't waste my time to call them again.

 

[cove]

Both of our accounts were suspended through being inactive. It takes 3 days to get them back running so call several days before you fly.

 

[DeKa]

Easiest thing to do is once every 3 months take $20 out at a Westpac ATM. No cost, and keeps the account active.

 

[Cynicor]

Even easier is deposit $0.01 automagically with a recurring DD from your normal account, set up for 3 monthly.

I do $1 but I'm generally travelling more than that anyway.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Having been using Citibank cards for years, I think they have very "random" software, certainly not sophisticated one.
I have never pcalled them when going overseas except recent trip two weeks ago. Interestingly enough, I only have problem once and it was in this same trip.
Citibank's own ATM at Hong Kong airport could provide me with correct balance on my account but refused to let me withdraw cash.
i rang them and the guy told me to make sure it is Citibank ATM, I said YES I am standing in front of three Citi ATMS, then he advised me to use other bank's ATM.
I ended up withdrawing cash from the local bank ATM and luckily without fee too.
i won't waste my time to call them again.

Citibank ATMs don't work too well for plus card in Hong Kong. Citi know this and as such you can use ANY atm with no fees and no fx fees.

I've been doing it for 7 months now.

 

[flyingmachine]

Also had my card suspended when in Thailand once. Took about half an hour on the phone at a branch calling back to Australia to get it fixed.

But otherwise no big problems using it overseas. Great exchange rates. Thailand, Malaysia, US......

 

[Isochronous]

Citibank ATMs don't work too well for plus card in Hong Kong. Citi know this and as such you can use ANY atm with no fees and no fx fees.

I've been doing it for 7 months now.

I think that's also because in HK there are 2 ATM alliances: (1) HSBC/Hang Seng; and (2) JetCo - which is every other bank in HK which isn't HSBC or Hang Seng. Citibank is part of the Jetco network, so HK-issued Citibank cards get free withdrawals at all Jetco ATMs. You can even take a HK Citi card to, say, a Bank of China ATM and change your pin number and do other administrative things like activate overseas withdrawals on it.

 

[Dr_Fliptop]

So after a few weeks of messing around I finally have my new account & I'm well happy with it.

Did a EUR transfer today to an account in Europe via Internet banking. Cost me AUD $489 - exchange rate used was only 0.02c from the spot rate. I checked my CBA account to see what it would have cost - $530 (including the $22 trans fee)!!! So Citi was $41 cheaper. CBA are fleecing people!!

 

[Mr_Orange]

CBA are fleecing people!!

Ha, ha, tell us something we don't know. That's why CBA's share price is north of $80.

 

[medhead]

Ha, ha, tell us something we don't know. That's why CBA's share price is north of $80.

Still I love the dividends...

 

[Dr_Fliptop]

Ha, ha, tell us something we don't know. That's why CBA's share price is north of $80.

They clearly rely on people not comparing the market. I refinanced my mortgage away from CBA at the start of the year - got an interest rate 0.52% lower - saving me about $200 a month... If people woke up, they'd be toast (or actually need to be competitive).