Citibank Signature's Puzzling Account Site

[Renato1]

I got my Signature Rewards card the other day, and used it to pay $1808 in Council Rates, and as a check that the payment system was working, I Bpayed $2 to that Signature card account.

When I then looked at the site, in the details it showed a debit of $1808 and the credit of $2, which was fine, but the "Unpaid Balance" figure was $2. This had me puzzled, as surely the unpaid balance should have been $1806.

Then I paid another $904 on Council Rates, and Bpayed another $904 to the Signature account.

When I looked at the account today, all the transactions are there, but the Unpaid Balance figure is $902, instead of $1806 (I can only get the $1806 figure by subtracting Available Credit from the Credit Limit).

So, the "Unpaid Balance" figure appears to be the most recent amount Bpayed into the account, not the amount I owe.

Does the same happen with your Citibank credit card account?

It certainly seems unfriendly to me, compared to any other card account I've had. Not to mention often being SMSed a code for activities which don't attract one with other banks e.g I was just SMSed a code so that I could access a past statement on my Transaction account
Regards,
Renato

 

[greenfrog86]

I can't comment on why your BPAY amount is showing up like that, however it's not normally the way my card operates.
Sometimes things don't quite seem perfect until the first statement is issued. You should start to see the correct amount after that I would think.

The code you got is a security feature on Citibank's site. You can view a limited amount of information using just your username and password, however to access more details or make payments you will need to enter the 'one time pin'.

Some banks require this upfront when you login and won't let you see or do anything without it. Citibank only requires it when you go to do more things - this kind of code is actually quite common now.

 

[Renato1]

I can't comment on why your BPAY amount is showing up like that, however it's not normally the way my card operates.
Sometimes things don't quite seem perfect until the first statement is issued. You should start to see the correct amount after that I would think.

The code you got is a security feature on Citibank's site. You can view a limited amount of information using just your username and password, however to access more details or make payments you will need to enter the 'one time pin'.

Some banks require this upfront when you login and won't let you see or do anything without it. Citibank only requires it when you go to do more things - this kind of code is actually quite common now.

Thanks - I hope my account does clear up, else I'll have to be doing subtractions of Available Credit from Credit Limit every time I want to see what I owe.

My Westpac, CBA, Bankwest, ANZ, NAB and Amex accounts don't throw up anywhere near as many SMS pin-code security requirements as does the Citibank one. They mostly only do so when I add either a new payee or Bpay payee - which makes sense as transfer of money out of my account is involved. Why an SMS code is required by Citibank just to read my statements makes little sense to me.
Regards,
Renato

 

[yohy?!]

Sounds like the council payments are authorised but not fully processed into your account - my Citibank card shows all authorised payments in the unbilled but doesn't add them to the balance until they 'clear' so to speak (eg I can see all the test transactions uber does for $1 but they don't appear on the balance until the charge for the ride is processed)

 

[Renato1]

Sounds like the council payments are authorised but not fully processed into your account - my Citibank card shows all authorised payments in the unbilled but doesn't add them to the balance until they 'clear' so to speak (eg I can see all the test transactions uber does for $1 but they don't appear on the balance until the charge for the ride is processed)

Yes, now that you have pointed it out - ALL the transactions - payments and Bpay credits - have a star next to them stating they are "Unbilled/pending transactions".

So I guess what they have done is gotten the original Unbilled/Pending debit of $1808, subtracted the two Unbilled/Pending Bpayments of $904 and $2 to get the unpaid balance of $902, and so far have ignored the other Unbilled/Pending debit of $904.

Which means that unless many days go buy without a transaction, I can be easily misled by the "Unpaid Balance" figure.
Regards,
Renato

 

[Renato1]

UPDATE - The Citibank system is just plain slow, much slower than that of any other banks I've dealt with.

In the early hours of this morning, the Unpaid Balance figure finally showed the correct amount of $1806.
Regards,
Renato