Ugh, I hate Citibank! If you have Citi cc, please read.

[queenfluff]

This is so weird. I just signed my papers today so the filing couldn't have affected any of my cards yet.

But .....I just logged into my online Citi account because I wanted to check the dates on something on one of my statements.

When I log in, on my account home page, I get this:

"Important Security Message
This is to inform you that your account may be at risk for unauthorized use. To ensure that it remains protected, we have:

-Restricted Account Online access for this account number.
-Issued a new Citi Card to you.

When you receive your new card, please take the following steps immediately:
1. Activate it as instructed on the sticker on the front of the card.
2. Inform authorized users of this situation.
3. Notify recurring billing merchants of the new account number.
4. Register your new account number with Account Online for full access again

In the meantime, to make payments online, change account information or use the Secure Message feature, call Customer Service at 1-866-696-5673. "

Under my amt due and balance, it says $0! WTF? My papers haven't been filed yet so it can't be that.

SO, I just called customer service. The computer voice says I still owe what I really owe which is 23, 311 and that my next amt due is 550.00.

Next, I talk to a real person (one in India of course). Apparently, on April 7, (the day after I did all my printing and going over my forms with my lawyer), Citibank reported that they thought random accts had been compromised and that they randomly Restricted access on some cards and issue new cards with new acct number to those customers and MINE was one of those. NOTHING on my acct looks compromised. Grrrr!

So now my acct number has been changed and the new card has been sent out with the new number on it which I won't have for 7 to 10 days.

I can't believe it. I just signed my papers today too.

On my forms I have the current Citi card number which is now invalid! My balance now says $0 (which would be cool if it was actually true but I know it isn't so.. )

So, now I have to call my lawyer first thing tomorrow and tell him that the acct number on my forms will be wrong. But I won't be able to give him the new acct number until the card arrives. So, my papers can't be filed yet! UGH!

Citibank has the most lousy timing. The worst thing is that if I hadn't logged into my acct to check something on my statement I would have never known about it. I didn't get a letter in the mail or an email or anything.

They can't give me the new card number over the phone for security reasons and it rush ship it they would charge me $15. I said no way I can't have any charges on my card. I had to tell the guy about the bankruptcy. I am sure he put a little note on my file.

The guy on the phone said the card is just being sent out now. If I hadn't called, would I have even gotten the card send with the new number? Funny about it just is sending out when I called.

Now I have ANOTHER reason to hate Citibank. The customer service guy was really nice and helpful (if not hard to understand because of the accent) but I still will never use Citibank again ever for anything. I had a checking with them for like three months once and they screwed up my checks really badly and I canceled it and switched banks. Now, I am reminded again how much they suck.

If anyone has a Citbank acct and you are doing your forms. I would double check to make sure they aren't issueing you a new number too. They guy on the phone said it was random but it is funny that it was a day after I was spending alot of my time logging into my online acct and downloading and printing out my statements for my lawyer. I thought maybe THAT way why they thought my acct was compromised and I asked the guy if there was a reason why they thought my acct was compromised and he said it isn't it anything specific and it was random.

Unbelievablely weird.
(sorry I just had to vent - I felt like I had everything tied up for my filing and now this...ugh! )

[fltoo]

Citi did the right thing if they think your security was compromised.

This has no bearing on your filing as the account numbers are linked.

[queenfluff]

Citi did the right thing if they think your security was compromised.

This has no bearing on your filing as the account numbers are linked.

fltoo, thanks for your response and information! I hope you are right. Have you had this happen to you before?

I have never had my account number changed because of a security issue so I am not familiar with this happening and how it works. I thought they were supposed to contact you or something to confirm out if you notice anything suspicious on your card though before they did anything? I think I remember once someone calling me along time ago when I traveled overseas and charged stuff and someone called to verify that it was me that charged those things which I appreciate but this time it is just bad timing ugh.

Did have my purse stolen once so I had to cancel and change my numbers but no security breach. I am assuming that means an online breach like a hacker. But honestly my account looks fine as I haven't used the card since January. No viruses or worms on my computer that I know of. I have the anti-virus software.

Actually, the guy on the phone yesterday said it wasn't that they thought MY individual account was compromised but that there WERE accounts compromised so the changing of old account number to new ones was random to many cards. Weird how my account was picked for this. I thought maybe my account was flagged for this because I logged in a lot recently. I can't think of anything else.

Hmm, accounts are linked? That would be a good thing because it wouldn't effect my filing but my account balance for this account number currently says $0 which is not true at all. The customer service guy said that all of my account info was being transferred to the new account number. I asked him if the old number will be invalid and he said yes. He didn't say the accounts were linked up. To me, from my account online, it doesn't look like they are.

But I told him about the Bankruptcy filing and he didn't say anything about the accts being linked and not to worry about the old account number being invalid for my filing - but than again they don't really train those people well either. He put me on several long holds when trying to get my information - well, he was in India, so most people know that there are weird delays when you call there. I actually got disconnected when talking to the first person and had to call back. I wonder if he was asking someone else what to tell me. Could be that he didn't know really what to tell me. But if he did know you think he would have mentioned that the account number will be linked.

I read a few stories online yesterday of people who had their Citi numbers changed in the last few months because of a security breach and these peoples old cards were just "shut off" before they even received new ones. They didn't even know what was going on until they called Citibank and wonder what was happening. The worst part is that Citibank put some random charge on their accounts for the issuing of the new cards even though the action wasn't initiated by the customer themselves but it was Citibanks doing. Many commented on how they thought the whole thing was a scam by Citibank to collect more fees on peoples account. Some of the fees were really high too. Don't know if the fees were removed or not. I didn't see a fee on my old account but hopefully it won't show up on my new one.

In the past, when I have gotten new cards, they don't shut off the old number before I activate the new. But I guess this is a little different right?

Just wondering how long ago that red security message was put on my account. If the whole thing started on April 7 like the guy said why wasn't the card sent out until when I called last night?

I am still going to call my lawyer to ask if this is going to be an issue.

But thanks so much for your info. I hope you are correct.

[StartingOver08]

Go ahead and file with the number you had with Citi, when you get the new number you can make an amendment to your filing if you feel you need to do so. But really, as fltoo points out the accounts are linked and it is a non-issue.

Don't hold up your filing because of this.

[Mi Bankruptcy]

Just amend your documents to include the new number to cover your a$$. You will be fine. DO NOT under any circumstance use the new card.

[queenfluff]

StartingOver08 and MI Bankruptcy,

Thank you both for the helpful responses. I really love this site - so much support.

It is nice that I don't have to worry about this. I feel better that my filing will not be held up. And yes, there is in no way I would ever use the card. I get the creepies just looking at my cards now so no way jose. I think I will still have to call and activate it though right since my info is being moved to the new number right? I want to make sure the numbers will be linked OK. Gotta cover my butt.

I called my lawyers office and spoke to the secretary and told her the issue and she said she is pretty sure it is not an issue since I was not the one who had the account number changed. But she is going to double check and call me back. I am assuming when the new card comes through I will give them the new number so they will have both old and new.

It is just such odd timing. Funny that I was one of the random account numbers and that this is just happening now as I am doing my BK.

When I used to be a "working girl" with a good job I was in IT so I am not one to fall prey to phising email, viruses and such because I can spot out the scammers and have all the software so I know it couldn't be that - which was why I was surprised at this - I couldn't imagine how anyone got my account info esp when the rest of my cards were OK (so far!). But I have had a Citibank account for the longest of all my cards - 20 years - it was my first cc. The number has been changed a few times but I think I have had my current account number for a bit. I guess even a IT person like myself isn't immune to the wiles of the credit card industry security flubs.

Makes one wonder how they pick out which account numbers to change the cards for if there are no suspicious charges. Of course, I can't view my address online right now - maybe that was stolen? I think my account number would be more valuable to a hacker though.

Hmm, still it would have been nice to get a call or email about this first before it happened and I had to find out about it on my own. It pays to be a nosy person I guess.

Also the Citibank CSR dude said it was Mastercard that reported it so I guess it isn't a Citibank issue but a Mastercard one - I also have a Chase Mastercard and nothing happened with that one though. So, that is a heads up to anyone with Mastercards right now I guess.

But still I am glad I am aware of issue at the beginning of the BK process and not surprised in like a week when the new card arrives in the mail.

At least, I get to cut up more cards soon to take my angst out on - I have a lot of Citibank angst - so I need the additional card to mutilate anyhow. One Citibank card isn't enough. (I haven't actually cut up my cards yet - I am going to have a big ceremony when I get discharged)

[queenfluff]

Well, I got the "new" card in the mail and get this - I got two of them (came in separate enevelopes) and I don't ever have two (I am the only user). Same new number on both cards. (now, i have an extra card to cut up later in my discharge ceremony!). What a screwup.

There is a little slip of paper with a message about the security breach that says "Please activate new card asap. If you do not reply by the date indicated on the top of your card carrier, your existing account will be closed automatically."

Existing account meaning my now old account number which should be linked to the new one they just sent me.

Should I even bother to activate the new card with the new number?

I mean, obviously I am not going to use it. And all my accounts will be closed soon anyhow because of the BK. Hmm, I wonder what would happen if I let them close my accounts - with a balance of 23,000 on it?.

I am guessing that that they are just closing my old account and not the new one but if i don't activate the card, will the new account number ever be active?

Will it effect my bankruptcy if the new card is never activated by me? Will that mean that the new account will not be active and not shown up as an open account (like on my credit report).

I am guessing not but I just wondering whether it matters to activate the card since I will never use it.

[fltoo]

Cut the card up without activating. Let them do whatever they want with the acct.

Your numbers are linked, nothing for you to do. Why would you think you should activate the new card?

[queenfluff]

Cut the card up without activating. Let them do whatever they want with the acct.

Your numbers are linked, nothing for you to do. Why would you think you should activate the new card?

Hi fltoo,

Thanks for the advice!

I was thinking that since my old acount number (which I used on my forms with my creditors that I filled out before I found out about Citibank changing my card numbers) is now been closed that it might look strange that one of the creditors I am trying to get my debts discharged from would not have any open accounts for me.

I was wondering if the account had to be active (or open if you will) in order for me to be able to get the debt discharged. The new account number had all my debt on it now.

I guess it doesn't matter though from your answer. So I guess I won't activate the card with the new number on it.

Should I still give my lawyer the new account number just in case?

[TEW]

Hi fltoo,

Thanks for the advice!

I was thinking that since my old acount number (which I used on my forms with my creditors that I filled out before I found out about Citibank changing my card numbers) is now been closed that it might look strange that one of the creditors I am trying to get my debts discharged from would not have any open accounts for me.

I was wondering if the account had to be active (or open if you will) in order for me to be able to get the debt discharged. The new account number had all my debt on it now.

I guess it doesn't matter though from your answer. So I guess I won't activate the card with the new number on it.

Should I still give my lawyer the new account number just in case?

You can but it doesn't matter. They are going to close all your accounts as soon as you file.

[jojo]

HHhhhhhhmmm..........that is exactly what happened to me when I filed about a month ago. Where this security "breech" came from I still don't know. Have never had anything like it happen before. It made me very uncomfortable wondering if somebody had my information or not.
I listed the closed account as well as the "new" account which I never activated.
Odd it happened to both of us in exactly the same way. I didn't know until I logged on to my account to check balances as well.

[onlywayout]

this is happening more and more as retailers and CC processing companies are careless with data.

When a retailer (rember TJ Maxx incident a few years ago? This also happened recently with a CC processing company that lost a few million numbers) has card numbers that were compromised, they report the whole batch to visa,mc,etc.

The issuing banks immediately cancel the cards without notice whether or not there was any fraudulent activity on the account. Its a preemptive action. I have friends who have been stranded while traveling due to this happening.

[catleg]

Relax. Your only legal requirement is that your creditors get timely notification of your bankruptcy case so they can file proof of claim or objection. Everything else is on a best efforts basis. If you have 10 Citibank cards but forget to list 1 of them, it'll still be discharged, because they knew. Not saying you shouldn't be thorough and complete, but you shouldn't lose any sleep over this either. Besides in their computer they still have a history of every account number assigned to your account.

[B65]

they did this to me too just as I filed

it made no difference at all.
dont worry...B

[queenfluff]

thanks for the advice guys!

Yeah, I didn't activate the new card. I only have one Citibank account. I will be so happy to get Citibank out of my life for good.