CC Application - Citibank Asking for Who Provides My Energy/Who Does My Banking

XabiFernando on 11/06/2019 - 13:59

Hi all,

In the middle of an application for this deal:

https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/456908

I just got a call from Citibank who asked me, as part of my application verification, to confirm who my energy provider was and who I banked with.

They said they were doing this to ensure "it was me completing the application and not someone else in my name".

My concern is they said they had the answers on file and just needed me to confirm - but this info wasn't asked as part of the application. My best guess is that they had this info on file from a previous CC application (i.e. when they asked me about the energy provider, I eventually got it right on the 3rd try, which was the provider I had around the time of the old application).

I just don't understand why the need to verify using those details, especially given the potential sensitivity. If I was a completely new customer, they wouldn't have that info on file, so how would they go about the process then?

Equally - I appreciate I might be overly defensive about this so keen for some perspective.

Cheers!

Financial

Related Stores

Citibank Australia
Citibank Australia

Comments

  • No on 11/06/2019 - 14:02
    +4

    Is it possible you made your security question who is your energy provider last time?

    Otherwise that is really odd.

  • jackofspade on 11/06/2019 - 14:03
    +4

    They are just verifying the details on your credit file. Energy providers also check your credit rating.

  • kolorijo on 11/06/2019 - 14:31
    +1

    Maybe they are not from Citibank…

    Did you provide your DOB, Address etc2… to them?

    Edit: my partner got a quite 'convincing' phone call from ATO last week asking her to confirm her personal details etc2, she hung up quickly.

    • XabiFernando on 11/06/2019 - 14:51
      +3

      Only former address - however this was part of my application.

      They also read back to me my application number when I asked them, meaning they either are genuine Citibank or they're in my Inbox (but i have 2 step auth enabled).

      I felt uneasy so I told them I would call them when I was ready to verify and ended the chat.

      • kolorijo on 11/06/2019 - 15:05

        Smart move. Better hang up and call them back through their official contact number.

  • wannagrababargain on 11/06/2019 - 15:01

    That is interesting. Was your previous CC application with Citibank too? I applied for a virgin money product and got a very similar call from Citibank. They wanted me to 'verify any previous bank where I applied for a credit card' and also to verify 'any previous address.' They gave me a hint (suburb) for an address and it was a place that I have not lived at for 8 years! I was also concerned about the blase attitude of the operator (eg giving me hints, wanting to rush through the process). The only way I can think of how they still had that address was because I was a Citibank customer way back then. Still it is worrying that there are these personal 'dossiers' out there on you that keep kicking around for a seemingly unlimited time.

  • ak-km on 11/06/2019 - 15:15
    +1

    Applied for their CC on 3/6/19, still waiting for approval. Called them today, lady said she pass my application to verification team..they are so slow with their outcome.

    • dazweeja on 11/06/2019 - 16:38

      They're absolutely terrible even when trying to open a bank account. I haven't had any issues since then (although their app asks me to reset fingerprint authentication all the time).

    • ak-km on 11/06/2019 - 20:38

      Declined…will call them tommorrw for reason.
      Will this affect my credit score?

  • XabiFernando on 11/06/2019 - 20:36

    Thanks for all of your help - called back later tonight as I said I would and found out my application had initially been declined because I didn't provide them with requested information.

    Argh! Now I understand the negs on the bargain page.

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