Citicard customer service seems incapable of addressing a legitimate (and potentially serious) problem with the Citicard (described below), or of communicating logically with me. Here is a copy of our correspondence:
Me: I received my new Citicard in the mail, and had no chance to activate it before my travels began outside the United States. I am currently in another country.
On the front of the new card, there is a message which reads: "Outside the US or Canada call collect 301-797-2328". When I tried to call that number collect I was told by three different operators (Country X, Verizon, ATT) that collect calls were blocked to that number. I then tried calling the general service number for the card (shown on the card and on this web site — quot; Outside the U.S. Call Collect 605-335-2222 "), but was told by the same three operators that collect calls were also blocked to that number.
So now I am surprised, confused, and have also wasted 30 minutes of my time trying to call and also writing you now. Can you please clarify what is going on here and how I can finally activate the card? I would like to use it during my trip.
Citicard: When calling our collect phone numbers please be sure to put a 1 in front of the area code. The phone number you would use is 1-605-335-2222.
Me: Thank you for your advice, but very certainly I have used "1" for the country code.in fact, all calls have been checked by operators working with [country X local], Verizon, and ATT.in every case I am told the same thing by the operators — that the numbers are "blocked" from receiving collect calls. Can you let me know what to do next?
Citicard: Since you are calling from [country X] please try [country X local access code]-1-605-335-2222. We have tested the phone number and it does appear to be working. Adding the [country X local access code]is the country code for the United States from [country X].
Me: The dialing code you gave me (starting with XXX) is indeed a valid number which CAN be dialed from [country X], but it is the direct number, meaning I will have to pay for the international call myself. However, the instructions on both the sticker and on the card explain I can call those numbers collect from overseas. Is there another number I can call for which collect calls are not blocked?
Citicard: You must dial for an operator and have then dial the collect call for you.
Me: Unfortunately, we're not communicating correctly here.in your last email, you told me I must dial for an operator and then they will dial complete the collect call for me. But that is exactly what I tried to do, through three different carriers (Verizon, ATT, and country X).in all three cases the operator informed me that making a collect call is impossible because those specific numbers are blocked from doing so. Clearly something is wrong with the system and I would like to ask you for your help in solving the problem. This is NOT a question of how I am dialing the call; it is a matter of the way you have configured the numbers at your end so that collect calls are impossible to make.
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