Really rantin' now about Citibank...

I'm at Sears shopping for curtain rods. I pull out my Citibank United Airlines Miles card. It is denied, for a relatively small charge of $95.24. This is odd. I just checked the account a few days ago and paid the bill.

When I get home, I call the number on my card. I talk to Phillip. He tells me the fraud advisor saw something on the card, tried to call me, couldn't reach me, and has closed the account. Phillip and I go through the usual drill, address, phone number, last payment, mother's maiden name, day of my last period, the whole bit. Then we go through the last few charges, again, all small, and all legit.

But my account is still canceled and they will be sending me another card with a new number.

Next, I get a recording telling me some kind of mess. That really makes me mad. Don't cost me cell phone minutes for that.

I call back to talk to a fraud advisor. When I finally get through to one, I explain that I want to know what caused them to cancel my card. He won't or can't tell me. He says even though there were no fraudulent charges on my card, they receive "reports," one of which indicated that my card was a possibility for fraud. But no further information.

I suspect it's the fact that I have updated the address info twice on the card in the past three months. Once for the temporary PO box address we set up before we moved, and then more recently for the move to our house. But I just want someone to tell me that. And if that's what caused them to make the decision, fine.

Or has something happened because of the Macy's card that I just applied for this week? Now, without knowing their concern, I feel like I have to check all my financial records and possibly even sign up for one of those identity theft services. It's unnerving not knowing what they saw that spooked them.

I can't believe I'm not entitled to know more details about some potential fraudulent situation so threatening that they just closed my account. Didn't even send me an e-mail, which is odd, too, since I get lots of e-mail from Citibank about my account.

So that's what I'll be doing for part of my weekend. Here's hoping you have more fun with yours....