With immediate effect and as the only bank in Germany, Citibank offers a free of charges SMS-service for checking accounts, credit cards and custody accounts: With Citi Alerts customers receive current notifications via SMS or e-mail for free.
With this service customers know within a few minutes after the transaction that their salary has arrived in their account, or there has been a direct debit – a plus in transparency, safety and control.
"Bank customers want to know which movements take place on their account", says Claudia Thiele, head of credit cards at Citibank Germany. "Citi Alerts offers them transparency and control at all times and everywhere, at no charge. Thus they can react immediately in case of suspicious transactions – a clear gain in safety," she said.
Customers can choose from more than 20 different kinds of notifications for the three service areas: checking/savings account, custody account and credit card. With Citi Alerts they always have an eye on their own way of spending and a faster control on direct debits, for example. In addition, they benefit from alerts that inform them about suspicious credit card transactions. The registration for Citi Alerts can be done easily via the Citibank homepage, the call center, or the branches.
Moreover, Citibank offers its credit card customers with immediate effect more protection in case of loss or thievery of their credit card. In case of slight negligence, the customers are from now on no more liable for losses that have occurred before the card can be blocked. So far they had to pay a contribution of 50 Euros that is a commonplace practice in the market. "The new liability rules provide the customers with more safety and this makes the credit card as a means of payment more attractive," says Thiele.