Complaint Review: Shell Select Citibank Gas Cards

When a seller/merchant and a buyer/customer reach an agreement to exchange goods or services for money (or for other goods or services) the transaction is not a rip off unless one of the parties fails to honor the agreement. A rip off requires an act of deception, cheating or swindling.

If you purchase a grain of white sand from me at an agreed price of $100 the deal is not a rip off due to the exorbitant price. If I were to deliver a brown grain of sand you would have a legitimate complaint.

I just checked the Citi website for the Shell Select Card at https://www.citicards.com/cards/acq/empty.do?download=pdf&value=XmHorwLEGLyIIno4dsSgJB&screenID=NoSCREENID

APR for purchases is 24.99% variable with prime rate.  This means it is prime plus 21.74%

APR for cash advances is 29.95% variable with prime rate.  This means it is prime plus 26.70%

Who in their right mind would agree to such a thing?

I have ONE consumer credit card, a VISA, at less than HALF that rate.  If BOA ever attempts to raise it I'm gone.

According to the website, it IS A REAL CREDIT CARD.  The fee for cash advances is $10 or 5% of the cash advance, whichever is higher!

No where on the website does it indicate that cash advances are limited to $25, so if the author of this report had only $20 available for cash advance on the card there is ANOTHER REASON, such as being very close to his credit card limit.

For the Author:  You need to get RID of these 2 credit cards!  If you need assistance, seek out a non-profit credit counseling agency in your area.  Make sure the agency's credit counseling is accepted by bankruptcy courts-this will ensure that you get a counselor who knows what he/she is doing.  Most non-profits have a free education program to help you or they charge a nominal fee based on your ability to pay.

Good luck-  I can't stress this enough GET RID OF THESE CARDS.  Carry cash if you have to.

Flynryder says - It's not a rip off because you agreed to the fees. It's not crooked behavior. It's probably the dumbest way to borrow $20, but you should know that going in.



Ashley of Springfield says - As for encouraging the customer to not pay this portion of their bill, that's horrible advice. The bank will likely be unconcerned ... So the 10$ fee would be for getting a cash advance of 20$ or 200$ The amount is unimportant!What?



I say -



These are lame, typical and redundant responses from re-butties. Sounds like institutionalized capitalists defending legal contracts. Ignore them! Contracts are made to be broken. It's NOT OK to charge $100 (read the fine print) for a loaf of bread. Again, finger pointing and deflation of Hi-way robbery is all they offer. Stop the frame of mind that nothing can be done. Just bend over and accept your punishment because YOU deserve it is not the case here.



There is/are a lot of focus/changes on CC regulations and controls in place. Leaving the $10 X2 is not going to cause a credit rating glitch while making the minimum payments and disputing the charges. Hang in there cuincr of Cape Girardeau, Mo. Keep bitching about this issue to Shell & Citi. Crawl up the management chain. More answers will come if and when this post moves on towards it's goal. I don't have any further resolutions at this time, but I'm working on it and other are 2.

" Rebuttal = Hello! Wake up! Charging $13 to borrow $20 in one shot is not normal. Are you smoking pot while surfing - again?  "

    Yes it is normal.  I did not say it was smart.   When you get a cash advance, you're charged the $10 fee.  When you use some other bank's ATM you're charged a $3 fee.   It's probably the dumbest way to borrow $20, but you should know that going in. 

   I found out about cash advance fees when I used the wrong card to withdraw cash at an ATM (accidently used credit card instead of the normal debit card).   I wasn't happy about it, but I didn't whine about it either because it was my mistake, my card agreement clearly stated the fee and ultimately I was responsible for paying it. 

To the previous poster, while I agree these fees are a rip off the OP did agree to them when he opened his account. He signed a contract agreeing to these fees. If he had a problem with the cash advance fees he should have made it known before using the feature. Most credit card companies charge a flat fee for this service. So the 10$ fee would be for getting a cash advance of 20$ or 200$ The amount is unimportant.

As for encouraging the customer to not pay this portion of their bill, that's horrible advice. The bank will likely be unconcerned with their not liking the fees and simply close their account after its significantly past due. This will result in damage to the OP's credit. They should call and negotatate with the customer service over the fee, but ultimately they did sign a contract agreeing to these fees. The bank holds all the legal marbles.

Expensive, yes, A rip off, no. quotes - It's not a rip off because you agreed to the fees. The government does not control most merchant fees in a free enterprise economy.

-Rebuttal = He did not agree to this. He signed a document that a Lawyer would have trouble interpreting. Read between the lines! The government does not know how to control their own debt and that could be because people like you deflate this form of robbery. It cost him $13 to borrow $20! The poor guy did it 2X. Shell has no conscience. The rich get richer, and the poor pay for it. This isn't about stupidity, this is about a lack of integrity within Shell & Citi. This is wrong and so are you!
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Sounds perfectly normal, quotes - All credit cards that I'm aware of charge cash advance fees and they're all high. I'm guessing that this is the first time you've used the cash advance feature because what you're complaining about is common to virtually every credit card.

-Rebuttal = Hello! Wake up! Charging $13 to borrow $20 in one shot is not normal. Are you smoking pot while surfing - again? 
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Wondering quotes - So knowing that, how is this anyones fault but your own?

how abot ponering the complaint as if it happened to you, your family or a loved one!
I'm wondering if any of you have any integrity at all? I'm appalled at all 3 customer responses. Shame on you people. None of you have offered any resolution or support. Just good old finger pointing and lame comments!
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To the author Don't listen to these 3 pin heads. I would not pay the ridiculous $20 fee without a fight. I would mail in your normal payment with a letter and complain about the charge 2X for each charge in a letter. State that this was an emergency situation to fix
your tire, you were unaware of the cash advance fee and maybe even send a copy of the receipt to fix your tire. Do it again next month if need be. Good Luck. Dont bother with the BBB. They are useless.  

You said " Since these cards are both gas cards and not official credit cards, I knew using them for cash would have some type of ATM fee & Shell fee."

So knowing that, how is this anyones fault but your own? 

   All credit cards that I'm aware of charge cash advance fees and they're all high.  One thing you didn't mention is that they also charge a much higher interest rate for a cash advance and the interest starts accumulating the moment you get the advance (i.e. unlike purchases which allow you to pay the bill in full without incurring interest).   

   I'm guessing that this is the first time you've used the cash advance feature because what you're complaining about is common to virtually every credit card.  

"I knew using them for cash would have some type of ATM fee & Shell fee. Obviously I didn't read the fine print when I signed up for the cards"

It's not a rip off because you agreed to the fees.

"What part of the government allows such crooked behavior?"

It's not crooked behavior. The government does not control most merchant fees in a free enterprise economy.