FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C)
November 15, 2007
Citi Enhances its Credit Education Web Site, UseCreditWisely.com
Offering New Interactive Tools & Resources to Help Consumers Understand & Manage Their Credit
New York, NY – Credit is a powerful financial tool, and for years, Citi, the world's largest issuer of credit cards, has been dedicated to helping consumers understand the importance of responsible credit management with its Use Credit Wisely program. As part of this ongoing effort and commitment to providing consumers of all ages and economic backgrounds with comprehensive information and support, Citi is announcing a newly enhanced UseCreditWisely.com – complete with new interactive features and in-depth credit and financial management information.
"The more you know and understand about credit, the more likely you are to use it wisely," said Rob Rosenblatt, executive vice president, Citi. "Citi's UseCreditWisely.com site was developed to provide consumers with free information, resources and interactive tools they need to develop healthy credit habits. Our goal is simple: to help consumers manage their credit to their advantage. Now, with the additional innovative components of the UseCreditWisely.com site, we can offer an exceptional user experience while providing beneficial information."
The updated Use Credit Wisely site features easier navigation and several new interactive components designed to de-mystify credit card products and terms. Highlights include:
- Interactive Statement: clear, concise definitions on key terms that every cardmember needs to know to understand their monthly credit card statements
- Interactive Credit Report: a guide to reading a credit report and the personal financial information creditors seek to determine creditworthiness
- Calculators: tools to help plan for the financial future by calculating costs to determine affordability when buying a home, investing, saving for college planning for retirement and more.
- UseCreditWisely.com helps consumers enhance their understanding of personal finance matters to improve their money management skills and help achieve their financial goals. In addition to the new interactive tools, the site also provides useful information on a range of topics including:
- Understanding the rules of credit: A look at the basics of credit – the types of credit, tips for maintaining healthy credit, building a credit history – as well as what consumers need to know about credit cards, such as types of cards, finance charges, and payments.
- Managing finances: How to gain financial control by budgeting, spending wisely and handling difficult financial situations, including divorce and the loss of a loved one.
- Protection: Advice on keeping credit cards, personal information and identity safe as well as understanding your legal rights.
Citi is constantly evaluating ways to improve the experience of customers, particularly online, and to provide the information they need in a clear and concise manner. To help keep the line of communication open and streamlined, Citi offers a number of free, secure, online tools to help customers better understand their credit and manage it wisely:
- Enhanced Statements provide detailed account activity in a user-friendly format.
- Automatic Alerts notify cardmembers via e-mail or text message about important account activity such as due dates, current balance or payment notifications.
- Due Date Options allow cardmembers to choose when payments are due.
- Account Online enables cardmembers to monitor accounts frequently and make payments online.
- Paperless Statements is one of Citi's environmentally-friendly programs that also helps eliminate sensitive information in cardmembers' mailbox and garbage.
- Archived Statements keeps account information stored for up to 15 years in a PDF format.
Citi has also developed targeted Use Credit Wisely web sites for Spanish-speaking consumers, college students, and another for small business owners. These can be accessed through the home page of the Use Credit Wisely web site or their dedicated URLs: www.CuidaTuCredito.com, www.Students.UseCreditWisely.com and www.Business.UseCreditWisely.com.
For more information on Citi's Use Credit Wisely program, visit www.UseCreditWisely.com.
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Citi
Citi, the leading global financial services company, has some 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 100 countries, providing consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, and wealth management. Citi's major brands include Citibank, CitiFinancial, Primerica, Smith Barney and Banamex. Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com or www.citi.com.