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Contents
The Offer
- Citi sent out emails on many different credit cards with an offer for those who spend at Paypal during Q3 2022, July 1 – September 30. There are various versions of the offer:
- Earn 5 Bonus ThankYou Points per $1 spent – up to 3,000 points total – in addition to what your card normally earns at PayPal.
- Earn a $20 statement credit when spending $200 or more at PayPal by September 30th.
- Earn a $5 statement credit for each month – July, August, September – that you spend $50 or more at PayPal, up to $15 total statement credit.
These offers require activation via the email by either August 15th or September 15th, depending on the offer.
Our Verdict
These are small spend offers. Paypal is a really easy place to get spend as most major retailers accept them, as well as charities, and some tax payment services, etc.
So I went through and checked this offer as part of my winter cleaning, and I think I figured out what happened: my Cashstar and PPDG purchases got 0x points on my Rewards+ (just the roundup), but they did get *4x* bonus points according to the TYP history, which, oddly, do not appear in my statements, which is what I was checking. Then two months later at the end of December, they fixed it and sent the rest of the 3000 points. So if you’re combing through your history for the points, try looking for 4x
Funny, people like to complain about Citi offers not posting right, but I don’t think I’ve ever had one not post automatically and pretty quick too. Wonder when my luck will run out
In the beginning of July, I activated a Citi’s offer of 5 bonus points per $1 spent with PayPal using my DoubleCash card. On July 26 I made two charges using PayPal. However, I haven’t received my bonus points.
Today I reached out to their customer service online chat. Here’s what I heard: “We are aware of the issue and currently looking into it. Once the issue is resolved, the rewards will be adjusted accordingly. You will be provided with additional communication once available.”
I asked about their timeframe. Here’s the response: “Our team is working on this as this issue was spotted only at the end of last month. So expect it to be resolved in a month.”
another one, see if you have it https://specialoffers.citicards.com/rapidaction/activatepaypal/Offer
I just noticed this offer on “Citi Offers For You”:
https://online.citi.com/US/ag/citioffersforyou
It’s under “Even More Offers For You”. After activation, I clicked on “View Offer” again:
“You’re earning $20 back as a statement credit after you spend $200 on eligible PayPal purchases you make with your linked Citi® Double Cash Card.
This offer started 09/30/2022, or the date you enrolled, whichever is later, and ends 12/31/2022.”
Never received any e-mail, never got this offer previously. Double Cash card.
As Jig mentioned in https://www.doctorofcredit.com/citi-cards-paypal-spend-offer-for-up-to-20-statement-credit-or-3000-points/#comment-1436243 the offer is 4x on top, not 5x. Although the rep admitted that there is no 1X awarded for the paypal transactions to begin with (brushed it off saying it will be in the second billing statement after it occurred).
And to close the loop on the United thing: they did not consider it since it lacks the prefix. Started to tell me that it’s the problem of United on how they processed the payment. Which is bull cause I did one on the chase freedom with the category and even though it still showed up w/o PAYPAL * it still counted for the bonus category.
Do airline purchases through paypal typically don’t get prefixed with PAYPAL * ? I did one with UNITED and I realized that unlike the other paypal trans they get actual rewards instead of — and lack the prefix.
Seems initially it didn’t work due to missing Paypal prefix. Wondering if Citi still honored it!
Anyone remembers the subject of the email for this offer? I can’t find the email. Thanks.
As expected with Citi, this offer isnt working as stated in terms. Got the 3k pts limit for 5x bonus TYP on Paypal spend for my TY Preferred, and clearly states in addition to normal earning. Instead, Paypal spending is earning 4x TYP bonus pts and 0 normal TYP. Calling led to them claiming 4x was the offer all along, and normal earn was included in 4x. They said they submitted a dispute, Sigh, Citi, as expected.
Anyone tried to pay Federal Tax via Citi through Paypal successfully?
Does Citi not give base points for PayPal purchases…? Is it card-specific?
how to english?
I’m not sure how I could’ve been clearer
Yes, you get the base points as well. Yes, its card specific.
i.e, Dividend card base point = 1% plus the 5% bonus offer.
i.e, Citi Double Cash base point = 2% plus the 5% bonus offer.
also I believe for the dividend quarter category, you only get the 5% if you pay directly, do no double dipping.
Thanks for the thoughtful response!
I know that different cards have different base point amounts, lol…It’s just that my Rewards+ card only gave 10 points (rounding up from 0 I imagine) on a PayPal checkout purchase, same as
v32legend, and I didn’t see anyone else mention that. It was a Cashstar purchase, so probably that’s what did it. Hopefully I still get the 5% in a few months
Paypal bonus wont stack if purchase via Paypal is in Airlines category which is a 5% Dividend category in Q4’2022?