How Do I Activate My Citibank Card?

The methods above are simple and straightforward. You will only need a few minutes to execute the option that works best for you. Make sure you enter the correct details and give information that is true.

Adam Goldkamp is the editor / author responsible for this content.
Dec 15, 2020

When you receive your Citibank card, you are required to activate it as soon as possible. Activating the cards offers you a lot of advantages compared to using cash for your transactions. There are various ways you can achieve this. These include:

  • Activating your Citibank card using a phone
  • Activating your Citibank card online
  • Activating your Citibank card through SMS
  • Activating your Citibank card using the Citi mobile app

Activating Your Citibank Card Using a Phone

  1. Dial the toll-free Citibank customer care service number. You can also call the number on the card.
  2. Listen to the audio instructions and follow the steps for activating your card.
  3. Enter the details on your card.
  4. Enter your details.
  5. Agree with the terms and conditions of the Citibank Card Services.
  6. Your card will be activated in a few minutes.

Activating Your Citibank Card Online

  1. Visit the official website of Citibank.
  2. Into the empty fields provided, enter your user ID and password. Make sure you enter the correct details.
  3. You will then be required to select the "Services/My profile" option and fill in the required information such as your social security number and your card account number.
  4. Your final step is to click on the "Card activation" button and then select the name of your card for it to be activated.
  5. You will receive a notification from Citibank via SMS or email.
  6. The status of your card will be changed immediately on your Citibank online.

Activating Your Citibank Card Through SMS

  1. You are required to send an activation SMS using your mobile phone number to Citibank.
  2. The message should include a shortened version of the word activate followed by the last 4 digits of your card number as shown below.

ACT (Last 4 digits of your card number)

  1. After the message has been sent, Citibank will immediately respond notifying you of the successful activation of your card.

Activating Your Citibank Card Using the Citi Mobile App

  1. If you do not have the app, you can begin by downloading it from the app store for android or iOS.
  2. You will then be required to open it on your phone and use your Citi mobile credentials to log in. You may need to answer some questions for security reasons.
  3. A notification will be sent via SMS or email as soon as you are logged in to the app. This will change the status of your card instantly on the Citi mobile app.

The app has another method that can be used to activate your Citibank card. It is slightly different from the method mentioned earlier as it requires you to scan the card instead of typing the digits on the card.

To activate your card using this feature you must:

  1. Download the app and then click on the "Register" option.
  2. Using your mobile device's camera, scan the new card. Confirm that all the information is correct.
  3. You will then be required to enter your date of birth and the last four digits of your Citibank card number.

When activating a Citibank credit card, you will need the following:

  • The expiry date of your card
  • The bank ID
  • Your passcode
  • The card number
  • The security codes
  • Personal details such as your email address, the phone number that is linked to the bank account, your date of birth among others.

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Adam has been tirelessly trying to help customers find the best tips and tricks to get through phone trees and writing many guides for prickly customer service problems. He's been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Inside Edition and Bloomberg.

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Citibank

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