Citicorp Refuses to Process Firearms Transactions
The NSSF reports that Citicorp’s Merchant Services Division is refusing to process gun-related customer credit-card sales. This applies both to legal firearms transactions conducted through licensed FFLs as well as ordinary sales of firearms accessories. The first company to be affected by this decision appears to be firearms distributor CDNN Sports, a large retail operation based in Texas. Citi Merchant Services and First Data notified CDNN that its merchant services account would be terminated and funds seized. (Citicorp Merchant Services employs First Data Merchant Services Corporation to handle credit card transactions.)
Charlie Crawford, president of CDNN Sports Inc., explained: “We were contacted recently by First Data/Citi Merchant Services by a June Rivera-Mantilla stating that we were terminated and funds were being seized for selling firearms in a non-face-to-face transaction. Although perfectly legal, we were also informed that no transactions would be processed in the future, even for non-firearms.”
If you have a Citigroup credit card, or use Citibank for your banking services, you may want to consider shifting your accounts to another financial services provider — and be sure you tell the Citibank representatives why you are making the shift. If gun owners act in solidarity, other credit card companies may think twice about following Citigroup’s lead in refusing to handle gun transactions. To voice your concern to Citi Merchant Services and First Data Corp. directly, you can contact June Rivera-Mantilla at 631-683-7734 or Robert Tenenbaum at 631-683-6570.
If you run a firearms-related business and wish to shift to an NSSF-affiliated credit card processing program, contact Payment Alliance International at 1-866-371-2273 (ext. 1131).
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Tags: Credit Cards, Firearms
i WILL CANCEL BOTH MY ACCOUNTS.
I closed my account several years ago with a credit line of 19 plus K$. I did this
because of their predatory practices of increasing rates and the most obnoxious
Customer Service organization I’ve ever tried to deal with. I now receive at least
two letters a week offering a credit card at a rate lower than when I had an open
account…I believe this is called “Bait and Switch”. Unfortunately, no one in
our dysfunctional goverment cares about their business practices. I now notice that Exxonmobile has contracted Citibank to handle their credit card services for
purchases at the pump. Having an account with Mobil (now exxonmobile) since 1968
it will now force me to use cash or another credit card or switch gas stations to
eliminate having to deal with this corrupt financial group.
Oh, my gosh, another anti-American, anti-Second Amendment bank. Will wonders never cease? I cancelled eight of my Bank of America accounts that I have had for 20+ years because it feels illegal aliens should receive visa cards and mortgages before Americans are even considered! I declined a Citi card just a couple of weeks ago for other reasons….but this is the best one.
I already voted for Ron Paul! If we could only wake up Americans to the Council on Foreign Relations which is the organization that is really controlling this country…..Ron Paul is the only current presidential candidate who is not a member. YouTube the CFR–Secret Government and watch the truth unfold….FREEDOM IS WORTH FIGHTING FOR AND LIBERTY IS NOT FREE!! stephanie
Hmmmm…..Citi sent me a visa card about three weeks ago. I declined, and now I know that my instincts were right on! I closed eight BofA accounts because it gave illegal aliens visa cards and mortgages. Where do we go from here? Alex says our country is gone. Maybe we’ve lost some battles, but we have not yet lost the war or our country completely. Vote Ron Paul, who is NOT a member of the Council on Foreign Relations (like every other candidate is).
stephanie
What would happen if we just refused to pay Citibank one red cent instead of moving our accounts?
Dunno, but it’s worth contemplating. No firearms transactions, no payments. No return of funds to CDNN, no payments. No adherence to the Constitution, no payments.
Since Citibank can unilaterally seize funds without due process, why can’t we collectively do the same to them?
Comment #16 by Tracy makes a lot of sense to me. Citicorp may be within its rights to refuse to process certain transactions, but seizing the funds due to merchants is pure and simple theft. The money may be subject to forfeiture if it is the proceeds of an illegal transaction, but that is a decision for a Court to make in a proceeding where evidence must be presented and is subject to rebuttal and cross examination. Since City is seizing funds that relate to an interstate commerce transaction, there may be a federal as well as a state theft law that has been violated. If the facts are as the merchant alleges, and I have no reason to doubt them, the merchant should demand in writing an immediate wire transfer of the seized funds with interest from the date of taking. Allow 48 hours for the transfer and if it is not received, consult an attorney and file the appropriate criminal charges. Make no threat or mention of criminal action in any conversation with City or any of its agents,as that may be deemed an improper effort at extortion. Just make an unconditionmal demand for the funds.
P.S. I am cancelling all my citibank accounts.
Not only did I cancel my citibank card, but I’ll be checking my others to see what their policy is.
These people no longer get the privilege of my business.
Citbank refuses to let you buy an automatic weapon with their credit card over the phone? How outrageous! Seriously folks, Citibank is still happy to take your money for that precious handgun or Uzi, you just have to do it in person! That doesn’t seem so wacked to me.
If I’m selling a handgun, at the very least, I should know for sure who I’m selling it to.
The merchant agreement the company signed specifically allows the credit card company to seize all funds at any time without cause and without merchant recourse. This was among many grossly objectionable clauses my small Santa Rosa company was required to accept when my local bank changed credit card processors. The bank said it was a new national contract used by all credit card processors. Other clauses included allowing them to seize all money in all personal and business accounts and preventing me from suing them even in the case of gross, intentional misconduct.
Fortunately my contracting business did not need to take credit cards. I offered to accept them as a service to my customers who loved to get mileage, etc. on large dollar transactions. I canceled my merchant account, but few businesses can afford to do that. Fewer still have read the agreement, IMHO, and fewer would dare to object or make the contract terms public.
Although this occurred more than five years ago. I doubt the credit card company terms have improved.
This does not sound right to me— I just purchased 2 revolvers last month from a gun shop and used my Citi card. NO problems, no questions, no feedback from anyone yet. I am sure that the gun store would have contacted me if they had any problems getting their money, and as far as I go, no one from any agency has shown up at my door asking questions about that or any of the other half dozen gun purchases I have made in the past couple of years—-yep- used credit cards for all of them too- though not always Citi cards.
Thank you #37!!
There’s a lot more to this story than meets the eye. Citibank refuses to do business with one gun dealer (they won’t process a payment for a pair of socks for this retailer, let alone a handgun) and all of a sudden everyone is screaming about a conspiracy and gun control.
You can still go into nearly any gun dealer in the Unites States of America, including mass retailers like K-Mart, Cabela’s and Bass Pro Shop, and buy ammo and guns using the Citibank Credit Card. Citibank has absolutely no idea, or interest, in what you are buying…they are just processing a payment.
And to me, it only seems like common sense to know who you are selling a gun to.
I work for a credit card processing company. Electronic Merchant Systems,a national merchant provider, operating in over 100 US Cities. Our corporate office is located in Independence Ohio. I welcome the opportunity to help any merchant/ web site wanting to change merchant service/ credit card providers. We offer competive rates and can do a free rate review for you. If you or anyone you know would like information on changing processors,I can be contacted at dcarll@emscorporate.net.
#62. Nice shot!!! Ten ring all the way!!!
I purchased a firearm from Bangersusa Feb 26 with a citibank visa. This is the first that I have heard of this company being a gun hater. I am a registered FFL and this is news to me. I will inquire to the company if this is true, and if the information is correct I will close accounts when other credit sources are availiable. Thanks for the heads up this news to me!
In response to #28 response above by Rodney Burke suggesting to get the Treasury Dept involved…..they may well already be involved….they may be behind this action. Feds considering taking over Citibank and USBank. Our 2nd Ammendent rights are going to be attacked from every angle. While Islamic extremeists are sworn to destroy our way of life, there are Liberals/Socialists sworn to destroy our freedom and liberty…..and they are inside our perimeter!!!! While we have our eye on the obvious extremists, our internal extremists will sucker punch our freedom and way of life. The Obama administration hasn’t even begun to attack our freedoms yet. They are crushing our financial structure, the values that made this country great (person responsibility, self sufficiency, reward for hard work/risk taking, freedom of choice,…), creating a “Fish for a day” versus “Learn to fish” mentality….Shackles for Scheckles. America won’t fall from external aggression (that only distracts us), we will fall from within. Read Wayne LaPierre’s “The Global War on Your Guns….Inside the U.N. Plan to Destroy the Bill of Rights” Encourage all you know to join/support the NRA….the fight is on!!!!
I agree that this is something I can drop and not have a second thought about.
I have no accounts with these people, but they will get a ‘cease and desist letter’,to stop their mailings, explaining fully the reasons why, that will be returned to them upon receiving their next credit offer.