Contents
Introduction
In this post we will look at what credit bureau Citibank pulls for credit card applications. We’re only going to look at data from 2014 onwards that is listed on the creditboards credit pulls database.
You can also read other posts in this series by clicking below:
Table Key & Combined Stats
To keep things easy, we will use the following acronyms.
EX = Experian
EQ = Equifax
TU = TransUnion
NI = No information
The number next to the acronym represents the number of data points we have. In total we have 458 data points sourced from the Credit Boards Credit Pull page. Of those applications:
- 241Â or ~52.62% of all applications pulled an Experian credit report
- 175 or ~38.21%  of all applications pulled an Equifax credit report
- 42 or ~9.17% of all applications pulled an TransUnion credit report
Abbrevation | State Name | Credit Bureau Pulled |
AL | Alabama | Â EQ: 1 |
AK | Alaska | Â NI |
AZ | Arizona | Â EX: 3 EQ: 3 TU: 1 |
AR | Arkansas | Â TU: 3 |
CA | California (CA) | Â EX: 48 EQ: 16 TU: 6 |
CO | Colorado | Â EX: 2 EQ: 1 |
CT | Connecticut | Â EX: 3 EQ: 6 TU: 1 |
DE | Delaware | Â EX: 3 EQ: 5 |
FL | Florida | Â EX: 17 EQ: 14 TU: 1 |
GA | Georgia | Â EX: 7 EQ: 3 |
HI | Hawaii | Â EQ: 3 |
ID | Idaho | Â EX: 1 |
IL | Illinois | Â EX: 10 EQ: 13 TU: 1 |
IN | Indiana | Â EX: 3 TU: 1 |
IA | Iowa | Â EX: 2 |
KS | Kansas | Â NI |
KY | Kentucky | Â EX: 4 EQ: 4 |
LA | Louisiana | Â EQ: 1 TU: 2 |
ME | Maine | Â EQ: 1 TU: 1 |
MD | Maryland | Â EX: 7 EQ: 3 |
MA | Massachusetts | Â EX: 4 EQ: 3 |
MI | Michigan | Â EX: 10 EQ: 7 TU: 1 |
MN | Minnesota | Â EX: 1 EQ: 3 |
MS | Mississippi | Â NI |
MO | Missouri | Â EX: 2 EQ: 1 TU: 1 |
MT | Montana | Â EQ: 1 |
NE | Nebraska | Â NI |
NV | Nevada | Â EX: 3 EQ: 3 |
NH | New Hampshire | Â EX: 2 EQ: 4 |
NJ | New Jersey | Â EX: 4 EQ: 1 TU: 1 |
NM | New Mexico | Â EX: 1 |
NY | New York | Â EX: 18 EQ: 14 TU: 8 |
NC | North Carolina | Â EX: 12 EQ: 13 TU: 2 |
ND | North Dakota | Â NI |
OH | Ohio | Â EX: 6 |
OK | Oklahoma | Â EX: 2 EQ: 4 |
OR | Oregon | Â EX: 7 EQ: 3 TU: 1 |
PA | Pennsylvania | Â EX: 22 EQ: 2 TU: 5 |
RI | Rhode Island | Â NI |
SC | South Carolina | Â EQ: 1 |
SD | South Dakota | Â EX: 2 EQ: 1 TU: 1 |
TN | Tennessee | Â EX: 2 EQ: 6 TU: 1 |
TX | Texas | Â EX: 32 EQ: 10 TU: 2 |
UT | Utah | Â TU: 2 |
VT | Vermont | Â NI |
VA | Virginia | Â EX: 5 EQ: 7 TU: 1 |
WA | Washington | Â EX: 8 EQ: 7 TU: 4 |
WV | West Virginia | Â NI |
WI | Wisconsin | Â EX: 3 |
WY | Wyoming | Â NI |
DC | District Of Colombia | Â EX: 3 |
What Happens If Your Report Is Frozen?
If you have a frozen report with Citibank, they are unwilling to pull a different report unless that report is Experian. You can give them a PIN to access the report they want to pull, allowing you to keep that report frozen.
Our Verdict
Citibank will mostly use your Experian report – with Equifax also being quite likely. In rare cases they will pull your TransUnion report instead.
1/28/24, NY: Froze Experian, Pulled Equifax for Citi Custom Cash
CA * 2: Citi business AA did a soft pull from EQ.
When applying for the card, Citi surprisedly asked to unlock Equifax (while our EX was unfrozen). After the cards were approved for a day, I still didn’t see any inquiry.
Update: Just got a notification of a new inquiry from Equifax 3 days later. Oh well 🙂
Citi pulls EX in NE – for the AA Executive, Platinum Select, and MileUp.
In WI-Froze Experian; applied to CitiBusiness AAdvantage card, got instant approval; I think they pull EQ (according to DPs here)
NV – Citi Custom Cash – Equifax
NY – Citi Premier – Experian – November 2021
Nevada, Citi pulled EQ for Double Cash card.
Arkansas, CITI just used TransUnion
Nevada, here. Citi pulled only EQ FICO 9 (Classic, not Bankcard) for my Custom Cash approval.
Here all inquiries goes to Experian. I am getting tired of that : )
Applied for the Custom Cash, had EX frozen, but looks like they only pulled EQ… in New York btw