Citi Costco Visa Identity Verification

Last year our family visited several Asian countries, and we managed to get by with eSIM data-only plans. The only setbacks occurred when our Citi Costco Visa card flagged some transactions as suspicious (which I wrote about here and here), and because Citi attempted to notify me via voice and SMS text—which we did not receive—it prevented our purchases from being made. This year, I made sure to add my Google Voice number to my Citi Costco Visa card in hopes that I would be given an option to verify transactions using a data-only eSIM plan. It worked. When making a transaction, I was presented with the following options for identity verification:

You may have noticed that there were options to call or text me at the …2505 number, the the only option for the …2516 (Google Voice) number was to call me. I am not certain, but my phone contact information on the Citi website are:

• Home Number: …2505  → I think Citi uses this for calls
• Primary Mobile: …2505  → I think Citi uses this for text messages
• Alerts Mobile: …2516  → I think Citi uses this for calls

If my assumptions above are correct, then I think Citi should also present an option to send text messages to the alerts mobile number. While calling me at my Google Voice number worked for identity verification, I would have preferred getting a text message at my Google Voice number so I could copy and paste the code.

In any case, if you have a Google Voice or another VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) service, consider adding that contact number to your Citi card so that you can easily verify your identity using data-only eSIM plans when traveling abroad. I assume that this approach may work for other credit cards, but you’ll need to review your options and/or ask customer support.

Apple Wallet IDs

For the past few years, I’ve been using the Wallet app on my iPhone to make electronic credit card payments and scan my airline boarding passes. I now have another use case: presenting my ID while going through airport security. You see, Wallet now supports ID verification for use at TSA checkpoints or to show proof of identity or age at selected businesses, venues, websites, or apps.

You can add your driver license/state ID and/or your passport to create an ID in your Wallet app. Visit https://learn.wallet.apple/id for step-by-step instructions. Scanning my passport resulted in the creation of a “Digital ID” card in my wallet app. The verification process was very fast, as I received an email a few minutes later to notify me that my Digital ID was ready for use. I used the same steps to scan my California driver license which resulted in the creation of a “California State ID” card in my wallet app. The verification process was also fast, as I received an email from the California Department of Motor Vehicles that my mobile driver’s license (mDL) was successfully added to my Apple Wallet. I had previously enrolled in the mDL pilot so I’m not sure if that helped expedite my verification.

For my ensuing business trip, I tested the use of my Digital ID card at a TSA checkpoint. I simply opened my Digital ID card, double-clicked the side button, and scanned my iPhone on the TSA reader. See Apple’s Use your Digital ID in Apple Wallet support page for more information.

Many years ago I had accidentally departed on a business trip without my physical wallet which contained my driver license and credit cards. To get to the airport, I had become so accustomed to hailing an Uber or Lyft ride on my phone that I completely forgot to bring my wallet. I didn’t realize my blunder until I arrived at the airport, and I didn’t have enough time to return home to fetch my wallet and get back to the airport in time to catch my flight, However, I was able to board my flight after going through some extensive TSA screening procedures, and I was told that it helped that I had TSA Precheck, otherwise the screening would have taken longer. I later called my wife who sent my wallet to me via overnight express so I could use my ID and credit card for the remainder of my business trip.

As I reflect on that experience, I realize that if I leave home without my wallet for a business trip today, I will probably be just fine without my physical wallet because I have everything I need on my iPhone. With Apple Wallet, I can use my Digital ID to go through TSA checkpoints, I can scan my boarding passes to board planes, and I can use all my credit cards to make payments everywhere electronic payments are accepted. With my rideshare apps (mostly Uber and Lyft but now also Waymo in some cities), I can get to anywhere I need to go. I’d only be in a jam if I need to make a cash payment, but honestly I don’t remember the last time I had to use cash on a business trip, other than leaving a tip in a hotel. That being said, I still plan to travel with my physical wallet for the time being, just as a precaution.