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Mystery Writer: Does Citibank's S. Larson Really Exist? Bank Won't Confirm Identity of Secretive Signatory; Enigma of Customer Care

By BARRY NEWMAN

SIOUX FALLS, S.D.—Is S. Larson for real?

People who use Citibank credit cards have wondered about that for around two decades. S. Larson sends themletters—millions of letters. S. Larson always signs these letters in the same diligent hand of a grade-school

penmanship student. The words "Customer Service" appear under S. Larson's name. S. Larson has no title. S.

Larson has no gender.

Some of S. Larson's letters carry tidings of "cardmembership." Others contain

unwelcome news of rate hikes or cancellations. Most are mailed from Sioux Falls, a

city with a street of spiffy restaurants, a fragrant hog butchery and lots of

banks—here by the grace of South Dakota's bank-friendly usury laws.

Out near the airport, 3,200 people work in the long, low buildings of Citibank's campus. One of them might be S.

Larson. But when those in receipt of letters from S. Larson call Sioux Falls to speak with S. Larson, S. Larson

never comes to the phone.

Citing "privacy and security," Citibank won't say anything about S. Larson except "we are proud of S. Larson."

But its account holders display their curiosity on Web sites ranging from Complaints Board and Epinions to You

Tube. For them, the persona of Citibank's letter writer has become an enduring enigma of customer care.

Danny Sullivan, 45-years old, has had a Citi account since

college. He blogs about search engines and has a personal blog

called Daggle.

Mr. Sullivan has noticed that Google is able to unearth nothing

on S. Larson but references to a "non-gendered, never-ageing,

never-retiring customer-service rep."

"Why is S. Larson still doing the same job?" asks Deb Ng, 46, a

social-media consultant. She has been in correspondence with

S. Larson since the 1980s.

Ms. Ng disputed a charge this year, and S. Larson wrote to

resolve it. "Surely S. Larson would have gotten a raise by now," she says, "or moved on to something new."

S. Larson's "ferocious work ethic" and "remarkably stalled career," as a comment on Daggle puts it, leads many

Citi Card holders to believe that S. Larson doesn't exist.

Bloomberg News

Pedestrians walk past a Citibank branch in New York.

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"S. Larson? That's not a person," says Larry Russell, who runs a financial Web site in California. Four years ago,

he realized his interest payment had jumped from 2.99% to 32.31%. He complained in writing. S. Larson replied

that he was "not eligible" for a refund.

Mr. Russell phoned Sioux Falls, demanding to speak with S.

Larson. "S. Larson was always unavailable," he says.

Finally, a service rep gave him an answer: "I was told that

Larson is not a human being," says Mr. Russell. "It's a name spitout by the system. There really was no S. Larson."

Considering Citigroup's role in the recent travails of the world

economy, it might not enhance its corporate image if—on top of

all that—S. Larson genuinely turned out to be a fake. But what if

S. Larson were alive and living in Sioux Falls?

"Now that would be impressive," says Mr. Sullivan, the search-

engine blogger. "A real person? I'd feel, like, wow!"

There are clues.

A year ago, a former Citi worker commented on Daggle: "I can attest to the existence of a real live Sue Larson,"

adding that Sue "was working her way up the management chain" in 1999.

An ex-Citi staffer, Vigie Ramos, emails: "I have a vague memory of it being Sharon Larson." In April, a customer

wanting to mail in a gripe said on Daggle that a rep "told me to address it to a Steve Larson."

Two Daggle posters claim to have letters signed "S. Larson" with "Sandy Larson" typed below. In October, an S.

Larson colleague wrote: "I worked with this person and Sandy was my best friend..."

Another Citi worker posted this: "Instead of complaining all day long about S. Larson maybe you should be

sending in your payments on time so you don't have to receive a letter from her."

Her? Is S. Larson a woman named Sandy? Possible. And what about her title? One Web comment reportsputting the question to a Citi rep. The reply: "President of Customer Service."

A recent customer-service call produced this exchange:

Caller: "May I speak with S. Larson?" Rep: "I actually can't transfer you." Caller: "And she's customer service?

What's her job?" Rep: "She is President of the Disputes Department."

Citibank South Dakota has its share of vice presidents, but only one president—Kendall E. Stork. Citi's official

filings don't mention S. Larson at all.

"They could have picked a random person and said, 'Know what? Your name's going on these letters,'" says Kitty

Brady, an ex-Citi employee in New York. It isn't an easy spot to be in. "Customers can get angry," one Citi worker

says. "People have shipped dead rats."

Another ex-worker who knows S. Larson—"It's a human being," she confirmed—phoned S. Larson and asked

about giving an interview.

"This person still lives in the neighborhoods and doesn't want to be found," she said. That was all she would say

about S. Larson, but she added: "Sioux Falls is a lovely place. Enjoy."

Sioux Falls does have a lovely diner on Phillips Ave., where Jerry Nachtigal was eating bacon and eggs one sunny

morning. His title is senior vice president for public affairs.

Barry Newman/The Wall Street Journal

A letter from the enigmatic customer-service

representative.

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Asked what year Citi mailed its first S. Larson letter, Mr. Nachtigal said, "I don't think I can tell you that." Is S.

Larson a woman? "I can't tell you that, either," said Mr. Nachtigal.

Could he say what department S. Larson belonged to? "Not as we sit here," Mr. Nachtigal said. Asked for a tour

of Citi's offices, he demurred.

There are 167 Larsons in the Sioux Falls phone book. Luckily, Citi's automated directory is open to anyone who

dials its main number.

A spoken request for "S. Larson" brought up a Chris Larson, a Spencer Larson and a Nicholas Larson. Then a

request for Sandra Larson delivered a direct line in Sioux Falls.

"Hi," said a woman's voice, serious yet sympathetic. "I am in the bank today, just away from my office right now.

If you're calling about a Citi Card account or a refund check, you will need to dial 1-800-950-5114. Otherwise,

leave your name and number, and I'll return your call shortly. Thank you."

A message was left. S. Larson hasn't called back.

Write to Barry Newman at [email protected]

mystery writer: does s. larson really exist?

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