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I have been in the points “game” for a long time now. I am always looking for new card deals as well as cards I can use to hammer out a bunch of points, cash back, or whatever. Up to this point, I am only lifetime banned by one bank, and that is Barclays, for going heavy (well, both my wife and I) on the old Arrival+ card, and they did not like that. Anyone who is seriously into the points game will likely face something like this and while it stinks – there are many other fish in the sea so….
For a long time, I was over the top in love with my old Shop Your Way card. The new version of this card is just as amazing if not even more so and I use it – big time – every month. I have no idea how long it will last because the rewards are simply staggering month after month after month with new offers coming online and in the mail. Just love it so much.
But the old card is still around-ish. It is run by First Bank and they offered me 500,000 points to get the new card and spend $1,000. Well I got it with a HUGE (I am kidding here) $2,500 credit line. As it turns out, the $1,000 spend was really $5,000 (I had screenshots but did not push them and just did the spend), and I got the points and cashed them out for Walmart gift cards to use at Sam’s Club to reduce my grocery bill.
This bank, as you can see from the change in the published bonus / spend offer, is really odd. I have credit cards with massive credit lines so to give me such a tiny one is a joke. I also talked with other creative spend friends and we all agree that this card needs to be “seasoned” before hitting it hard at all.
It turns out slow and steady did not really help much because they shut my wife and me down in a mass culling that seems to have hit all my creative spending pals as well. But here is where it got ultra frustrating. I accidentally sent them a double payment and so I had a big credit balance. I used about $1,000 of it at a local gas station but the next day when I went to make another purchase it declined.
It declined because I was shut down. I called First Bank and told the rep I was recording the call and asked for my credit balance to be refunded to me since they chose to end the banking relationship with me — AND THEY REFUSED!
The rep on the phone said they had investigated it and decided not to return my money. Folks, that is robbery and not allowed by law. I immediately asked for a supervisor and while holding, once I got one, they dropped the call.
Good grief.
After hours on the phone and many attempts to get the same supervisor back on the line I at last got her again and she confirmed that I would in fact, be getting a check in 7-10 days for my overpayment and she too was shocked that the other rep said that First Bank was keeping my money from the overpayment.
Bottom line is I am now shut down by two banks. One big one and one I really couldn’t care less about. While I will miss the 5X at gas stations to help reduce my monthly Sam’s Club shopping bill, there are other ways to earn free food, and I will pursue those instead! – René
Advertiser Disclosure: Eye of the Flyer, a division of Chatterbox Entertainment, Inc., is part of an affiliate sales network and and may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened. This relationship may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities. Some links on this page are affiliate or referral links. We may receive a commission or referral bonus for purchases or successful applications made during shopping sessions or signups initiated from clicking those links.
They have my and P2;s $ as well (I too overpaid the cards and have a credit balance), but have been out of the country. Any tips on how to request a check?
Also, did they let you cash out rewards that you had already earned?
@MO – I was able to cash out points but P2 was $1k short and could not i.e. get new card bonus. Just ask for a supervisor right away to get a check back for overpayment as front line reps are total idiots!