This page has application links to the Bank of America Platinum Plus Visa and Platinum Plus MasterCard with 0% on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months and no balance transfer fees. Via FW.
Note: Be sure to check the latest balance transfer offers from all credit card issuers by using the offers database at this link. You can also browse the directory of card deals here.
Don’t believe everything you read in print. Or, in this case, on Bank of America’s web site. This recent post on FW recounts the problem. Essentially, several people have reported that although their credit card’s terms and conditions state that there should be no fee for balance transfers, they have been charged 3% with no cap. In particular, this seems to be a problem with the BofA Money Return Visa. Here’s the relevant text in question:
Transaction fee for Balance Transfers and Cash Advance Checks: None of each such cash advance (minimum $0 ).
This does nothing to suggest that the fee is actually 3% with no cap; while awkward, it does seem to suggest that there should be no fee. Compare this language to that on cards which do charge 3% with no fee (for example, the WorldPoints Platinum Plus MasterCard):
Transaction fee for Balance Transfers and Cash Advance Checks: 3% of each such cash advance (minimum $10).
To me, it seems more than reasonable to assume that the first card has no fee. Yet the reality is different. The awkward wording for the first card does suggest the possibility that some improper updating of the T&C’s is involved. However, that language has been used on their web site for at least a few months.
Given the potential ambiguity, you would hope that BofA would at least honor the no fee terms for customers who were honestly misled. It wouldn’t hurt to change the terms on their web site, either.
This offer features:
Visit www.signup.citicards.com and use offer code F1N9 or call 1-800-961-5096 by February 15, 2007 to apply. This offer also has been added to the offers database. Via FW.
Note: The above offer has expired. See the current offer for the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Rewards Card.
According to FW, the Chase PerfectCard is now offering $50 (5,000 bonus points) in the form of cash or a gift card after you make your first purchase.
The card itself earns 3 points for each dollar spent on gas purchases and 1 point on all other purchases. You need 2,500 points to redeem for a $25 gift card. Note that this version of the PerfectCard is points-based, as opposed to the original version which credited the cash rebate to your statement monthly. There is also an associated intro balance transfer offer for up to 12 months.
To apply, call 877-506-3455 by November 30, 2006 and mention offer code: RZN
FW points out the following offer for the Citi Diamond Preferred Amex, where you get 10,000 ThankYou points upon first purchase, rather than the standard 6,000, and the BT intro period lasts until December 2007. All other terms are basically the same as the standard offer. That is, there’s no fee associated with the balance transfer, and you get 5 ThankYou Points for every $1 spent at supermarkets, drugstores and gas stations for the first 12 months.
To sign up under this offer, visit http://www.signup.citicards.com and enter offer code F1M3 or call 800-601-8595.
Amex has an attractive new business card, the SimplyCash Business Card, that offers 5% cash back on gas, office supplies, and wireless services, and 1% cash back on everything else, with no cap to the rewards you earn. You also don’t have to wait until the end of the year to receive your cash back, as it’s credited to your statement each month. In addition, there is a 0% intro APR for the first 12 months with no annual fee.
Credit goes to FW for spotting this one. To learn more about this card, visit this link.
A poster at FW is saying that many new Chase accounts actually have a 30 day period in which to make their initial balance transfer without paying a fee:
Chase just sent a memo to it’s credit supervisors telling them that some accounts that required a BT at the time of application to avoid BT fees, actually had a 30 day period in which to make a BT with no fees! Mine was one of them. So they must have had more complaints than just mine. So I moved 50% of that card’s cl to my interest bearing acct without any BT fees!. I think that the language on the application was very unclear and that is what caused all of this. SO if you got stuck paying a BT fee on a new account call Chase and see what they can do.
Sounds like this won’t apply to everyone, but the info may be useful for some rate surfers.
Chase has begun test marketing a new credit card under the name of “Chase Freedom.” This name is sure to confuse existing Chase consumers, as it’s the same name that was used for the card that was converted into the existing Chase PerfectCard.
The latest edition of the Chase Freedom card has a set of features far more complicated (but better) than the existing PerfectCard:
The type of establishment that qualifies as a Quick Service Restaurant could include “pizza, hamburgers, tacos and sandwich shops, coffee houses, and more…” but really depends upon how the merchant codes the transaction.
You can find more information and apply for the card by visiting this link.
Courtesy of FW, we have this find. The Bank of America MLB™ Extra Bases™ Credit Card is a card for baseball lovers. It earns you points towards baseball memorabilia and rewards, as well as some travel and cash rewards. With the special signup offer, you also receive:
More information about this offer can be found here.
Edit 7/26/2007: The previous offer with the iPod nano is no longer available. For details of the current offer, please see this page.
Arts and crafts lovers can rejoice. According to CardTrak, Barclays Bank and Jo-Ann Stores have teamed up to launch the new “Jo-Ann Platinum MasterCard” that links to Jo-Ann’s Preferred Customer program. Per the press release:
Customers earn five points for every $1 spent at Jo-Ann stores or Joann.com and one point per $1 spent on all other purchases with the Jo-Ann Platinum MasterCard. Once a customer earns 1,000 points, she will receive a $10 creative cash(TM) card. For every 500 points earned above 1,000 points, customers will receive an additional $5 in creative cash(TM). After the customer’s first purchase or balance transfer, she will receive a $10 creative cash(TM) card to begin saving on purchases. Customers will also be enrolled in Jo-Ann’s Preferred Customer program to receive valuable coupons and sale notifications. There is an introductory APR on balance transfers of 0% for the first six billing cycles.
So, what this basically boils down to is a 5% reward when you spend at Jo-Ann that can be used for Jo-Ann certificates. Unfortunately, this offer is so new, it’s not even available on the company website, http://www.joann.com, as of the time of this post.