Emigrant Direct cash back credit card

[REWahoo]

For those of you who may have an Emigrant Direct cash back credit card, I just got a letter from them saying they were 'upgrading' me from a Platinum card to a World card. Same 1.4% cash back feature with three additional benefits - "no pre-set spending limit", "fraud expense reimbursement" and "price protection". They may be great benefits to some people, but I could care less about them.

The letter also said they would be changing my account number so I would need to provide notification of the new account number to anyone using the old number. I have several bills (including electricity, cell phone, satellite tv, health insurance premium,etc.) set up to charge to this account and do not want to go through the hassle of contacting all of them to change account numbers. So, I was happy to see the following in the letter: "If you prefer to keep your existing EmigrantDirect Platinum MasterCard and not receive a new World Card, please call us at 1-800........."

I called. The options are to accept the new card/account number or close my account. How's that for customer service?

[MJ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo So, I was happy to see the following in the letter: "If you prefer to keep your existing EmigrantDirect Platinum MasterCard and not receive a new World Card, please call us at 1-800........." I called. The options are to accept the new card/account number or close my account. How's that for customer service?

That's progress for you.
We, at customer service know what's good for you!

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo For those of you who may have an Emigrant Direct cash back credit card, I just got a letter from them ...

Considering the way things have been in your neighborhood lately, I'm surprised that you even got the letter in the first place!

[clifp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo I called. The options are to accept the new card/account number or close my account. How's that for customer service?

It isn't just Emigrant that is model for all credit cards. I have called three credit cards companies who have sent me the new "improved" cards. In each case the answer when I call to opt out of the new improvements was you can cancel the card. In two case I did cancel and for my Schwab Card, I kept it, despite them adding a 3% transaction charge to foreign transaction right before my 3 week trip to China. (I wonder if they noticed me booking my airline tickets LOL)

[travelover]

Worse yet, some of my auto pay accounts don't allow a simple CC number change. I have to cancel auto pay and reset it up with the new CC!

[REWahoo]

Follow up: Got a call from a manager at Emigrant Direct today saying they had received a message that I was unhappy about the upgrade to the World Card. I explained why once again and was told no problem, you can keep your current card and your current CC number. Said their call center had been given the wrong information and as the letter implied, anyone not wishing to get the new card could decline and keep their current card and current account number.

Unfortunately for them I have already notified all my auto-pay accounts of my Penfed CC number, so nice try but no cigar. Dang, we ER types are a tough crowd, aren't we?

[W2R]

I know I shouldn't say this. I know I shouldn't. But I can't help it. I just CAN'T help it!!!! I am a terrible person for crowing like this, but...

I am so happy not to have any credit cards!! My life is MUCH more serene without them!!

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Want2retire I know I shouldn't say this. I know I shouldn't. But I can't help it. I just CAN'T help it!!!! I am a terrible person for crowing like this, but... I am so happy not to have any credit cards!! My life is MUCH more serene without them!!

Some people use tools, some tools use people....and some people avoid them altogether.

[laurence]

Si Senior, No credit card debt is good, no credit cards, ah, not so much. We get back at least 1% and as much as 10% for certain store specials (own home = home depot). All the auto bill pay is wonderful. We are down to one manually paid bill....the credit card.

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by laurencewill Si Senior, No credit card debt is good, no credit cards, ah, not so much. We get back at least 1% and as much as 10% for certain store specials (own home = home depot). All the auto bill pay is wonderful. We are down to one manually paid bill....the credit card.

I don't have that, so I have one less manually paid bill than you - - all my bills are auto paid as well, from my checking account. They have been for about 7-8 years by now. Life is good!

The percentages off wouldn't do me any good. I don't even use the 20% off coupons from Linens 'n' Things that I keep getting in the mail, and I LOVE that store! I just don't feel the need to buy a whole lot.

Less hassle? More serenity.... PRICELESS!

[laurence]

I'm curious now.

When you go to get gas, you actually talk to someone or do you put money in the pump like an ATM? Concerts? Airline tickets? I mean, good for you, but I remember trying to resist the cell phone thing. When every pay phone in my town was removed or broken and never repaired, I gave up.

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by laurencewill I'm curious now. When you go to get gas, you actually talk to someone or do you put money in the pump like an ATM? Concerts? Airline tickets? I mean, good for you, but I remember trying to resist the cell phone thing. When every pay phone in my town was removed or broken and never repaired, I gave up.

Think debit card. They "work" for everything, but without the interest and late fees.

Mine is a "debit Mastercard", which is a debit card that looks like, and works like, a Mastercard. And mine is completely guaranteed in case of fraud - - none of this $50 liability. If someone charges something to it that is unauthorized, you get the money back immediately, and then after the investigation (a couple of months) the bank tells you that you can keep it.

I really want to get rid of my cell phone, but I will probably wait until ER to do that. They are handy to have in hurricane country.

[mn54]

I agree with laurencewill. If someone wants to give you money back for things you have to buy anyway, why argue? I get 5% back on gas, phone bill, internet bill, groceries. Plus you need a cc for a rental car, reserve a hotel room, etc. What cc do you get 10% back on? That sounds too good to be true.

[W2R]

It's amazing how much more I save without credit cards, than I did with them. And less aggravation, too! For me, the best of all possible worlds.

[Dawg52]

The way I look at it, the cash back from my PFCU credit card is just free money. I roll over some of my monthly interest off my PenFed cd's to pay off the credit card. Works very well.

[laurence]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Want2retire Think debit card. They "work" for everything, but without the interest and late fees. Mine is a "debit Mastercard", which is a debit card that looks like, and works like, a Mastercard. And mine is completely guaranteed in case of fraud - - none of this $50 liability. If someone charges something to it that is unauthorized, you get the money back immediately, and then after the investigation (a couple of months) the bank tells you that you can keep it. I really want to get rid of my cell phone, but I will probably wait until ER to do that. They are handy to have in hurricane country.

Oh, cheater! I thought you had nothing in your wallet with the logo "MasterCard" or "Visa" on it. Silly me. I completely understand now and withdraw my earlier questions. Still like my ~5% average cash back and haven't paid interest in years, but for you it's like the MasterCard commercial: "No credit card aggravation, priceless".

[laurence]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mn54 I agree with laurencewill. If someone wants to give you money back for things you have to buy anyway, why argue? I get 5% back on gas, phone bill, internet bill, groceries. Plus you need a cc for a rental car, reserve a hotel room, etc. What cc do you get 10% back on? That sounds too good to be true.

No credit card gives 10% back peri se that I know of. But you know when Lowe's and Home Depot do those 10% additional off when you open an account? They've let us get that discount with our existing account. So when we plan on making a serious purchase, we shop around, find what we want, and wait for the "special" (it's every other month around here). My highest cash back is 5% - sorry to misrepresent!

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by laurencewill When every pay phone in my town was removed or broken and never repaired, I gave up.

We leave our house's phone ringers turned off most of the time...