Schwab Invest Visa? 2% cash back on everything? [Discontinued card]
Mar 24, 2011, 10:21 pm
#916
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: LAX
Posts: 6,769
I just want to add that I called FIA today with some questions on this card-- the first time I've made a call to customer service since the transition away from the Schwab branding-- and I have to agree with other posters here that the customer service has really gone downhill. I was inquiring about the possibility of doing a conversion to a different card product. (I know, why would I be crazy to give this up? But to be honest, with certain hotel cards getting me--in my perception-- at least 2% back, and with several other cards now offering, or about to offer, no forex fees, this card has been largely unused.) I was literally transferred from person to person, department to department, and it wasn't until I spoke to a FIFTH person that she confirmed for me that conversions are not possible. (To be honest, I'm not even sure if that was an accurate answer or if she just said that to get me off the line.)
I imagine that if I were actually having difficulties with this card, i.e. if I was out of the country and it was stolen or the number compromised, or if I was having a dispute over a charge, that it would be very difficult to work with the CSRs to get an issue resolved.
I imagine that if I were actually having difficulties with this card, i.e. if I was out of the country and it was stolen or the number compromised, or if I was having a dispute over a charge, that it would be very difficult to work with the CSRs to get an issue resolved.
I called FIA for the first time a while ago, and asked about why this card transferred to FIA, and the rep said, "What's FIA?" Then I asked about which company this was, and she replied "Bank of America." So either she didn't know which call she was supposed to be receiving, or their phones lines don't work. Although, shouldn't people in that industry know what company FIA is?
Mar 25, 2011, 12:17 am
#917
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Denver CO
Posts: 3,682
I just want to add that I called FIA today with some questions on this card-- the first time I've made a call to customer service since the transition away from the Schwab branding-- and I have to agree with other posters here that the customer service has really gone downhill. I was inquiring about the possibility of doing a conversion to a different card product. (I know, why would I be crazy to give this up? But to be honest, with certain hotel cards getting me--in my perception-- at least 2% back, and with several other cards now offering, or about to offer, no forex fees, this card has been largely unused.) I was literally transferred from person to person, department to department, and it wasn't until I spoke to a FIFTH person that she confirmed for me that conversions are not possible. (To be honest, I'm not even sure if that was an accurate answer or if she just said that to get me off the line.)
I imagine that if I were actually having difficulties with this card, i.e. if I was
out of the country and it was stolen or the number compromised, or if I was
having a dispute over a charge, that it would be very difficult to work with the
CSRs to get an issue resolved.
I imagine that if I were actually having difficulties with this card, i.e. if I was
out of the country and it was stolen or the number compromised, or if I was
having a dispute over a charge, that it would be very difficult to work with the
CSRs to get an issue resolved.
There are a few newcomers with no foreign fees, but no others I know of that rebate 2% back in cash. And I don't neeed to compute what that's worth-2% cash is just that.
Mar 28, 2011, 7:35 am
#918
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 1
Good experience with FIA
I agree with Mountain Trader — FIA has so far been very helpful, at least in my experience. I had to deal with their alert department two weeks ago when our card number was snagged by overseas fraudsters. My wife and I were traveling at the time, yippee, hence away from the usual routine. FIA was very helpful and courteous, and it all turned out smoothly (well, as smoothly as could be). I was happy with their customer service, and hence we don't share the more negative views of others who have posted on this thread.
Am hoping the 2% rebate continues for a very long time, but of course that is the big unknown — a question none of us can answer.
Am hoping the 2% rebate continues for a very long time, but of course that is the big unknown — a question none of us can answer.
Mar 28, 2011, 8:08 am
#919
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
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May 11, 2011, 7:58 pm
#920
Join Date: May 2001
Location: RSW/FMY
Programs: All, but no status!
Posts: 754
paying card at branch
i think the customer service for this card is much better than BoA in general.
Here's a story.
About a month ago, i called the
number on the back of the card, and asked whether icould go into a branch and make a payment directly on the card -- this didn't used to be possible, but I figured since it had been about 6 months since Schwab got out and it totally became a BoA card, things might have changed.
I was told "yes, of course you can!" on a Friday, but i didn't have a chance to visit a branch until Monday, so I called again just to double check, and was told the same thing.
So, i went to the main branch in Boston, the biggest one with the most competetant staff, and I told the greeter what I wanted to do, and that it might be tricky. (I really wanted to use Money Orders to pay my bill on the day that the statement would close, to keep my utilization ratio low).
Long stoyy short, it turns out one cannot pay this card (still) at a branch, but the guy from the "back office" someplace told me I could make a "pay by phone" payment with him, and it would post immediately.
I said okay, and did it. Used my BoA checking account to pay a BoA CC.
Next day I checked, and the checking account side flagged it as suspicious activity, and bounced the check! So, then the CC side saw a bounced payment and put an "MBNA charge" amounting to my whole CL on the account.
Yikes!
So, i made a few calls. The checking account side was pretty impolite, but on the CC side, after the initial CSR had explained a long tale about how the MBNA charge was due to some "convenience checks" that were mailed to me and someone must have used, and I told her that there was more going on here, I got transferred to a supervisor, then up another level, then up another level (at their suggestion, not mine) to someone great.
THAT person was totally helpful, and apologized profusely and thanked me for being such a good customer -- I do tend to charge $40k in minty purchases monethly . So, that was cool, on the CC side of things. I am no fan of BoA checking side, for sure.
But, I have to say CC customer service is very good, IMO.
Here's a story.
About a month ago, i called the
number on the back of the card, and asked whether icould go into a branch and make a payment directly on the card -- this didn't used to be possible, but I figured since it had been about 6 months since Schwab got out and it totally became a BoA card, things might have changed.
I was told "yes, of course you can!" on a Friday, but i didn't have a chance to visit a branch until Monday, so I called again just to double check, and was told the same thing.
So, i went to the main branch in Boston, the biggest one with the most competetant staff, and I told the greeter what I wanted to do, and that it might be tricky. (I really wanted to use Money Orders to pay my bill on the day that the statement would close, to keep my utilization ratio low).
Long stoyy short, it turns out one cannot pay this card (still) at a branch, but the guy from the "back office" someplace told me I could make a "pay by phone" payment with him, and it would post immediately.
I said okay, and did it. Used my BoA checking account to pay a BoA CC.
Next day I checked, and the checking account side flagged it as suspicious activity, and bounced the check! So, then the CC side saw a bounced payment and put an "MBNA charge" amounting to my whole CL on the account.
Yikes!
So, i made a few calls. The checking account side was pretty impolite, but on the CC side, after the initial CSR had explained a long tale about how the MBNA charge was due to some "convenience checks" that were mailed to me and someone must have used, and I told her that there was more going on here, I got transferred to a supervisor, then up another level, then up another level (at their suggestion, not mine) to someone great.
THAT person was totally helpful, and apologized profusely and thanked me for being such a good customer -- I do tend to charge $40k in minty purchases monethly . So, that was cool, on the CC side of things. I am no fan of BoA checking side, for sure.
But, I have to say CC customer service is very good, IMO.
May 13, 2011, 2:59 pm
#921
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca., USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat; Bonvoy Titanium Lifetime Elite;Hyatt Globalist; HHonors Diamond; United Silver
Posts: 8,315
If you do enough traveling, the Capital one card gives you essentially 2% back as a credit (via 2/miles per $spent, and redemption of 100 points per $1 credit).
Also no forex fee. I've been very pleased with them lately.
Also no forex fee. I've been very pleased with them lately.
May 13, 2011, 3:02 pm
#922
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: Rio de Janeiro, BRAZIL
Programs: AA 4MM EXP; Starwood Lifetime Plt
Posts: 2,498
Yes, but there's an annual fee, and the ex-Schwab card provides a simple monthly cash rebate that can be spent on anything (including travel). However, as far as I know, FIA will not issue the 2% rebate card anymore.
Jun 3, 2011, 3:39 pm
#923
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 11
Just got a letter from FIA concerning the fact that they'd recently seen some charges get declined from my old (i.e., pre-June 2010 account number switch) Schwab account number. They said that they wanted to make sure that I'd activated my new number and switched my automatic payments--of course I'd done both of these things nearly a year ago and have charged several thousand dollars to the card with its new number since then.
So I gather that some scoundrel somewhere got hold of my old account information--luckily the old number was no longer active. What I'm wondering is whether the security breach is more likely to have been on FIA/Schwab's end or on mine--have other (ex-)Schwab cardholders gotten similar messages?
So I gather that some scoundrel somewhere got hold of my old account information--luckily the old number was no longer active. What I'm wondering is whether the security breach is more likely to have been on FIA/Schwab's end or on mine--have other (ex-)Schwab cardholders gotten similar messages?
Jun 4, 2011, 1:28 am
#925
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: LAX (Temporarily in ORD)
Posts: 590
A useful tip is that if you look at your statement online (possibly on paper too) any charges which are made with a non-current card number have a "#" at the start of the merchant name.
I figured that out when my wife was still using our old card number and all of her purchases suddenly had a "#" on them.
For example, you might see this if you had something billed to your old card:
"# AMAZON.COM"
While if you used your current card number, you'd see this:
"AMAZON.COM"
Of course it's possible that the merchant name just happens to start with a #, but that's not too likely.
That should help you figure out if you have anything that's still going through the old card.
I figured that out when my wife was still using our old card number and all of her purchases suddenly had a "#" on them.
For example, you might see this if you had something billed to your old card:
"# AMAZON.COM"
While if you used your current card number, you'd see this:
"AMAZON.COM"
Of course it's possible that the merchant name just happens to start with a #, but that's not too likely.
That should help you figure out if you have anything that's still going through the old card.
Jun 4, 2011, 6:07 pm
#926
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,762
A useful tip is that if you look at your statement online (possibly on paper too) any charges which are made with a non-current card number have a "#" at the start of the merchant name.
I figured that out when my wife was still using our old card number and all of her purchases suddenly had a "#" on them.
For example, you might see this if you had something billed to your old card:
"# AMAZON.COM"
While if you used your current card number, you'd see this:
"AMAZON.COM"
Of course it's possible that the merchant name just happens to start with a #, but that's not too likely.
That should help you figure out if you have anything that's still going through the old card.
I figured that out when my wife was still using our old card number and all of her purchases suddenly had a "#" on them.
For example, you might see this if you had something billed to your old card:
"# AMAZON.COM"
While if you used your current card number, you'd see this:
"AMAZON.COM"
Of course it's possible that the merchant name just happens to start with a #, but that's not too likely.
That should help you figure out if you have anything that's still going through the old card.
Virtual Account Numbers also are preceding with #. Virtual Account Number are good for minimum 2 months and longer (based on your request). By virtue, Virtual Account Numbers are always CURRENT.
Jun 6, 2011, 9:49 am
#928
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: LAX
Posts: 6,769
Jun 7, 2011, 1:32 am
#930
Join Date: Jul 2010
Programs: AA, DL, SPG, Hyatt
Posts: 313
You mention an ATM card, but I assume you are talking about the credit card. And I can confirm that there are still no forex fees whatsoever on the FIA Cash Rewards/Former Schwab credit card. Just made charges abroad last month and have done so for some time. If you have a Schwab checking account with the ATM card that accompanies it, you will also NOT incur any foreign transaction fees.