Wells Fargo Platinum 5X Grocery-Gas-Drugstores(2014-2015)
 

I have the WF Platinum 5X Grocery-Gas-Drugstore card and have run about 30K in VGC. I received a message on my login last night stating that the usage of the card was temporarily restricted and that I needed to call their 1-800 number. Wondering what the best plan of attack would be to work through the situation. Certainly don't want to admit the MS aspect of the card usage. Also, don't want to lose the points I've accumulated.

Literally just say stuff that makes no sense. Confuse the hell out of the operator, but be sure to emphasize how much you like the card and enjoy the benefits.

It's probably just a fraud alert. WF is very fraud-averse. Just call and confirm that was you and say you are stocking up since you just got this card and thank you for such a great card and you love WF as a bank.

Do not call. It is NOT a typical fraud alert. This happened to several people I know personally. One, a relative newbie, called the number and long story short was shutdown. You will ultimately get the rewards you earned if you lay low and sock-drawer the card immediately.

Don't know why other people are freaking out but I received several messages like the OP on my login screen when I had my 5x period with Wells.

It goes to an automated fraud system. You confirm the past few charges, account unlocked, you are on your way. No people involved.

In my total six months with Wells, I never spoke with a live Wells employee once.

I also have not heard of anyone being shutdown except for a friend of mine. But he did overpay the account multiple times.

Most of the time it's automated but sometimes not. Also, try the number on the back of the card. If you've gotten past fraud alerts and noted down the number, try that as well. But if you always get routed to a human no matter what you try, you're done.

Can you please ask him to clarify what exactly he did? Was he spending several times the credit limit? Or pre-paying more than what the balance was?

Yes and kind of. He was trying to ACH pull from BB so the payment would post instant because Wells CL is freed up when you pay. He did this multiple times and all the payments got reversed. The wells fargo system is whacked.

Thanks, good to know. I have a WF checking acct so hopefully payments from there are treated with less suspicion.

It depends actually. If you are doing small numbers it might be OK but if you are doing large numbers I do not believe it is good to deposit a lot in checking and use checking to pay off CC. WF does not look kindly at that ....

Read this thread:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/credi...ds-cap-77.html

It has many stories of why and how people get shut down when using this card.

The few shutdown stories I found only mention frequently paying off the balance, usually from outside sources too. A few people with WF checking said they were able to do 2-3x the CL for a while and only had a warning once. The dominant complain is incessant fraud alerts and the resulting hassle of having to call support.

it's a fraud alert, call to clear

I've had this card for almost six months, coming to end of promo period. I've put through about $50k in purchases per month, on a $20k CL. My usual mode of payment has been through the WF site, pulling from my WF checking account, paying the current outstanding balance, although I have also BP from BB a few times.

I usually got a fraud alert if I spend more than $3k per day, which I tried to avoid. Pretty simple to clear, didn't have to deal with any humans along the way.

Great info

I've done my promo already. Don't cycle through CL more than 2x per week. They will call you if you and threaten to close if you do it more.

I'm pleased to report that I called Wells yesterday and had the fraud message successfully removed. Got questioned about 3 money order payments and a similar charge amount from Kroger with respect to the close time frequency. I did take the advice of one of the posters and made small talk with the rep to establish a rapport. Thanks to all on here who responded.

Does this card has advantages over AmEx blue cash (old) except the $6500 annual spend for MSing purpose?

Maybe the fact that it's currently available?
WF promo is 5% cash on gas/drug/grocery for 6 months. Cash is credited each month, a few days after stmt close. No spending/cash max or min.

Is there a geographical or existing banking relationship condition to get this card?

A prior relationship isn't required per se, but your chances of approval without are dismal. Also, you can't apply online without existing relationship.

Just applied online last week and got a decline for no relationship. Called and was told they would reconsider if i got a checking account. Went to the bank yesterday and opened an account. They were very helpful and they said they would even talk to the CC department next week to help me get the card if necessary. He said it helps to fund the checking account with more thanthe minimum so it shows you are serious about establishing a relationship with the bank (i funded with 1.5K)

I went to the bank 15 minutes before the close which made the guy open the account very quickly without trying to sell me on other products. We'll see what happens with my cc app.

When opening my card last month, I tried to increase my CL and two separate representatives told me it's not a problem to pay off several times a month if needed. I got their names so we'll see what they have to say to any threat.

To me, an advantage is that I have a lot less to lose getting banned by Wells Fargo (for perk abuse or whatever) than I would by Amex, because WF doesn't have any other products I want. Also, It could be an advantage to have a Visa instead of an Amex, depending on how/where you use it.

I just finished my six months. I got that note to call several times. Most of the time it was a fraud alert. One time it was so they could warn me that they were going to close my card if i keep "overpaying". They never grilled my about all of the charges at grocery and drug stores.

FWIW -- At some point during my 6-month intro I got a letter saying that my spending qualified me for an enhanced reward percentage after the promo period ended. Can't remember if it was 1.25% or 1.50%, either way not attractive enough to replace my every day spender (Fidelity Amex 2%).

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the first 6 months is for the whole life of the card, or first 6 months for every annual year?

That answer is on the Wells Fargo website. It's quite clearly displayed on the card features

$50k/mo? That's a lot of gc purchases at the drugstore/grocery store. I can get $50k worth of GC's but not at the drugstore/grocery store. Did you do the cash back or points?

Change in 5x Terms--excludes "store gift cards"
 

Just got a notice and change in terms for the 5% Rewards Card. Now it says that excluded from 5x rewards at GGD stores are "store gift cards." Starting January 15, 2015. Not sure how they would enforce that necessarily unless they could know what exactly you were buying. Also, it seems like a vague term to say "store" gift cards. But just thought I would report this since I noticed it. My 6 months just ended but probably getting one for the wife.

Would you look that up and get back to me prior to the end of the business day Monday with the answer? Thanks a bunch!

In what form did you get that notice? I just finished my first month and that would be a bummer. If so, I need to re-prioiritze my time for the next 2 months!

Not really. Even with new restrictions, pretty easy to spend $2000 per day, esp. if you hit different stores. For me, cash is king, I have enough points/miles.

It was in a pamphlet included in statement mailing, along with other changes in terms. Time will tell if they can drill down into individual transactions at, say, CVS, and determine if GCs are being purchased. I'm betting they can't or won't.

On second thought, the CVS's have tons of OV's but since they are a headache to use at Walmart, I dont want to bother. The PP mycash cards are easy to liquidate but that's capped at $4k/mo and most CVS's and RA's are out of stock.

Are you using Wally to liquidate the OV's?

Thanks Gustraveler. I just signed into my WF account and the notice was there, but it says NO rewards for cash equivalents such as "store gift cards". I will try one VGC at the grocery store after Jan 15 and see what happens when the next statement posts. From other threads it does look like they can see what you are buying, as if the amount doesn't speak for itself!

Is this a big enough deal that we should make ask the mod to change the title of this thread or create a new thread?

No WMs in my immediate area, I usually buy MOs at grocery stores.

Thanks for the info, the only place I can get MO's in my area are at Wally's so that's a no go for me.