I'm posting this under the Buzz and not Continental as I want everyone to be aware. I received a mailing from the Chase/Continental credit card a few days ago that has me so mad I can't get past it.

The envelope is covered with pictures of clouds in the sky. The return address is Chase, but Continental Airlines' Logo is huge and dead center.

Inside is a fold open 11" x 14" sheet printed with pictures of clouds, the Continental airlines logo, a letter and three checks with my name and address on them. The headline states "Save on sky high interest rates by transferring balances to your Continental Airlines credit card from Chase". The letter goes on to talk about the great rate, using the checks by the end of June, or calling them and they'll handle a transfer over the phone. You have to go to the very last line, microscopic in size, all the way at the bottom of the page, to read that "the enclosed checks do not earn Continental One Pass mileage rewards".

So do I read this line if I don't happen to know to look for it? If I'm not already aware that balance transfers do not earn miles, I'd be thinking that's exactly what they're going out of their way offering me.

I've rarely seen such a blatant attempt to decieve "less aware" customers. I have to believe that the deception and vagueness was intentional, and I think it's shamefull.

it is uncommon for airlines to offer bonus miles for convenience checks or balance transfers. Recently, Citibank offered me AAdvantage miles on a balance transfer and that particular offer also waived the normal 2% fee they charge for using the convenience checks, so I jumped on that offer and picked up 4,000 miles. Nationsbank (now Bank of America) from time to time has offered mileage on convenience checks and balance transfers for their USAirways affinity card, but with a 2% fee so they make expensive miles and I passed on that offer.

I agree that the mailing you got seemed a bit deceptive, but I have learned NEVER to assume that anything is free.

Being in the (sort-of) marketing field, I don't see this as deceptive. Yes, the mailing did have the Continental logo everywhere, perhaps giving one impression that everything charged on the card will get miles. However, it being a co-branded card, the logo has be in prominent places in every piece of communication you received from them. For example, they answer youe call with "Continental Chase" when in reality it is Chase.

Second, it is not deceptive in the sense that it advertised exactly what this mailing is suppose to do: get you to transfer your balance to the Continental credit card offfered by Chase. No where in that mailing, except the logo, gives the reader any impression that transfer would earn mile. Since it did not advertise something that it was not offering, I would not qualifying it as deceiving the reader.

Finally, as part of the user agreement (somewhere in there), which all users should read but in reality most don't, already states that balance transfer, except for special promotions, do not earn miles. This mailing you received does not mention anywhere this is one of those promotions.

I too received that same mailing. Unfortunately, I have come to be sceptical of all credit card offerings. The first thing I do is go and read the fine print on any offering.

Yes, I agree - it is 'ethically marginal' in what they are doing. But, it is no different than anybody's advertisement that has small print on the bottom (whether that is for automobiles, mortgages, vacations, etc.).

Besides, if you could earn miles with balance transfers, I'd get a card for American and Continental, and each month transfer the balance from one to another. If I had a $5,000 balance, I'd get 30,000 miles in each account without paying a dime. (Well, the annual fee for each).

Bottom line, the companies make more money from your purchases (which they make a guaranteed 2% - 8% from the merchant), PLUS your interest, than from a transferred balance, where they make $ on your interest only. Add to that there are a lot of people who transfer balances once the 5.9% or whatever rate expires.

A co-worker gets a new card every few months specifically so he can transfer his balance to a lower interest rate. When that rate expires, on to a new card.

I didn't buy the clouds representing "sky high interest rates". It's much more of an airline reference.

Was it deceptive? I think so. I KNOW that affinity cards do not offer miles for transfers, and I was so suprised, it made me search for the disclaimers.

They easily could have said 'while you won't get airline miles for this, you can pay off other cards at a terriffic interest rate' or something similar. I'm sure the intent was to entice, and if some are deceived, they felt it all the better.

As our friend Tino in the SW forum has pointed out:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum44/HTML/000014.html

You can earn points in the SW FF program for balance transfers with their affinity card. Other than that one anamoly though, I don't recall such a benefit ever being offered by another program.

UA First Card did give me miles for my FIRST balance transfer.

I also got miles for my FIRST balance transfer to U-A's First Card.

NJDavid: I probably too would be mad if I didn't learn from my aunt eons ago that one should already read the print at the bottom FIRST! I am leary of any credit card offers (although OH YIKES DINERS Club is tempting me and I still can't go!)

Kyklin has made a lot of good points about the advertising angle of these offers, to get more business. BUT there are many people who see a great offer and jump at it.

I am also very leary of any blank checks because as I read further the high interest rates attached.

The ad could say "While you can't earn OnePass miles think of the money you'll save that can go to that Continental airline ticket to paradise." Or something like that.

They should give a small amount of mileage, like 1K miles for the transfer and for our trouble.

You've hit on a good point, catman.

Had the marketers are Continental/Chase know their portfolio better, they should know that their transfer checks are no different than all the others any bank can offer. So, how can they entice more people to use them without offering a carte blanche of 1 mile = $1? Easy, offer 1000 miles per transfer!

This way, not only does Continental/Chase differentiate their offer from those of other banks, they will also get a better 'penetration' (uh oh!) b/c they know their clients WANT miles - after all, this is an airline affinity card.

Catman, how much do you think we should charge Continental/Chase for our shrewd marketing ideas?

arturo awlredy cawled them. yu two leight.

Thank you Kyklin. I just throught that off the top of my head.

If CO gives me a dozen unlimited upgrade certificates that don't expire for two yeras I'll be happy. (And of course I will share with my F-T friends!)

As for you Arturo... I called Chase and they said they could nto understand you so they're giving me the "PRIZE!"

Thank you Kyklin. I just throught that off the top of my head.

If CO gives me a dozen unlimited upgrade certificates that don't expire for two yeras I'll be happy. (You should get something special Kyklin, like 10K miles with your favorite airline!) And of course I will share with my F-T friends!

NJDavid should also get 10K CO miles for pointing otu the flaws in this offer!

As for you Arturo... I called Chase and they said they could nto understand you so they're giving me the "PRIZE!"

arturo git et gatohombre, yu knot hav to sey et twise.

My 13 yr old daughter got a promotion from American offering 10,000 plus miles for balance transfers. They must make this offer when someone doesn't respond to all their other offers. I called them and asked if another family member could use this and they said YES. So I jumped at the chance and changed the name and FF number to mine. I'm waiting to see if I really get the card. These offers cannot be requested. You either get them in the mail or you don't. I've read about on one of the bulletin boards, but here it is. I sure hope it's true.

------------------
DtG