Passenger Trains > Anyone else having trouble getting Guest Rewards card?

I have a credit score north of 800 and pay off all bills on time every month.  B of A  refuses to give me a replacement for the Chase Guest Rewards card because I do not carry a balance.  I think Amtrak has made a bad choice to team up with B of A.  They were idiots 50 years ago and still are - only more so.  Any one else having a problem with this Amtrak forced conversion?

Gene_CA Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have a credit score north of 800 and pay off all
> bills on time every month.  B of A  refuses to
> give me a replacement for the Chase Guest Rewards
> card because I do not carry a balance.  I think
> Amtrak has made a bad choice to team up with B of
> A.  They were idiots 50 years ago and still are -
> only more so.  Any one else having a problem with
> this Amtrak forced conversion?

There must be some other reason than just paying in full.  I have never carried a balance or paid a finance charge in over 40 years of credit card use, and I had no problem getting the new card.

I always pay my cards in full as well and had no trouble getting the new card.  There must be something else at play.  And it would appear it is not your credit score.


prr60 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Gene_CA Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I have a credit score north of 800 and pay off
> all
> > bills on time every month.  B of A  refuses
> to
> > give me a replacement for the Chase Guest
> Rewards
> > card because I do not carry a balance.  I
> think
> > Amtrak has made a bad choice to team up with B
> of
> > A.  They were idiots 50 years ago and still are
> -
> > only more so.  Any one else having a problem
> with
> > this Amtrak forced conversion?
>
> There must be some other reason than just paying
> in full.  I have never carried a balance or paid
> a finance charge in over 40 years of credit card
> use, and I had no problem getting the new card.

prr60 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Gene_CA Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I have a credit score north of 800 and pay off
> all
> > bills on time every month.  B of A  refuses
> to
> > give me a replacement for the Chase Guest
> Rewards
> > card because I do not carry a balance.  I
> think
> > Amtrak has made a bad choice to team up with B
> of
> > A.  They were idiots 50 years ago and still are
> -
> > only more so.  Any one else having a problem
> with
> > this Amtrak forced conversion?
>
> There must be some other reason than just paying
> in full.  I have never carried a balance or paid
> a finance charge in over 40 years of credit card
> use, and I had no problem getting the new card.

I'd also agree it has to be something else as I had no problem in getting the card. I also pay off my balance in full and have never had a late fee or finance charges etc. However, I will say within a month of getting the new card, it was compromised - even with the "chip." It then took me nearly THREE weeks to get a replacement card. I kept getting the run around from B of A and had to answer all kinds of security questions. It took four phone calls to get the replacement card overnighted to me. It was absolutely crazy! But now I am off and running on the card again! I hate Bank of America though......  

That seems to be the only reason.  I own my home free and clear and it now Zillows at over 1 million.  I have never had a negative on my credit in over 50 years.  The Chase card that it would replace has a limit of over 20k.  What else can it be.  There is no  one you can phone or talk to so how do I get an answer.  This is really frustrating.

I just applied for a Barclays airline mileage card.  I was instantly approved with a $10,000 credit limit.  So what is going on with Amtrak and B of A?  I really do not get it.  

Sounds like a data imput problem.   Spelling - numbers. etc.

They have turned it down twice and have not replied to my letter.  I just don't get it.  The local branch said they would give me credit in an instant based on the Experian report, but that the Amtrak card was a different department.  I have checked all the input carefully and reviewed the Experian report that they supposedly received.  It can only be a policy matter as I see it, but it looks like others with the same level of credit history have gotten the new cards.

Gene_CA:

The manager that commented that he "would give credit in an instant based on the Experian report, but that the Amtrak card was a different department", was full of it.  That person didn't want to dig for the answer to solve your issue, and you need to find someone in management at a BoA branch that is willing to help

Here is the FTC's take on Equal Credit Opportunity Rights:
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0347-your-equal-credit-opportunity-rights#applyI

I have been in your situation due to paying off balances early.  I've been told that different credit managers at the bank handle various numbers of clients. So as crazy as it sounds, you may have drawn a tight-wad manager out of the straws that is on a mean streak, or looking to impress bosses or some other inappropriate reason to blow off customers.Perhaps, you could make a copy of the document above, and along with your Experian report, begin shopping BoA branch managers, asking for help.   Show the new Barclay card and the Zillow assessment of your home... Ask them to take the initiative to resolve the situation and get your application straightened out with a credit manager.  Offer to write a complementary letter in YELP, Linked In, and other social media about the manager's help and kindness on the matter, and then ask the manager for her/his correct name spelling and write it down.  Sometimes when one "assumes the sale" and is confident, direct and purposeful, they "get the deal". 

Good hunting!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/27/15 22:44 by NYC4096.

The bank makes money each and every time you swipe the card due to the vendor fees that merchants have to pay so as to accept the cards in the first place, so the idea that you would be denied simply because you never carry a balance doesn't hold much water IMHO.  I don't carry a balance on any of my cards either, that's something to be proud of truthfully!  If I was in your situation, I'd contact the bank and request to speak to a supervisor if at all possible. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/28/15 07:24 by Amtrak288.

My FICO score is always the low 800's, never late, never a balance, but never above 810 when the scale ranges up to 850. They still find something negative. Discover Card gives youa FICO Score and explanation every month. Mine is:

Since you already have a high FICO® Credit Score, the key factors below are informative but not as significant since they represent very marginal areas where you could improve your financial health.
1. LACK OF RECENT INSTALLMENT LOAN INFORMATION
There is either no recent activity or insufficient information about your installment loans. Having a loan along with other types of credit demonstrates that you are able to manage a variety of credit types.

However, I have never been denied a credit card. But I have fired banks over the years, BoA being my biggest victim, which is why I have no interest in AGR's repetitive series of banking antics.