B of A card changes for me

Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum

Help Support Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Dan O

Conductor
Joined
Feb 21, 2008
Messages
1,168
Location
So Calif
I just got an email that my B of A Amtrak card is going to issue me a new card. Apparently it's due to my card possibly being compromised at an unnamed merchant. It would be nice if I knew which one so I could avoid them but that's another story. This is the second time this year (last time in March) that I have had new cards issued. It wouldn't be that big of a deal but there are quite a few bills that are paid automatically on that card. Some places can seem to master getting the new card to pay using the old card info w/o me telling them that the numbers have changed but some can't. If it was any other card other than my Amtrak card I'd just not use it much.

When Chase had the Amtrak card I think I did have the above happen once in about 5+ years. Another pet peeve is that B of A sends me a text about every 3 months saying my card is suspended due to questionable activity and then lists the questionable charges. Usually it is gas and groceries from our local markets that have charges probably at least once a week and sometimes 4-5 for the grocery store. Also got a questionable charge on a charge that recurs every month and it was the same exact amount. It's not a big deal at home (although I had to get my son another card because he was denied gas due to one of these episodes) but could be a bigger deal when traveling. They send an email or text or maybe both. I don't always check either all day long. Check at least once a day.

Anyway, they are trying to fight fraud which is good but I am not sure their system, at least in my experience, has been very good.

Dano
 
Like you, I got an email 5-6 months ago telling me my AGR card had been compromised and they were sending me a new one. Thankfully, they included a list of vendors I had paid with that card (including recurring cable bill, etc) so I knew which sites I had to change my card info at when the new one arrived.

I've also had my card temporarily suspended when there's an oddball charge from a liquor store in California, for example, and I live in Massachusetts. I don't remember if it was my AGR card or not at the time, but on a trip, when I tried purchase gas 3 times in one day, about 300 miles apart each time, they declined the charge at the pump at station #3. I ended up paying cash. Ever since, I carry a second card with me 'just in case' my AGR card gets suspended and I don't find out until I'm paying at Walmart (happened about a year ago) or somewhere else. Frustrating? Yes. Saves BofA money in stopping a stolen card number being used for $1000s of fraudulent purchases? Absolutely. It also saves me the hassle of discovering the problem 2-3 weeks later when I look at my statement and calling them up. That's why I keep all my bills coming on paper. It serves as a 'trigger' to pay the bill as well as verification of each charge. And in the case I drop dead, whoever cleans up my non-existent 'estate' will know there's some bills to be paid.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
If you got this notice without a fraud message, it could be because your current card is approaching the expiration date. Also they are reissuing the cards to change from "raised letters" to laser embossed numbers and expiration date and your name so that the card will look clearly readable as you use it. My card expiration date in Nov 2018 and they just sent me my new card. They had sent me a letter or email saying that I would get the new card in about 5 days and I did.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Like you, I got an email 5-6 months ago telling me my AGR card had been compromised and they were sending me a new one. Thankfully, they included a list of vendors I had paid with that card (including recurring cable bill, etc) so I knew which sites I had to change my card info at when the new one arrived.

I've also had my card temporarily suspended when there's an oddball charge from a liquor store in California, for example, and I live in Massachusetts. I don't remember if it was my AGR card or not at the time, but on a trip, when I tried purchase gas 3 times in one day, about 300 miles apart each time, they declined the charge at the pump at station #3. I ended up paying cash. Ever since, I carry a second card with me 'just in case' my AGR card gets suspended and I don't find out until I'm paying at Walmart (happened about a year ago) or somewhere else. Frustrating? Yes. Saves BofA money in stopping a stolen card number being used for $1000s of fraudulent purchases? Absolutely. It also saves me the hassle of discovering the problem 2-3 weeks later when I look at my statement and calling them up. That's why I keep all my bills coming on paper. It serves as a 'trigger' to pay the bill as well as verification of each charge. And in the case I drop dead, whoever cleans up my non-existent 'estate' will know there's some bills to be paid.
I check my account online each weekend as I do my “budget” so will see if there’s a problem. No need to wait for the paper statement. I also notify them, online, when I’m traveling so they know I’ll be using my card in other parts of the country.
 
Some people on here are not happy with the customer service at BofA. I'm one of them, and I'm a new customer.
 
My dad just receives his card in the mail yesterday. Fingers crossed that BoA treats us better than they apparently have to all of you.
 
When you are traveling and are on a train for a couple of days, it can be a problem. But if you are at a hotel, it can be sent to you overnight to the hotel. And even if you are on the train, but know you are coming to stay at XYZ hotel or with your brother tomorrow night, it can be sent there overnight.

I myself would rather get a new card then dispute numerous charges 3,000 miles from home when I stayed home.
 
For what it's worth, I just received a fake email from Bank of America with the subject "Access to Online Banking has been locked". This looked for all the world like a real BofA email, logo and corporate info at the bottom and all. Unlike most fake emails that address me by my email 'name' only, there was neither my real name nor any indication of account number, such as last 4 digits, etc. Without using my real name or account identification, I know it's a fake.

And like all these phishers, there's a 'click here to access your account' that doesn't take you to Bank of America, but some 'tinyurl' site that will, I'm sure, attempt to download some kind of malware, spyware or botware to your computer.

As a reminder to all...if you get an unsolicited email from one of the places you deal with online requesting an 'update' or 'verification' of your information, DON"T OPEN IT and if you do, ABSOLUTELY DO NOT CLICK THE LINK PROVIDED! Go to your banking/credit website as you usually do and check out the supposed problem. And yes, I DID get a 'your account is locked' message that WAS genuine from BofA, and when I logged on to the site myself, up popped the message indicating potential fraudulent use, etc, and I needed to verify a couple of specifically shown transactions they thought were suspicious.
 
I have the BOA app on my phone and can check current status etc. several times I have received texts from them questioning charges and I could access my account through the app and clear them. Also, whenever I use it online I get an immediate message. Once a broker incorrectly sent in a charge and I saw it right away and called the broker to reverse it. After some argument, they finally did. The clincher was when I advised them if they didn’t do so, I’d contact BOA and stop their charge.

I have been very happy with BOA’s customer service also. I get answered almost immediately and treated well.

I particularly like the app since I can monitor the app and my accounts.

Perhaps, it is the combo of the cards and accounts with the app which helps me get better service rather than just a card.
 
Bank of America must be getting customer 'feedback' about the fake emails using their logo, etc. I wanted to send them the info online and there was no way I could find to contact them through email, which I prefer due to hearing loss.

Maybe one of their employees is reading this thread as this afternoon, I got an email from the 'real' BofA with the subject: "Your Amtrak Guest Rewards® World Mastercard®" And in the body of the email, was my full name and last 4 of the credit card number, so I know it's real. And they, for real, to update my contact info (I NEVER provide my cell phone # to anyone as it's turned off 99% of the time). Amtrak gives me the same run around every now and then, as does AGR. Sorry. No cell phone number for you, either!

This has been a public service announcement.
 
I've had the AGR World Card for a little over a year now, and though I'm not a big spender, I haven't had any issues with BOA at all. I pay my bill in full at the end of the month and have never had them contact me about my card being compromised or asking to verify charges. Sorry you all are having bad experiences! I knew BOA doesn't have a great customer service track record going in so I was skeptical, but I have been pleasantly surprised.
 
If you got this notice without a fraud message, it could be because your current card is approaching the expiration date. Also they are reissuing the cards to change from "raised letters" to laser embossed numbers and expiration date and your name so that the card will look clearly readable as you use it. My card expiration date in Nov 2018 and they just sent me my new card. They had sent me a letter or email saying that I would get the new card in about 5 days and I did.
Expiration date is 2023.

I don't think their service is that bad. Just frustrating that they keep changing cards. Well, and question charges that aren't questionable at all if they look at my previous statement. Charges that I would have understood as questionable were a $600 restaurant bill or buying a membership for Dallas zoo when I live in CA. Rarely eat out and rare for bill to be over $100.

As I said before, if this was just a cash back card, I wouldn't bother using it at all.
 
I find that BoA is very quick to block any charge they think remotely suspicious. This, for me, has resulted in charges being declined, particularly online when there is more than one in a day. I get text notifications from BoA that allows me to confirm that the attempted charge was legit, and then I can submit it again (unless I punted it to another card).

One of the more amusing stories like that happened to Flyertalk poster who had a charge declined due to being s "suspicious foreign purchase." The suspicious purchase was a British Airways ticket. The card was the British Airways Visa card from Chase.
 
Back
Top