Aysh, BofA...

[flyingpenguin]

I tried to PC my Student Platinum Plus Visa to a Bank Americard Cash Rewards card some weeks ago ... I didn't state "Cash Rewards" by name, but I said I wanted to add the 321 rewards to the card, and the CSR said she could do it for me. They changed the account number and it took 3-4 weeks to get the new card in mail...

Well, it turns out I got a Bank Americard Rewards card. The letter states that the cashback is just 1% back on everything. I checked BofA's website and I don't even see a version that's just "Rewards" - there's "Cash Rewards" and "Travel Rewards", "Power Rewards", "Basic", and even just a plain Bank Americard, but not one that just says "Rewards." Weird. Also, I got 2 letters, with 2 cards, that are identical in every way, that I can tell.

I got a notice from CS's daily monitoring service that my old BofA card was closed and a new one was opened with my original open date (2007) and same credit line ($1700), so at least they did that right. It's my oldest account.

What I'm thinking of doing is just keeping this card for 6 months, running charges through it, and then PC'ing to the Travel Rewards version and asking for a CLI. I didn't know of the Travel Rewards version until after I had asked for the Cash Rewards one (unsuccessfully it turns out). The 321 rewards aren't that important to me because I don't spend anything on gas and I only spend like $75 a month on groceries. Besides, my US Bank Cash+ can also do groceries at 2%. The Travel Rewards would be nice because it's 1.5% back and has no foreign transaction fee (I don't travel enough to justify an AF travel card).

My current limit of $1700 is paltry in comparison to my other card limits (Citi Forward at $5.5k and Cash+ at $11k). I think that I should wait 6 months because 1), I don't want to PC again so soon - don't want anything to get messed up on my credit reports. But mainly, 2) I haven't been using the BofA card much at all. The last time I used it was in March. So I think I should run some charges through it to justify why I need a higher limit. Semi-related question, is the highest credit line for a BofA Platinum Plus $5000? Or just below $5000? I don't want the Visa Siggy because from what I've gathered from this forum, BofA doesn't report the limit on Visa Siggies (plus I already have one).

Thoughts on this plan? Will BofA even PC the same card/account twice? Thanks!

[HiLine]

To answer one of your questions, you do not have to accept a Visa Signature card. You can always request a downgrade to a regular Visa.

I'm surprised Bank of America even has the card you described. If you're not happy, give them a call and complain this is not the card you requested, then they may ask if you'd like to change the card to something else, and if they do, ask for the Travel Rewards card.

[lionsfan20]

Boa was my first credit card in 2009 or 2010 and I got the student card as well with a 700 limit. THey refused to increase me multiple times and I wasted so many inquiries. Although I havent tryed in over 6 months , I would never try again because theres like a cap on the student cards. I also recently switched to the cash rewards card but didnt get it yet and I asked to switch to a normal card instead of student and they said they did , then I speak to someone else and they still say its a student card.

I have a 15k amex blue and then this measly 700 boa..boa really sucks

[HiLine]

You got it right. Student cards are designed for people with approximately zero income, so understandably they should not have a high credit limit. If you need more credit, you need to switch to a non-student card. I'm surprised that you're having this issue with BofA. I would give them another call; did you try a backdoor number? Report the issue to them, and ask again for a product change. Tell them you will close your account if the problem persists. 

[lionsfan20]

Ive had the card since 2010 and Ive been banking with them since 2009 and never had a problem , never late  , never went over on checking..they just suck now

I would request another increase with them and most likely get it but I dont want another pull. I have like 5 of them just with boa from them pulling my **bleep** over the last year and a half. I think the key is to call in so at least they can counter it unlike online where you just get denied.

[HiLine]

If you've been a good customer, and preferably have 10k+ in your checking and savings accounts with them, I would recommend that you apply for another card; it'd be a hard pull anyway, and this is a sure-fire strategy. I obtained a Visa Signature following this strategy, and didn't even bother asking for more than a 5k limit. In retrospect, I should have.

[flyingpenguin]

An update... I did an online chat and asked why I got just the "Rewards" version. The CSR said the request was for that version. D'oh. She offered to put in a request for the Cash Rewards version, but I asked for the Travel Rewards version. So I'll get my new card (new acct number again) in 2-4 weeks... She said I could use the current card in the meantime, but I think I won't since I don't want that account to get closed with a balance on it. Hopefully this should be it for my PC'ing shenangians, haha.