topic BOA Secured - Non Secured. AF is only $39 but man it still sucks to pay. in Credit Cards

BOA Secured - Non Secured. AF is only $39 but man it still sucks to pay.

kudosalert — Wed, 08 May 2019 19:56:17 GMT

Had my secured card manually graduated. Talked and asked 2 reps + 1 analyst to either PC me to another product with no annual fee or just waive it since on their website it says "no annual fee" for that particular card.

All 3 said PC not possible (I've read on here ppl have been able to do so). Waive AF not possible since the secured card even though graduated is a different product (looks and functions the same to me).

Anybody with updated info on this issue? Either a successful PC or waived AF on the BOA Americard MC? I dont want to close the account since it's my oldest account (if you are reading this BOA )

Re: BOA Secured - Non Secured. AF is only $39 but man it still sucks to pay.

Anonymous — Wed, 08 May 2019 20:02:27 GMT

Got the same issue. Keeping it regardless as the 3/2/1 rewards are nice to have and I don't want to waste more HP for now, but I'd also be interested in any tips.

Re: BOA Secured - Non Secured. AF is only $39 but man it still sucks to pay.

FinStar — Wed, 08 May 2019 20:04:58 GMT

Unfortunately, it's really how the product originated and was coded during its initial set up.

In a variety of cases, the AF can be waived as a courtesy (YEMV). However, if the AF is part of the life cycle of the product, then it's a permanent feature. You can always contact them in the future in the event that some of these BoA product tranches get "refreshed" and see whether your account becomes eligible to have the AF removed permanently.

Re: BOA Secured - Non Secured. AF is only $39 but man it still sucks to pay.

Anonymous — Wed, 08 May 2019 20:06:39 GMT

In my case, I tried to have the AF refunded this year. Request denied.

Re: BOA Secured - Non Secured. AF is only $39 but man it still sucks to pay.

kudosalert — Wed, 08 May 2019 20:26:32 GMT

Newbie here. What's 3/2/1 rewards?

Re: BOA Secured - Non Secured. AF is only $39 but man it still sucks to pay.

NaaryalHead — Wed, 08 May 2019 20:32:26 GMT

I was told the same after my card was unsecured. They say its in the card holder agreement. Just a BS excuse to keep charging you the same old AF. There's a reason why Bofa profits are in the billions. 🙂

They refused to remove it for me as well. Just waived it one time only on multiple requests. Guess I'll be getting. AF fee letter again soon.

Re: BOA Secured - Non Secured. AF is only $39 but man it still sucks to pay.

Anonymous — Wed, 08 May 2019 20:39:52 GMT

@kudosalert wrote:
Newbie here. What's 3/2/1 rewards?

It refers to the 3% / 2% / 1% cash back you get with BofA Cash Rewards

https://www.bankofamerica.com/credit-cards/products/cash-back-credit-card/

I had it straight from the beginning on my secured card (apparently, being denied on the unsecured card unlocks the application for a secured rewards card). However, I heard of people who could get the Cash Rewards added to the standard card after it graduated. You still pay the AF though.

My fee for this year will post at the end of the month. I'll try once again to have it waived. Should they refuse, I will close it and I'm done with BofA.

Re: BOA Secured - Non Secured. AF is only $39 but man it still sucks to pay.

Anonymous — Wed, 08 May 2019 20:39:52 GMT

I would probably cancel it. It will still report in your AAoA for 10 years. I just wouldn't be willing to continue paying that AF for 10 more years.
Close and move on if it's done it's job. It won't hurt your age. If they aren't budging on PC or canceling the AF then you are kind of stuck. 🤷🏽‍♀️

Re: BOA Secured - Non Secured. AF is only $39 but man it still sucks to pay.

Anonymous — Wed, 08 May 2019 22:34:51 GMT

Try to call BofA's Sr. Credit Analyst at (866) 618-4585 and ask if your AF can be waived. If the first person you talk to won't do it, then hang up and call again for another rep. I was able to have the AF on my father's Platinum card waived thru that contact number two months ago.

Re: BOA Secured - Non Secured. AF is only $39 but man it still sucks to pay.

DaveInAZ — Thu, 09 May 2019 00:03:26 GMT

Maybe things have changed but I did the minimum $300 BoA secured card back in May 2015 and got them to unsecure around 8 months and they removed the annual fee at that time, I had included a BoA card in my 2010 BK. About a year later I called in and got them to upgrade it to the 1-2-3 Rewards card, and got a CLI to $1800. Today it has a $5k CL and I also have a Travel Rewards card also with $5k CL. I recommend the BoA secured card as one of the better secured cards.

And new apps for the secured card no longer has an AF, so you might use that in your very polite argument. And I've always had best results with this bckdoor number: 800-824-5895 (secured & partially secured accts.). I tried the Sr. Credit Analyst once and he couldn't get rid of me fast enough.

Re: BOA Secured - Non Secured. AF is only $39 but man it still sucks to pay.

Anonymous — Thu, 09 May 2019 13:08:48 GMT

Thank you.

@Anonymous wrote:
Try to call BofA's Sr. Credit Analyst at (866) 618-4585 and ask if your AF can be waived. If the first person you talk to won't do it, then hang up and call again for another rep. I was able to have the AF on my father's Platinum card waived thru that contact number two months ago.

Thanks.

Called this number. Two times.

First time, I got somebody telling me the usual bull**bleep** excuse -- it was on your agreement so I can't do anything.

Second time, I got a much nicer person that did send a request to the "Executive Office" to have this fee removed, telling me that they should follow up within one week. Definitly far from my expectations, but still much better than anything I got until now.

Wait and see.

Re: BOA Secured - Non Secured. AF is only $39 but man it still sucks to pay.

AverageJoesCredit — Thu, 09 May 2019 13:15:59 GMT

If your card is only a year old or so , closing it due to oldest card really isnt a valid excuse to keep it open were you to decide to close. Thats not really old per se. I understand not wanting to pay AF but one cant blame Boa for issuing a card with AF that the individual chose to accept and then upset they dont want to waive it. Use a card for what its purpose is and move on once its served its purpose. Secured cards are meant to help get to a unsecured card.

Re: BOA Secured - Non Secured. AF is only $39 but man it still sucks to pay.

Anonymous — Thu, 09 May 2019 13:34:14 GMT

That is true. Reason is not AAoA. Reason is that I like this card to complement my others with Cash Rewards. That being said, it is not worth either one of the anual fee or another HP.

I’m insisting on this because my banker specifically told me that a card graduates to the Cash Rewards, exactly with the same terms (this, no AF). Part of their argument at the time was precisely that this is a card that evolves with time, not one that is stuck for years with an AF (that BTW has been removed from their secured card now)

Re: BOA Secured - Non Secured. AF is only $39 but man it still sucks to pay.

kudosalert — Thu, 09 May 2019 13:39:51 GMT

Yup I was very polite all 3 times. From what everyone is saying there is a higher chance of them waiving it versus completely removing the AF which makes me think it's probably time to cancel the card. The next AF will post in August so I'll call one more time in July to see if they can do a PC to a card with no AF, otherwise i'll cancel it.

Re: BOA Secured - Non Secured. AF is only $39 but man it still sucks to pay.

Yeliaba1 — Fri, 10 May 2019 04:25:16 GMT

I opened my secured card a year ago (May 2018) as a Cash Rewards 321. They immediately charged the annual fee. The card graduated in October with a CLI. Didn't worry about the annual fee at the time as it was already paid. Feb of this year I called ahead of the anniversary date to ask about removing the annual fee. I was told it was already removed. Reviewing my transaction I see no sign they slipped it in. I do have some investments with them (not a lot) and have a checking and savings.

If it had an annual fee, I still might have kept it as I get that back in gas and Costco easily. The Amerideals alone has paid me back over $200 ( discounts at Starbucks, several restaurants, Rie Aid) already. It is definitely not the worst annual fee card at $.75/wk I do understand the principal of the issue as well, especially if it is a nonrewards card as the OP has.

Re: BOA Secured - Non Secured. AF is only $39 but man it still sucks to pay.

Anonymous — Tue, 21 May 2019 20:27:13 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Thank you.
@Anonymous wrote:
Try to call BofA's Sr. Credit Analyst at (866) 618-4585 and ask if your AF can be waived. If the first person you talk to won't do it, then hang up and call again for another rep. I was able to have the AF on my father's Platinum card waived thru that contact number two months ago.
Thanks.
Called this number. Two times.

First time, I got somebody telling me the usual bull**bleep** excuse -- it was on your agreement so I can't do anything.
Second time, I got a much nicer person that did send a request to the "Executive Office" to have this fee removed, telling me that they should follow up within one week. Definitly far from my expectations, but still much better than anything I got until now.

Wait and see.

YAY!

Took more than a week in the end.

I just got in the mail a letter in response to the inquiry, not telling much apart from advising me to call them. I called.

They did waive the AF on my account, permanently.

Thanks a lot for the tip.

It took quite an effort, but I'm now happy AND satisfied that it makes sense to keep this card open without the AF.

Re: BOA Secured - Non Secured. AF is only $39 but man it still sucks to pay.

Anonymous — Tue, 21 May 2019 20:21:24 GMT

That's great news! Congratulations, @univvv!

Re: BOA Secured - Non Secured. AF is only $39 but man it still sucks to pay.

kudosalert — Fri, 24 May 2019 11:30:42 GMT

awesome news. i'm going to call and get them to transfer the CL on my card to my new Travel Rewards card and then close it...no point in keep both.

Re: BOA Secured - Non Secured. AF is only $39 but man it still sucks to pay.

kudosalert — Sat, 24 Aug 2019 17:57:56 GMT

just an update on this folks. i called in to cancel my card and when asked for the reason I told it was because the last 3 reps would not let me PC it to a non AF card (in my case it was the BOA Travel Rewards). surprise surprise...they said that it was possible to PC and that they dont know what happened on the last 3 calls. i highly doubt their policy on this issue miraculously changed in the last 3 months. so if anyone else is trying to do a PC, should try canceling as last result.

before canceling, i had them transfer the available credit limit on the card being closed to another BOA card.