topic Re: US Bank screwing over RTR customers in Credit Cards

US Bank screwing over RTR customers

crystal626 — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 19:01:57 GMT

I paid a bill last night with my Cash+ and got a text from real-time rewards offering for me to use $14.94 in rewards for a $14.94 credit. I accepted. Well this morning, I notice that they only gave me $11.21.

I seem to remember them talking about devaluing rewards other than those deposited into a checking account but they should at least have the right dollar amount on the text message.

It's not worth calling and fighting with them so I just turned off RTR on both my cards. Thought I would warn others though. If you want that 1cpp, you should turn off the RTR service so that you don't get bamboozled like I did.

Re: US Bank screwing over RTR customers

Curious_George2 — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 04:18:17 GMT

Yes, they are being deceptive. Thank you for reminding us that it's possible to turn off RTR. I just did so.

I'm not defending US Bank/Elan here, but if you look closely at their text message, it doesn't have any dollar signs. Here is one of mine:

"Real-Time Rewards: You have 17.63 rewards. Text REDEEM to use 17.63 rewards for your purchase. Text HELP for help or STOP to opt-out. Msg&DataRatesMayApply"

I also assumed it meant I would get $17.63

in rewards. Nope! I only got 75% of that. I dimly recall some discussion of this a few months ago, but I didn't really remember the details.

Shame on US Bank. This is the wrong way to treat their customers. If they weren't being intentionally deceptive, they would put the actual rewards amount in the text message, expressed in US Dollars.

Re: US Bank screwing over RTR customers

ElvisCaprice — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 04:38:25 GMT

Never use RTR to pay for something, unless being giving an additional SUB for doing so. Why would you? All your doing is not getting rewards for that amount of RTR you use to make a purchase.

Re: US Bank screwing over RTR customers

crystal626 — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 04:53:51 GMT

@ElvisCaprice wrote:
Never use RTR to pay for something, unless being giving an additional SUB for doing so. Why would you? All your doing is not getting rewards for that amount of RTR you use to make a purchase.

The $25 minimum used to take a lot longer to hit and I get impatient as I don't like to leave cash back hanging out on a card longer than I have to. Now that we have an energy bill it will only take a few months so it will be a moot point.

Re: US Bank screwing over RTR customers

crystal626 — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 04:54:39 GMT

@Curious_George2 wrote:
Yes, they are being deceptive. Thank you for reminding us that it's possible to turn off RTR. I just did so.

I'm not defending US Bank/Elan here, but if you look closely at their text message, it doesn't have any dollar signs. Here is one of mine:

"Real-Time Rewards: You have 17.63 rewards. Text REDEEM to use 17.63 rewards for your purchase. Text HELP for help or STOP to opt-out. Msg&DataRatesMayApply"

I also assumed it meant I would get $17.63
in rewards. Nope! I only got 75% of that. I dimly recall some discussion of this a few months ago, but I didn't really remember the details.

Shame on US Bank. This is the wrong way to treat their customers. If they weren't being intentionally deceptive, they would put the actual rewards amount in the text message, expressed in US Dollars.

Good catch!

Re: US Bank screwing over RTR customers

ptatohed — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 08:22:12 GMT

USB, themselve's, tell you that CB is the best value!

Re: US Bank screwing over RTR customers

crystal626 — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 17:17:06 GMT

@ptatohed wrote:
USB, themselve's, tell you that CB is the best value!

Who can remember all these rules in the moment? When I got the card, RTR was a 1:1 redemption. It really shouldn't be surprising that I would expect to get 1:1 when I'm getting a text that seems to suggest that is the case.

Re: US Bank screwing over RTR customers

zerofire — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 07:17:07 GMT

Play silly games, win silly prizes.

The lenders intentionally will attempt to offer 1000 ways to redeem your rewards. Only 1-2 will give you the most value. The rest are just for funzies and make the lender more profit. Real time rewards was never a good way to redeem.

Re: US Bank screwing over RTR customers

bs1234 — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 13:12:17 GMT

@zerofire wrote:
Play silly games, win silly prizes.

The lenders intentionally will attempt to offer 1000 ways to redeem your rewards. Only 1-2 will give you the most value. The rest are just for funzies and make the lender more profit. Real time rewards was never a good way to redeem.

It used to be a great way to redeem for travel on the Altitude Reserve, getting 1.5cpp without going through a travel portal. Those days have gone though. But at one stage it was THE way to do things!

Re: US Bank screwing over RTR customers

crystal626 — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 18:19:25 GMT

@zerofire wrote:
Play silly games, win silly prizes.

The lenders intentionally will attempt to offer 1000 ways to redeem your rewards. Only 1-2 will give you the most value. The rest are just for funzies and make the lender more profit. Real time rewards was never a good way to redeem.

RTR on this card used to have the same redemption value as statement credit...

Re: US Bank screwing over RTR customers

bs1234 — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 20:09:31 GMT

@crystal626 wrote:
@ptatohed wrote:
USB, themselve's, tell you that CB is the best value!

Who can remember all these rules in the moment? When I got the card, RTR was a 1:1 redemption. It really shouldn't be surprising that I would expect to get 1:1 when I'm getting a text that seems to suggest that is the case.

Well, the text did make things harder, but as @ptatohed points out, the redemption page you have to go through does point out best value (as it does on the smartly). And sadly, in general, I think the user does have to remember the changing rules, part of the game! Any more than saying on a 5% rotator, "It was gas last month, how am I to know that it's changed just because it is April" (or whatever)

Re: US Bank screwing over RTR customers

crystal626 — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 22:08:36 GMT

@bs1234 wrote:
@crystal626 wrote:
@ptatohed wrote:
USB, themselve's, tell you that CB is the best value!

Who can remember all these rules in the moment? When I got the card, RTR was a 1:1 redemption. It really shouldn't be surprising that I would expect to get 1:1 when I'm getting a text that seems to suggest that is the case.
Well, the text did make things harder, but as @ptatohed points out, the redemption page you have to go through does point out best value (as it does on the smartly). And sadly, in general, I think the user does have to remember the changing rules, part of the game! Any more than saying on a 5% rotator, "It was gas last month, how am I to know that it's changed just because it is April" (or whatever)

I had 24 cards until recently. There's no chance in hell I would remember these rules for all of them. It's much easier to remember the original card terms than the ones that have changed.

Regardless, it wasn't a big loss, and I've opted out of the nonsense for good now.