You could always get a cash advance to max the card and pay it back right away, you'd be out the fee for it but it's far from unethical. It's giving BoA money for something they should do for you anyway, and that's report your limit.
@MarineVietVet wrote:
@LTomBerry wrote:There have been threads started by a few people, including myself, that have one of these cards that don't report a CL and the high balance gets used instead. If your high balance never gets very high, then a typical month's spending will make it appear maxed out, at least to scoring systems that don't recognize a NPSL card.
I don't usually spend enough in a month to get my balance anywhere near high enough to eliminate this problem, and I suspect there are many more of us in the same boat.
The solution that seems obvious is to buy something real expensive one month and return it the next, after the statement posts. I originally thought this was ethically problematic because I thought a merchant would have to pay interchange fees on the purchase and the return, and making a merchant pay what could be several hundred dollars in fees just so I can get a better score just doesn't seem right. But after some internet research it appears that a merchant actually gets the interchange fee back when they issue a refund so they're not really losing any money. I do realize there might be some shady CC processors that might try to cheat the merchant but I don't know how common that is. If this works out I might just skip on down to my favorite big box store and bring home a piece of electronics or jewelry or something to visit for a few days.
Any business owners out there that can verify if this is true for them?
Would not buying something with no intention of keeping it be unethical even if it doesn't cost the merchant anything extra?
From a BK years ago to:
EX - 3/11 pulled by lender- 835, EQ - 2/11-816, TU - 2/11-782
"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they've made a difference. The Marines don't have that problem".
I hate to break it to everyone. But if it were a bank doing it for their own benefit, they wouldn't consider it unethical for a split second, they'd consider it business as usual. Just my 2 cents and plain fact.
@MarineVietVet wrote:
@RyVision wrote:I hate to break it to everyone. But if it were a bank doing it for their own benefit, they wouldn't consider it unethical for a split second, they'd consider it business as usual. Just my 2 cents and plain fact.
I respect your opinion but I don't accept situational ethics. I don't make decisions based on what someone else has done whether it's right or wrong. I can't tell my sons "Well he did the wrong thing so it's ok for me to do the same". It's never wrong to do the right thing.
The most important qualities the Marine Corps taught me were honor and integrity. I fail sometimes just like any other human being but these qualities keep me focused on what I should do.
I fully respect that actually. The idea though makes me question is it actually unethical, or is it just business? Unethical = harm. Good business = achieve with no harm.
Don't laugh, the idea actually has me conflicted a bit.... Personally, I would offer to do it for someone (as a business) if they left the item in the store, that's my business perspective. When it comes down to the personal side, for myself, I prefer the idea of a cash advance and paying the fee more. If between the 2 choices. I don't think I could do the buy then return thing without the merchant knowing, with the other option so in front of me (or any options), it would have to be an unbelievably desperate situation. If it were the last resort, I'd probably talk to a merchant that I knew, explained my reason and ask if they could hold the item. That's just me. There are always ethical options one can live with.
@MarineVietVet wrote:
@RyVision wrote:I hate to break it to everyone. But if it were a bank doing it for their own benefit, they wouldn't consider it unethical for a split second, they'd consider it business as usual. Just my 2 cents and plain fact.
I respect your opinion but I don't accept situational ethics. I don't make decisions based on what someone else has done whether it's right or wrong. I can't tell my sons "Well he did the wrong thing so it's ok for me to do the same". It's never wrong to do the right thing.
The most important qualities the Marine Corps taught me were honor and integrity. I fail sometimes just like any other human being but these qualities keep me focused on what I should do.
Same here with the USAF core values
Integrity First
Service before self
Excellence in all we do
And MVV I agree with your statement.
@RyVision wrote:
@MarineVietVet wrote:
@LTomBerry wrote:There have been threads started by a few people, including myself, that have one of these cards that don't report a CL and the high balance gets used instead. If your high balance never gets very high, then a typical month's spending will make it appear maxed out, at least to scoring systems that don't recognize a NPSL card.
I don't usually spend enough in a month to get my balance anywhere near high enough to eliminate this problem, and I suspect there are many more of us in the same boat.
The solution that seems obvious is to buy something real expensive one month and return it the next, after the statement posts. I originally thought this was ethically problematic because I thought a merchant would have to pay interchange fees on the purchase and the return, and making a merchant pay what could be several hundred dollars in fees just so I can get a better score just doesn't seem right. But after some internet research it appears that a merchant actually gets the interchange fee back when they issue a refund so they're not really losing any money. I do realize there might be some shady CC processors that might try to cheat the merchant but I don't know how common that is. If this works out I might just skip on down to my favorite big box store and bring home a piece of electronics or jewelry or something to visit for a few days.
Any business owners out there that can verify if this is true for them?
Would not buying something with no intention of keeping it be unethical even if it doesn't cost the merchant anything extra?
From a BK years ago to:
EX - 3/11 pulled by lender- 835, EQ - 2/11-816, TU - 2/11-782
"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they've made a difference. The Marines don't have that problem".I hate to break it to everyone. But if it were a bank doing it for their own benefit, they wouldn't consider it unethical for a split second, they'd consider it business as usual. Just my 2 cents and plain fact.
How do banks call that? Legal loopholes 
Navy here,, be all u can b without falling overboard,,, oops,,, maybe it was its an adventure?
@CS800 wrote:
@RyVision wrote:I hate to break it to everyone. But if it were a bank doing it for their own benefit, they wouldn't consider it unethical for a split second, they'd consider it business as usual. Just my 2 cents and plain fact.
How do banks call that? Legal loopholes
No.... they call it "just business".... We call it unethical, I call it that and "bad business"... And over 90% of high achieving companies and individuals are "cut-throat" (another term for it). I've always considered it a personal failure in a way that I'm not a bit "cut-throat", if I were, I'd be typing this, fully retired, from my yacht.. . (not that I've ever wanted a yacht.... never have, "they" just usually seem to have those) 
I've known cut-throats, I didn't like them very much, phony and untrustworthy is how I see them....
LT; don't do the buy and return thing. Even though it might get you what you want. There are other options.