Upgrading to BofA World card --> new account number; reports as new account?

[haulingthescoreup]

OK, I tried searching, but I still miss the former search function here on the forums. Anyway, I couldn't find anything definitive about this.

I just got an e-mail from BofA offering to upgrade my card to a World card, yes, one of those that don't report the CL and all the other screwy stuff. I'm OK with that, because I once had a pretty high balance on the card, if that's what they use for the util denominator, and my total CL is pretty high, so I wouldn't miss this if it were completed excluded, but I wasn't happy to read this part (highlighted in red below):

Dear hauling,

As a valued customer, you have been selected for a complimentary upgrade to the Bank of America® World MasterCard credit card with the same rates and fees as your current account. You're sure to enjoy superior service and continued enrollment in the WorldPoints® rewards program. Plus, any existing points will transfer automatically. Yada yada yada yada...

...Upon accepting this special offer, you may continue using your current credit card until the new Bank of America® World MasterCard credit card arrives. Your new card will have a new account number. When you receive your new card, be sure to update your account number with any merchants who automatically billed your previous account. Should you have any questions, please call the number on the back of your card.

...Continue to use your current account until your new card arrives. When you receive your new card, destroy your old card, and be sure to provide your new account number to any merchants, such as internet providers, that automatically bill monthly charges to your account. A Guide to Coverage will arrive shortly after you receive your new card.

For anyone who has bitten, did this World card report as a new line, or did it just replace the old tradeline, keeping the original opening date? I seriously don't want to re-age my AAoA.

And although I've been lucky (unlike many) with BofA CSR's, I'm not about to expect anyone there to understand the question and be able to give me an accurate answer.

[DI]

I upgraded to World Points Visa and there was no new tradeline added.  Only the account number changed. 

[jforsyth]

I have a World Points Premiere (not World) MasterCard from BofA. It's not shown on BofA's website, and it's white instead of black. It was given to me as a counter-offer when I applied for the World card 6 months ago with no credit (I knew nothing back then, haha. I picked the card that looked the coolest.).

Anyways, BofA has called me once or twice since I opened my account to talk about how things are going and what not. They've actually been really nice to me.

The last time I talked to them (about a month ago), the lady on the phone said that after X amount of time with on time payments and good history, I would be able to do a product change to the World card. She wasn't offering the PC then, but was just saying that I would be eligible for one down the line. I asked if it would still remain as the same account on my credit reports, and she said it definitely would. So I think you're in the clear, and DI's post only further confirms that.

[Lel]

Can't speak to your specific situation, but when B of A took over the my Upromise CC from Citi last year, I ended up with a new account number but no new account on my credit reports.  The old Citi account just disappeared, and the B of A account appeared, with the open date preserved.  In fact - let me double check on this - I believe that my payment history with Citi transferred over to B of A.  So if B of A knows how to correctly handle account changes from another institution, they would (hopefully) be able to do an internal product change correctly.

[hemi961]

I don't have the World card but over the past 18 months I have done 3 product changes with BofA and got a new card number each time but no new tradeline out of the deal.  I think you would be safe.

[haulingthescoreup]

Great info, everyone! Thanks for all the replies.

[MrShush]

I called for something about my Sovereign Bank Mastercard, which is administered by FIA, and they offered to upgrade me to the World MC. I was hesitant, but really, only the card and the account number has changed. It reports a revolving limit still and the age has not been affected. I wouldn't worry about upgrading.

[vanillabean]

Dear hauling wrote:

"For anyone who has bitten, did this World card report as a new line, or did it just replace the old tradeline, keeping the original opening date? I seriously don't want to re-age my AAoA."

Or maybe both?

If you don't mind me asking, what's your AAoA distribution?

[haulingthescoreup]

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@Anonymous-own-fico wrote:

@Anonymous hauling wrote:

"For anyone who has bitten, did this World card report as a new line, or did it just replace the old tradeline, keeping the original opening date? I seriously don't want to re-age my AAoA."

Or maybe both?

If you don't mind me asking, what's your AAoA distribution?

---

Sorry, I never replied to this: I just hit 5y 1m on Equifax, 5y something-something on the other two.

So the converted account finally posted, and so far, no change in how it reports, as far as I can tell. The account number is new, but the opening date is the same, the type of account and type of loan are the same, the high balance and credit limit are the same, there's only one TL, and Equifax still includes the full CL in my total revolving CL. The only thing that changed was the account number, which I snipped:

New, now that it's a World:

When it was still a Plat MC (paying off a 1.99% BT):

I may have dodged a bullet on this one.