Credit Card Forum
  1. #11
    Centurion Member fffresh's Avatar
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    3% on Amazon purchases isn't bad but I don't buy enough from them to make it worthwhile for me.
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  2. #12
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    I've used the Citi Forward card very frequently for the last year with no issues about Thank You points until recently.

    Be careful with restaurants inside hotels (especially Las Vegas). Citi just tried to screw me out of 3000 points ($600 in restaurant transactions over the weekend). They said because the merchant was listed as a hotel (MGM Grand) they couldn't give me the 4 additional points per dollar, even though I used my card at restaurants. I had to talk to an account manager for over 20 minutes. He wouldn't give me the full credit of 3000 points, but I was able to get 2000 points and some credit towards my account. Makes me want to look over all my statements now to make sure they aren't screwing me out of points.

    Hope this helps!
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  3. #13
    Centurion Member Mogul of Pineapples's Avatar
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    Bearmeat, unfortunately that's a potential problem you can have with any rewards card. The merchants sometimes classify themselves incorrectly,to pay lower fees. There was a independent gas station I went to that showed up under some completely different category of spending because they were trying to game the system.

    By the way, Jeffysdad - I've started using my Amazon card again per your advice. Thanks.
    Disclosure: I am a moderator/paid staff of this site, which does have advertising relationships with some credit cards that are discussed. Regardless, anything I say is my honest opinion.

    Current Cards:
    American Express: Blue Cash, Simply Cash Bank of America: WorldPoints Platinum Plus Chase: Amazon, British Airways, Cash Plus Rewards, Freedom, Ink Cash Citi: Thank You Premier, Dividend Platinum Select Discover: More
    Primary Everyday Card: American Express Blue Cash
    Primary Travel Card: Citi Thank You Premier
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  4. #14
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    Default I've had that issue, too...

    A restaurant I go to a lot is also a bakery and they're classified as retail rather than restaurant for interchange purposes. At this place I have to remember to use my Fidelity Amex (for 2%) instead of "wasting" the purchase on a lower return from Citi Forward. I can't remember this coming up anywhere else.

    The card companies say they aren't responsible for how a merchant is categorized. Bear, I'm surprised Citi gave you anything. I think it's great that you gave them hell about it. More people should complain about stuff and we'd all get better service.

    Mogul, hope the Amazon card works out for you.
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  5. #15
    Centurion Member Mogul of Pineapples's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jeffysdad View Post
    The card companies say they aren't responsible for how a merchant is categorized.
    You would think banks would care more about this, since misclassification means lower interchange fees. Does anyone know the approximate fees for each category? I'm curious to know exactly how much they vary.
    Last edited by Mogul of Pineapples; Feb 13, 10 at 7:16 pm.
    Disclosure: I am a moderator/paid staff of this site, which does have advertising relationships with some credit cards that are discussed. Regardless, anything I say is my honest opinion.

    Current Cards:
    American Express: Blue Cash, Simply Cash Bank of America: WorldPoints Platinum Plus Chase: Amazon, British Airways, Cash Plus Rewards, Freedom, Ink Cash Citi: Thank You Premier, Dividend Platinum Select Discover: More
    Primary Everyday Card: American Express Blue Cash
    Primary Travel Card: Citi Thank You Premier
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  6. #16
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    Default I hadn't thot of that...

    I don't know anything about how interchange fees are calculated. Maybe rather than sorting by purchase category they do it by dollar amount per purchase or based on a merchant's annual transaction volume??? I would be interested in learning more.
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