[ksameer1234]

Originally Posted by abhi3284

Hello, can anyone confirm whether the SC Super Value Titanium Card covers Shell Pumps for the 5% Cashback?

Yes, the card offers 5% cashback on all PSUs as well as Reliance and Shell. However, the 5% cashback is 1% surcharge reversal + 4% cashback so effective cashback is only 4% since 1% is the surcharge which is anyways added to the transaction. Also, the card further gets 0.75% cashback at PSU pumps which is not the case at Shell or Reliance.

[dre@ms]

I am an avid user of HDFC CC since the last 11 years and haven't had any issues with them whatsoever.

Enter Big Bazaar or any Future group outlets and you get mobbed by these American Express and SBI CC execs. What is with them? Is it wise to get an SBI CC? Sole purpose would be the cash back offers from online retailers like FK.

[Ithaca]

Early this morning I received an SMS saying "INR 2 was spent on your Credit Card XXXX07 on 11-Feb-18 at MICROSOFT * " and that my available balance was xxxxx.

Since I have not been using that credit card and have not made any online purchases on that card for a while, I called the Axis Bank call centre and got that card blocked and they will be issuing me a new card.

That Rs 2 spend went through without a request for an OTP. This transaction seems like a fishing expedition wherein some fraud chap hoped that I would ignore the Rs 2.00 spend and hit me later with a sweeter expense.

A few minutes later I received an SMS from Axis bank confirming that my old card was blocked and would be replaced with a new card in 10 days.

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by Ithaca

Early this morning I received an SMS saying "INR 2 was spent on your Credit Card XXXX07 on 11-Feb-18 at MICROSOFT * " and that my available balance was xxxxx

It was most probably an authentication charge, a reversible transaction levied when one registers their card as a payment option with an online service/merchant.

If that's what happened, you're fortunate you caught it before any actual purchases were attempted.

[Ithaca]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

It was most probably an authentication charge, a reversible transaction levied when one registers their card as a payment option with an online service/merchant.
If that's what happened, you're fortunate you caught it before any actual purchases were attempted.

My Axis bank credit card was an emergency credit card with a higher credit limit, only to be used for emergencies since I had a lower valued Citi card for daily usage.
The Axis card was not used for more than 4 months.

The Rs 2.00 debit on the Axis card was made to seem like an authentication spend by a website as explained by you above and would have slipped under my radar if it was levied on my frequently used Citi Card.
Now I will have to seriously track all alerts that Citibank sends for my Citi card to ensure this is not repeated on that card too. My brother too has been shaken up; now that this has hit home and is going to be vigilant toward his credit card alerts. This was a great wake up call for me. Never expected it to happen, but glad it did and even gladder that Axis bank was very proactive.

[anku94]

Originally Posted by Ithaca

I had a lower valued Citi card for daily usage.

What's up with Citibank's lower credit limits?

When I got my ICICI card, the limit was 20% higher than what I got with Citi - they also offered me a 35% bump later, and now my credit limit on my (useless for offers and cashbacks) ICICI card is 70% more than my Citi card - whereas I have to keep paying my Citi bills every two weeks to have room for bigger purchases.

I tried talking to Citi's customer care but they refused to budge - saying that they usually don't give out limit increase offers in the first 6 months. This is despite me having a really good credit score.

[Ithaca]

Originally Posted by anku94

What's up with Citibank's lower credit limits?

My Citibank credit card has a lower limit of Rs 81K with respect to my Axis bank card which has a very high limit of Rs 2.2L due to my high value relation with Axis Bank. That is one reason I have kept the Axis bank card only for emergencies.

Citibank tends to enhance the credit limit depending on the spends a person makes on his/her card in a financial year.
As explained to me by the call centre when I wanted to enhance Citi limit for an iPhone purchase, I would have to submit my salary slip and Form 16 to enhance it. Enhancement of limit would would be at the discretion of the bank.
Since I regularly use the Citicard for regular purchases, my credit limit was enhanced late in 2017 from 54K to 81K without any documents being deposited.
I use my Citicard extensively to garner points to get Amazon gift cards to make purchases on the Amazon site.

[binand]

Originally Posted by Ithaca

Early this morning I received an SMS saying "INR 2 was spent on your Credit Card XXXX07 on 11-Feb-18 at MICROSOFT * " and that my available balance was xxxxx.

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

It was most probably an authentication charge, a reversible transaction levied when one registers their card as a payment option with an online service/merchant.

And given that the charge is from Microsoft, I'll bet the card was indeed stolen, and used to create an Azure account. It is a common criminal activity to use stolen card details to register for a cloud service and use it for distributing illegal stuff - software, pornography etc.

Originally Posted by Ithaca

The Rs 2.00 debit on the Axis card was made to seem like an authentication spend by a website as explained by you above and would have slipped under my radar if it was levied on my frequently used Citi Card.

This is why one should pay attention to the SMS messages that is mandatory for the banks to send. But with the uncontrolled SMS spam that we get, this is more or less impossible nowadays. I have had some success with SMS Organiser (https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...d.smsorganizer).

[redcruiser]

Originally Posted by tud

Hello Folks!

I've been a very happy lifetime free HDFC Bank Credit Card user since 2009. I've been using their Regalia card as a Lifetime free card since April 2016. The card was excellent value in terms of reward points, lowest currency conversion charges, no fuel surcharge and service tax on fuel surcharge, priority pass for airport lounge access.

The reward points were initially at 1 point = 75p. It was devalued to 1 point = 60p last October. And now it has gone down to 1 point = 50p. To top it, the rewards can now only be used to book flights and hotels through Regalia website. Earlier they offered prepaid mobile and DTH recharge which was of excellent value which they discontinued last month.

The fuel surcharge amount has come down drastically. Now Regalia will refund only 1% of the fuel surcharge collected. The fuel surcharge can still be anywhere between 1 - 2.5% (mentioned on Regalia website) depending on the fuel pump and their card swiping bank. The 18% GST on the surcharge will not be reversed. I used to get the 15% ST reversed earlier. Again the Govt mandated 0.75% cashback for card transaction on fuel will be processed only if the card is swiped on an HDFC terminal which was not the case till last month.

The number of lounge usage has come down drastically and also the accelerated reward points.

In this case, what are the other lifetime free credit cards to consider?

Just to add to your points, now HDFC has started charging for Domestic lounge access for 27$ per visit. However, there are 6 complimentary international lounge access the complimentary offers for domestic lounges are gone.
Looking out for some alternative that can match the points (2/- per 150/- spent) offered by HDFC regalia and atleast provide complimentary lounge access.

[autorahul]

Originally Posted by redcruiser

Just to add to your points, now HDFC has started charging for Domestic lounge access for 27$ per visit. However, there are 6 complimentary international lounge access the complimentary offers for domestic lounges are gone.
Looking out for some alternative that can match the points (2/- per 150/- spent) offered by HDFC regalia and atleast provide complimentary lounge access.

For lounge access, you have to use Mastercard lounge program now, i.e. directly swiping the card at the lounge. This has happened with most credit cards in India.

BTW, I also got frustrated by continuous devaluation of HDFC Regalia, and recently swapped it with 2 cards. Yes Bank Preferred Lifetime Free and HDFC Diners ClubMiles card.

[tud]

Originally Posted by agambhandari

The priority pass is another document/card that you will get if you use your card for a minimum of 20k in first 45 days(It was this in my case, look in your card details for your required amount). Then you will receive the priority pass. It will be valid for 4 international lounge access . Unfortunately the domestic lounge access has been removed now.

Btw, you can also use mastercard lounge access privileges for it. That doesn't require priority pass. The list of lounges is on the website.

Originally Posted by autorahul

For lounge access, you have to use Mastercard lounge program now, i.e. directly swiping the card at the lounge. This has happened with most credit cards in India.

I use a Regalia for over 2 years. I got my Priority Pass along with the card. Looking at your post I'm wondering if the process has changed now? I want to apply for an add on card for my spouse and mother and we have an international trip this month end. So if I receive the Regalia card as well as the priority pass, it would be good for accessing the lounges during transit.

What is this MasterCard lounge program you have mentioned? Could you please explain in detail.

Originally Posted by redcruiser

Just to add to your points, now HDFC has started charging for Domestic lounge access for 27$ per visit. However, there are 6 complimentary international lounge access the complimentary offers for domestic lounges are gone.
Looking out for some alternative that can match the points (2/- per 150/- spent) offered by HDFC regalia and atleast provide complimentary lounge access.

I think AMEX and Yes Bank Lifetime free card could be a good match. AMEX too has limited period lifetime free offers brought in every now and then.

[redcruiser]

Originally Posted by tud

I use a Regalia for over 2 years. I got my Priority Pass along with the card. Looking at your post I'm wondering if the process has changed now?

Here is the mail that I received from the bank.

[Oxy]

Originally Posted by autorahul

BTW, I also got frustrated by continuous devaluation of HDFC Regalia, and recently swapped it with 2 cards. Yes Bank Preferred Lifetime Free and HDFC Diners ClubMiles card.

Is the Yes Bank Preferred any good? The returns seem to be pretty decent (8 reward points per Rs.100 on retail spends). Since each RP = 25 paise, it works out to Rs.2 per Rs.100. I think the annual renewal gifts and the welcome gifts won't count since this is a lifetime free card now.

Also, I have a HDFC Diners Club Premium (lifetime free). Is there a way I can get this upgraded to Diners Club Black (preferably lifetime free)?

[autorahul]

Originally Posted by Oxy

Is the Yes Bank Preferred any good?

Yes, its quite good. And they frequently have promotions for extra reward points. Have been very happy with this move. Moreover, as Yes Bank gets more aggressive, expect more offers.

[deovrat]

Originally Posted by Oxy

Also, I have a HDFC Diners Club Premium (lifetime free). Is there a way I can get this upgraded to Diners Club Black (preferably lifetime free)?

You can get it upgraded, but Black is not available in a lifetime free version.

They'll ask that your income as per ITR is >21L for the issuing Black.