Chase sent out a memo to bankers with five changes coming to their various banking and credit card products (image at end of post):
- Chase Blueprint will no long be offered. Blueprint is found in your Chase online login and tracks your balances with their Full Pay, Split, Finish It, and Track It. Existing Blueprint clients have been notified. (Hmm, I don’t recall getting any notification about Chase doing away with Blueprint. And I wonder why they are discontinuing it.)
- Chase Slate will be getting a facelift beginning December 1 and will include contactless payment technology.
New Slate:
- Chase Freedom and Freedom Unlimited balance transfer fee will go down from 5% to 3% on November 11th.
- On Chase personal credit cards the late and returned fee will be changed to a non-tiered fee of $38.
- On Chase banking products, the $15 extended overdraft fee for accounts overdrawn 5+ days will be eliminated.
I have about five separate credit card accounts. All of them have given me generous credit increases over the years. Also, most of them have lower my APR. But with Chase, I’ve had the same high APR no matter how well my credit increased and if it wasn’t for me requesting a CLI about 5 years ago, I would still be stuck with a measly $400 credit limit. I currently have an $800 credit limit. And now they take away the absolute only benefit of my card which was blueprint. I used it to pay my cell phone bill so I didn’t have to pay interest on it. So what are we getting in place of blueprint? A new card design? Chase really seems like the greediest credit card company that I deal with. I’m not at all happy with this decision.
I wish they would update Chase Freedom unlimited with the new design.
Between Chase and Amex, it feels really weird how slow card redesigns are happening. I get it takes time to physically replace cards as they expire, but if it were me, I’d have updated similar card designs around the same time if they’re not getting a major structure/product revision.
Amex feels even more out of place as they’ve rolled out the new branding (text/logo), so any of the clear cards (ED/EDP/BCE/BCP), the green card, and the platinum look really old next to the Cash Magnet or Gold.
Chase has been better, but I’m surprised they’re still issuing cards with embossed numbers and that the Freedom Unlimited didn’t get a revision with the regular Freedom.
Why Chase doesn’t include contactless technology on the Sapphire Reserve, a card meant for frequent travelers, is beyond me. Does the metal in the card cause an issue with it?
Shouldn’t have an issue. The new Amex Gold card is contactless.
That, and the ability overseas to use Chip+PIN
It has chip and pin functionality. There just isnt a set pin so it functions properly but doesn’t have the bonus security of a set pin
Confused. I thought one of the major downsides to CSR is it doesn’t have chip and pin technology for use abroad. What is a non-set pin?
A non-set PIN is a fancy way of saying no PIN. If your card falls out of your pocket in Europe, the finder can use it to charge purchases. If the card had a PIN, that wouldn’t be possible.
It had been a security issue for a long while. Anyone gets a sensor near your wallet and they have your contactless details, which are constantly broadcast. Chip+PIN is much more secure.
No, there is practically zero security risk in contactless cards.
The cards are not “broadcasting” anything. They are passive devices. You need to hold the card within a few cm to the terminal. Unless you are in a crowded metro car, you can easily detect someone squeezing a terminal to your wallet. Also the terminal has to be activated and valid, and it will be reported within a day and it’s operator fined (probably even reported to the police). Unless you have a contactless debit card, you have absolutely nothing to worry about.
I was on the streetcar in Toronto trying to buy a fare and the machine only accepted contactless payments. CSR, SPGbiz, Plat, IHG, Hyatt, BOA PrTrRewards…. nothing in my wallet had contactless out of all the travel cards that cost $1300+ in annual fees.
Apple Watch or iPhone Wallet can be used.
You can request a contactless Platinum (I’m assuming you meant Amex Platinum right?)
AFAIK you can request any American Express issued card with contactless. The new Hilton cards are also by default come contactless.
Apple Pay/Android Pay/Samsung Pay/etc?
Chase is also eliminating the direct deposit functionality for small businesses (was $10/month fee). Businesses have the option of moving to ACH bill pay platform ($25/month fee).
This was a bummer, as it was such an easy way to guarantee meeting all banking bonus direct deposits without worrying about what was considered a direct deposit. A $120 annual cost to hit ~$2200 annually in bonuses the last 3 years. RIP Chase Small Business Payroll.
I just cancelled my small business payroll service and closed my business checking account. It was a great run…
I’m doing the same. Silver lining – I’ll be able to churn Chase business bonuses now, albeit every other year due to new rules.
I don’t want to be too greedy, I’ll complete Chase personal and business checking account bonuses every other year 🙂
Wells Fargo has the same thing with their business checking for $10/mo and $.50 per payment. I’ve been using it since last year for meeting direct deposit requirements on new account bonuses. You guys should try it.
This one hurts. I’ve been using the $10 plan for 3 years too.