Strategy to obtain US Amex

[levelnine]

he same with UltraMobile someone mentioned posts above.

Seems like the T-Mobile PayGo option is the best given it is the cheapest. Have you had any troubles with it?

 

[tlam]

Seems like the T-Mobile PayGo option is the best given it is the cheapest. Have you had any troubles with it?

No, I am using the number like I am living in the US, created Facetime and iMessage, and everything is working well. I also got many scam phones and insurances, accidents, and from Walmart and Amazon departments lol

 

[Tiki]

Is Cap 1 the only bank that needs this phone 2FA solution? So far I have managed to get cards with B of A, Amex and Chase with TextNow and sometimes calling them and answering questions. Amex need a notarycam but hopefully that was a one-off and if I get another Amex card they don't ask it again. What about Citibank?

 

[tlam]

Is Cap 1 the only bank that needs this phone 2FA solution? So far I have managed to get cards with B of A, Amex and Chase with TextNow and sometimes calling them and answering questions. Amex need a notarycam but hopefully that was a one-off and if I get another Amex card they don't ask it again. What about Citibank?

Whenever I called Citi, they send text to my mobile for verification, sometimes they didn’t accept the same number and asked for a different number. Also, they asked for the last 6 digits of the bank account that I used to pay for the statements. I asked the agent why I can’t use the same number they told me that the computer generated a set of questions automatically for the verification and they can’t control which one to select.

And, if you want to add the card to a new mobile wallet, expect a text message from the Fraud department immediately and you have to call them or your card will be blocked until you verified.

 

[Tiki]

Whenever I called Citi, they send text to my mobile for verification, sometimes they didn’t accept the same number and asked for a different number. Also, they asked for the last 6 digits of the bank account that I used to pay for the statements. I asked the agent why I can’t use the same number they told me that the computer generated a set of questions automatically for the verification and they can’t control which one to select.

And, if you want to add the card to a new mobile wallet, expect a text message from the Fraud department immediately and you have to call them or your card will be blocked until you verified.

Did you have to use the T-Mobile or Google Voice for Citi?

Has anyone used TextNow for Citi?

Maybe I should just try to stay with the 3 banks I know I can deal with. Chase has the 5/24 thing but I can get the Avios cards in 2024 in time for the big South America trip in 2025.

How many Amex cards can I get? Right now, I just have the Delta Gold. I previously had SPG and Gold card back in 2014ish. The good old days when people did app-o-ramas in multiple browsers!

 

[tlam]

Did you have to use the T-Mobile or Google Voice for Citi?

I used both, in one occasion they asked for the landline number, I answered I don’t have home phone and they called my GV number, luckily I was able to pick up and answered the call.

 

[albyd]

TextNow wasn't working but I have been getting Verification texts from Citi. I managed to use T-Mobile with WiFi calling to receive verification texts from Wells Fargo from Australia.

 

[blacksultan]

I don't have a SSN nor have any plans to live in the US. Is there any hope for me to get a US Amex card?

Yeah. Like many of us do a gt !

 

[Daventry]

Better hurry up and milk those US cards before it's too late... Senate Bill Would Kill Credit Card Rewards By Limiting Merchant Swipe Fees - View from the Wing

 

[blacksultan]

Can text now receive verification calls from chase ?as opposed. To texts ?

 

[levelnine]

I assume the $3 T-Mobile plan doesn't do an esim. What I like about TextNow is that it doesn't take up a sim slot (either physical or esim) — just an app on my phone. I'd rather not have to buy a separate phone just for the occasional verification text.

 

[Tiki]

Better hurry up and milk those US cards before it's too late... Senate Bill Would Kill Credit Card Rewards By Limiting Merchant Swipe Fees - View from the Wing

Gary is pretty good with the financial aspect of these deals and he says it is very unlikely to pass.

 

[Tiki]

I think I will hold off on Cap 1 and put it in the "too hard" basket for now. I will have a morning in LAX next year on the way to Mexico and can sort out the phone situation then. There is a T-mobile shop near LAX and I can go in with my US passport and do what is needed if I still want a Cap 1 card.

In the meanwhile, I still have Citi as a possibility as long as I have no inquiries 6 months prior to May 2023 so I need to finalize this extended round of app-o-ramas before Oct 2022.

I can get one Chase card and maybe another Amex. Odds are good that CSP will do another 80k SUB in Sept or Oct and I can do the minumum spend in 3 months.

Although I don't normally stay in Hiltons, I was looking at the Amex Surpass card because the annual fee is low and it would give enough points for a weeks worth of the cheaper Hampton Inns in Mexico. I am going for bird watching so only need a safe reliable hotel as a base. And the Priority Pass access would be nice.

So I am looking at Citi Premier and maybe Cap 1 in 2023. Also maybe an Amex Green since I already had a gold and am excluded from that card.

Then in 2024 I will be chasing LATAM , GOL and Avianca and need anything that transfers to those 3 for a major South America trip. Avios might be good and I can target the Chase Avios cards in 2024 once I go back to less than 5/24.

 

[QF_Flyer]

So update - still had no issues with T-Mobile, been working a treat. Card was delivered to Planet Express, PE couldn't find it, never tracked it down. Gave up. Called Amex - they were happy to send the replacement to Aus, but wanted me to do Notarycam, which was fine (did it at 3am Aussie time one night), about a week and a bit ago. Checked today and my account confirms card dispatched to my address in Australia.

I'll be back in the US in a few weeks, so I'll properly activate my T-Mobile eSIM then, but until then it's working perfectly over Wifi calling, even away from Wifi it just uses Wifi calling over Telstra Mobile Data.

 

[mrsquare]

Could anyone who have completed an international transfer of MR points to their US account please explain the process?

I’ve tried a few times to initiate the transfer but have been reluctant to progress with it as they can’t seem to provide an exchange rate for the AUS to US transfer and saying that once I’ve done that I can’t stop it if I don’t like the exchange rate.

Surely it can’t be that difficult. I’ve tried both online chats and calls.

 

[tlam]

Could anyone who have completed an international transfer of MR points to their US account please explain the process?

I’ve tried a few times to initiate the transfer but have been reluctant to progress with it as they can’t seem to provide an exchange rate for the AUS to US transfer and saying that once I’ve done that I can’t stop it if I don’t like the exchange rate.

Surely it can’t be that difficult. I’ve tried both online chats and calls.

Yes, I did, I transferred the points in my Amex Aus to the Amex Us, initialed the transfer with chat consultant and it took about 1 week to receive the points in my US account. The exchange rate is the same as the rate for USD/AUD. You can only do that once a year.

 

[levelnine]

So update - still had no issues with T-Mobile, been working a treat.

Is this the $3/month T-Mobile plan that tlam has recommended? Or another one?

Post automatically merged: Jul 29, 2022

Yes, I did, I transferred the points in my Amex Aus to the Amex Us, initialed the transfer with chat consultant and it took about 1 week to receive the points in my US account. The exchange rate is the same as the rate for USD/AUD. You can only do that once a year.

I find this a wild loophole!

250K MR from an Australian Amex gets you 125K KrisFlyer miles in Australia.

But if you convert it to US MR, you get approx 175K MR that can be converted 1:1 to KrisFlyer using your US card.

Once I have $USD3K spend, I'm going to sign up for a US Amex BBP so that I have fee free home for MR in the US forever. Only downside is the FTF for the BBP, so need to have your MSR in USD.

 

[tlam]

I find this a wild loophole!

250K MR from an Australian Amex gets you 125K KrisFlyer miles in Australia.

But if you convert it to US MR, you get approx 175K MR that can be converted 1:1 to KrisFlyer using your US card.

Once I have $USD3K spend, I'm going to sign up for a US Amex BBP so that I have fee free home for MR in the US forever. Only downside is the FTF for the BBP, so need to have your MSR in USD.

Yes, that is correct but keep in mind that when you transfer your points to some US carriers, Amex charges you a tax fee up to $99. The reason I wanted to transfer my points to the US account is because I need to book the flights on Air Canada Aeroplan. Amex US offers more transfer partners than in Australia.

 

[blacksultan]

Yes, it is, and yes can use wifi calling easily here in Australia, the same with UltraMobile someone mentioned posts above.

Can you activate t- mobile and ultra mobile easily in australia ?tia

 

[nomad2000]

Can you activate t- mobile and ultra mobile easily in australia ?tia

I've activated T-Mobile Prepaid E-Sim in Australia with Wifi calling. I used Mint Mobile's E-Sim here and it was easy to activate and use With Wifi calling too. Mint mobile is basically the same company as Ultra mobile. The difference is Ultra doesn't provide E-Sims and is a bit cheaper.