Westpac Singapore KrisFlyer Credit Card

[Sarge1]

Do you earn points with money orders, or are they the same as cash advances and Bpay

 

[albatross710]

Do you earn points with money orders, or are they the same as cash advances and Bpay

Both. Experiences vary. Some people have earned points on purchasing cash instruments and other transactions by other members have been unsuccessful.

For instance, buying a $100 gift card at Coles would probably earn points as Westpac may not be able ot determine the nature of the purchase.

A $1,000 purchase at Travellex would possibly get flagged as a cash advance.

As I said, experiences have varied. Please report back on what happens for you.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Both. Experiences vary. Some people have earned points on purchasing cash instruments and other transactions by other members have been unsuccessful.

For instance, buying a $100 gift card at Coles would probably earn points as Westpac may not be able ot determine the nature of the purchase.

A $1,000 purchase at Travellex would possibly get flagged as a cash advance.

As I said, experiences have varied. Please report back on what happens for you.

I think what Sarge1 was really asking is that can they buy some cash equivalent so that they can cycle the card and get endless points for no cost and just the effort of doing so.

In Australia the answer to this is generally no.

In Australia you can buy Gift Cards and the like (and eran points when you buy them), but they can only be redeemed for goods and not cash. So selling them to get the Cash to pay off your Amex would cause a loss.

Though when Amex had the 10 point per $ bonus in 2007 some people sold them on ebay because the loss they incurred was less than what the points were worth to them. 1.5 points per $ is not going to make it viable.

In the USA, USA residents could until recently buy $1 Coins at face value from the mint, and TC on Amex. Both loopholes have been essentially closed.

I believe in Aus that some people have been able to buy some financial instruments, but you could easily lose out on that too.

 

[Sarge1]

Thanks for the replies guys. Nowhere in the T&C's does it say anything about money orders not earning points, but I thought no harm to ask.
Lovetravellingoz

 

[savydog]

I think if you go into Australia Post and ask to pay for a money order with your credit card, it will be a cash advance on the card to pay for it. It is not paying for a purchase, you got cash off your credit card and recieved a money order which is very like getting a bank cheque.

All merchants are charged a fee for every credit card purchase they process and I can't see Australia Post being any different. If they had to pay even .5% fee on every money order they put through as a credit card purchase it would be a huge expense.

 

[spunkarooney]

Thanks for the replies guys. Nowhere in the T&C's does it say anything about money orders not earning points, but I thought no harm to ask.
Lovetravellingoz

“Cash Advance” means any transaction treated by us as a Cash Advance, including transactions where you:

receive from a Merchant a cash substitute (including, but not limited to, using the Card Account to purchase gambling chips or tokens, traveller’s cheques or money orders, or to load value to a stored value card or facility); or...​

Accordingly, Credit Card transactions made with certain Merchants may be treated as Cash Advances, even though such transactions do not fall within any of the above transaction categories.​

The most common types of Merchant outlet where this may occur are newsagencies and Merchants that sell lottery tickets or other gambling/gaming products.​

http://www.westpac.com.au/docs/pdf/pb/conditions_of_use_singapore_gold.pdf

That's the closest relevant thing I could find. Of course, cash advances don't earn points.​

Despite the above, I have never had a transaction at a post office flagged as a cash advance and I'm there every 2nd day.​

 

[spunkarooney]

OK, an update on the “money order” thing.

My local post office informed me that a money order can only be funded by way of cash. That is, you cannot pay for a money order by credit card.

Having just reviewed the Australia Post terms and conditions for this product, I can see no such payment limitation. The only thing I see with regard to funding of a money order is:

3.2 Money Orders may be issued and paid at such offices and during such hours as published by Australia Post.
[URL]http://www.auspost.com.au/statutorydocuments/generalpostalservices/Schedule_18A.htm#TopOfPage[/URL]

​

For the record, the Australia Post website product page http://www.auspost.com.au/IXP/0,1465,CH2020%257EMO19,00.html also does not list any funding restrictions.

It would be appreciated if a few people could ask at their local post office when next in. Thanks!

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Thanks for the replies guys. Nowhere in the T&C's does it say anything about money orders not earning points, but I thought no harm to ask.
Lovetravellingoz

Never any harm in asking as loopholes do occur from time to time.

However it is not just whether they earn points or not but also whether it is a "cash equivalent" whereby one would have to pay the punitive interest as well.

Rest assured that a large number of people who first get a point earning CC think quickly about schemes such as you propose (ie basically unlimited points for nothing...) and for this very reason most of these avenues have been closed off.

 

[mvjs]

When I've had to get money orders I've never had the option of paying on credit card.

 

[spunkarooney]

Never any harm in asking as loopholes do occur from time to time.

However it is not just whether they earn points or not but also whether it is a "cash equivalent" whereby one would have to pay the punitive interest as well.

Rest assured that a large number of people who first get a point earning CC think quickly about schemes such as you propose (ie basically unlimited points for nothing...) and for this very reason most of these avenues have been closed off.

As stated above, money orders have been specifically excluded in the terms and conditions.

 

[spunkarooney]

When I've had to get money orders I've never had the option of paying on credit card.

Have you specifically asked to pay by credit card, or are you saying that you weren’t asked “cash or credit”?

 

[mvjs]

Have you specifically asked to pay by credit card, or are you saying that you weren’t asked “cash or credit”?

I've tried and asked to pay for a money order with a credit card. Every time I've been denied. I don't think you'll have any luck in this. I was given a reason by one post office that it was because money orders are cash equivalent. Because a credit card transaction can be reversed or disputed, they cannot be used for purchasing money orders.

 

[spunkarooney]

I've tried and asked to pay for a money order with a credit card.

Thanks for clarifying.

 

[serfty]

The actual retail system has defined allowable payment methods for various transaction types.

Be rest assured, CC's are excluded from MO purchases and the Counter terminals simply will not allow it.

You can't even achieve this by mixing a transaction. Say you buy $50 worth of envelopes, a diary for $20 and a MO costing $40 all up. You can pay up to $70 of the $110 total on a CC but the rest has to be by other means, such as cash.

 

[albatross710]

The Westpac Krisflyer site could do with some editing as it is now dated with many references to the original 31 Oct 09 expiry date on the original offers. I think the current site implies that they may have lost focus on promoting the card and need to rethink the ongoing incentives for new (and continuing) members.

Westpac KrisFlyer Product Website

On your Singapore Airlines Westpac American Express® Card, earn:
3 KrisFlyer miles for every $1 spent on purchases until 31 October 2009 (on and from 1 November 2009 earn 1.5 KrisFlyer miles for every $1 spent on purchases)2

Flights on Singapore Airlines eligible for 50% online redemption discount - Eligible travel period in 2009 - September

For a limited time
To celebrate the launch of Singapore Airlines Westpac Platinum, Avis is offering Singapore Airlines Westpac Platinum cardholders special deals on rentals3 up to 31 October 2009:

 

[spunkarooney]

The Westpac Krisflyer site could do with some editing as it is now dated with many references to the original 31 Oct 09 expiry date on the original offers. I think the current site implies that they may have lost focus on promoting the card and need to rethink the ongoing incentives for new (and continuing) members.

Westpac KrisFlyer Product Website

No, I guess they're already planning the next product to suck us into.

 

[hedge]

Anyone been successful on getting the annual fee waved? (for the plat card)

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Anyone been successful on getting the annual fee waved? (for the plat card)

I have had the first years $125 refunded and negotiated to only pay $125 rather than $250 in future years.

 

[SQ1]

I have had the first years $125 refunded and negotiated to only pay $125 rather than $250 in future years.

Hi lovetravellingoz,
How did you manage that?? :mrgreen:
Is the manager your pal??

Cheers

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Hi lovetravellingoz,
How did you manage that?? :mrgreen:
Is the manager your pal??

Cheers

No.

Basically I put it as a business proposition to them.

I demonstrated that I put a large $$ through a CC per year and that Westpac were currently getting $0 of this.

If they wanted my business I required an inducement.

I also have loans with them and so that would have assisted, however until I outlined a business case to them as well there was no discount coming my way.

I negotiated this before taking the card out.