MBNA balance transfer from AmEx

jpsartre

I'm looking to transfer a balance from my wife's American Express Gold charge card. Does anyone know of any potential problems transferring to an MBNA card? I'm asking because I've heard some cards cannot be used when transferring from an AmEx charge card and I just found out the hard way that Tesco won't let you transfer from a card in someone else's name.

SuzieSue

jpsartre wrote: »

I just found out the hard way that Tesco won't let you transfer from a card in someone else's name.

Did they stop the transfer because it was from your wife's card or because it was from an Amex?

jpsartre

Because it was from a card in my wife's name. Tesco will only balance transfer from a card in your own name. Anyway, talked to TSB yesterday and they said no problem to transfer from my wife's AmEx card so applied for one of their cards now.

SuzieSue

jpsartre wrote: »

Because it was from a card in my wife's name. Tesco will only balance transfer from a card in your own name. Anyway, talked to TSB yesterday and they said no problem to transfer from my wife's AmEx card so applied for one of their cards now.

Did you try to do the Tesco transfer online or over the phone? I'm just wondering how they knew that the card was in your wife's name as they don't ask for the name on the card if you do it online?

jpsartre

I didn't do a transfer. When I received the card I went online to do a balance transfer and found that it says you can only transfer from a card in your own name. I called them to ask if there was a way around this and they told me there wasn't.

When I wrote that I found out the hard way I just meant that I wasted time applying for the card and mailing them proof of identy/address. I've now closed the card so have no idea if the transfer would have gone through had I tried it.

SuzieSue

jpsartre wrote: »

I didn't do a transfer. When I received the card I went online to do a balance transfer and found that it says you can only transfer from a card in your own name. I called them to ask if there was a way around this and they told me there wasn't.

When I wrote that I found out the hard way I just meant that I wasted time applying for the card and mailing them proof of identy/address. I've now closed the card so have no idea if the transfer would have gone through had I tried it.

Thanks for the information. Yes, that tick box is new as it wasn't there when I did a balance transfer last year.

jpsartre

An update on this, my wife's card just received a payment from Tesco. I think what happened is when I applied for the card, it asked me whether I was looking to do a balance transfer and I typed in her cardnumber and the amount (I'm almost certain there was no mention of the fact that the card had to be in my name at that point). The problem is, I closed the Tesco account on Friday when I thought I couldn't do the transfer! So, I just talked to Tesco again. They can't understand why it has gone through and claims that AmEx will send it back although I'm a bit dubious of this as the payment has already gone on to my wife's card. Not sure what will happen if it doesn't, the Tesco account is closed and there is no way to re-open it (according to Tesco). What a mess.

SuzieSue

jpsartre wrote: »

An update on this, my wife's card just received a payment from Tesco. I think what happened is when I applied for the card, it asked me whether I was looking to do a balance transfer and I typed in her cardnumber and the amount (I'm almost certain there was no mention of the fact that the card had to be in my name at that point). The problem is, I closed the Tesco account on Friday when I thought I couldn't do the transfer! So, I just talked to Tesco again. They can't understand why it has gone through and claims that AmEx will send it back although I'm a bit dubious of this as the payment has already gone on to my wife's card. Not sure what will happen if it doesn't, the Tesco account is closed and there is no way to re-open it (according to Tesco). What a mess.

That's strange. So did you tick the box where is says that the card is in your name? If not, I don't understand how it went through.

jpsartre

There was no box to tick. If it had been clear at the time I filled out the application that the card I wanted to transfer to had to be in my name I wouldn't have proceeded. It's an odd rule anyway and I don't think other companies have it.