Misleading Offer by MBNA

easy

Last week I got an email from MBNA offering me a fee free balance transfer for that day only, offer expired at midnight.

I had been considering a transfer to one of my MBNA cards which has currently got 0% interest until July. So I leapt at this chance. (name and number changed in this copy below)

Dear MRS X
There's never been a better time to transfer a balance* to your MBNA credit card!

Simply complete a balance transfer by using our Online Banking Service and the handling fee will be waived.**

But time is ticking - this offer ends at midnight tonight.
Why not use this opportunity to:
• Give your current account a cash boost
• Transfer balances from other credit or store cards
• Clear your overdraft
• Pay off a loan
Visit us now at - before the clock strikes 12!
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Please note unless you have a valid promotional rate on your account the standard variable rate will apply. Please see your latest statement for rate information. [/FONT]

Please read - important information about e-mail security:
So you can recognise a genuine e-mail when you receive one, we'll always quote the last 4 digits of your MBNA credit card number:

9899
Please do not reply to this e-mail with any account details, as e-mail is not a secure form of communication. If you do not wish to receive any further e-mails from us, please click here and follow the online instructions.


*You cannot transfer a balance from another card issued by MBNA. Your promotional rate, should there be one on your account, will no longer apply from the beginning of any statement period during which you breach your terms and conditions. If you settle other cards or loans your monthly payment may be lower. Charges may be incurred for early settlement of other loans. You cannot transfer a balance from another card issued by MBNA. When you pay us, we will put your payments towards your balances with the lowest rates first and longest duration.

**Offer applies only to Balance Transfers completed using the online banking service up to 23:59 on Wednesday, 24 October 2007. For any balance transfer completed after this date you will be charged a handling fee of 3% of the transaction (minimum £3). This applies unless we have told you that your fee is more or less than this percentage.

This credit card is issued by MBNA Europe Bank Limited, Registered Office: Stansfield House, Chester Business Park, Chester CH4 9QQ. Registered in England number 2783251. We will monitor or record some phone calls. MBNA is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

I worked everything out and transferred the balance to my MBNA card.

Now I've been charged a fee. I rang to complain and apparently it's because I didn't use the specific MBNA card noted in this email. But I didn't even see that on the bottom of the email at the time, and it doesn't say anywhere that I have to use that card. It says "transfer to MBNA". I have 3 MBNA cards.

Any chance at all do you think that I can get my fee back?

easy

Sorry, the pasted copy of the email screwed up, but I think you can understand what it says

payless

I used this offer ( and a previous similiar one) to stooze some cash... used different accounts to those shown on email.. and no fee charged
( all accounts on same website log in though- if that makes a difference ?)

easy

Payless, that makes me feel worse.

Thing is the card shown isn't registered on the website

payless

You have a PM

p1an0player

Can't really help but you might want to take out the last four digits of your card from the post. I guess the offer was only intended to apply to that card.

payless

Oh.. and yes I did wonder if they would try and charge a fee, but the email does not say which account it applied to, only that the 4 digits were to identify it as a valid offer/ email ( the rate on the one they quoted was high, whereas another one was 0%)

I would have argued the case if they did charge - even if the fee was just about the interest I would have got !

easy

p1an0player wrote: »

Can't really help but you might want to take out the last four digits of your card from the post.

I have changed those in the original post, thanks

jonnyb

I used to have 2 mbna cards; closed one recently, so only one left.

If they had written to me, quoting one of the 2 specific card numbers, offering the balance transfer, then I would have made the assumption that the offer related to the card number they quoted. Is that not obvious to others ?

Sounds like payless got lucky, or they changed the terms and conditions from previous offers.