Question
Maybe a little offtopic. I'm mexican living in Mexico, and currently user of a Banorte credit card (Visa, $96,000 pesos = 32,000 point = 20,000 milles for Mexicana's Frecuenta = 1 round-national-fly ) and a Banamex Frecuenta credit card (Mastercard, $200,000 pesos = 20,000 milles).
I'm being offered however a California Commerce Bank creditcard. Since both of my credit cards are international (I have already used both in US without problems), will I get any advantage with this card in the US or overseas?
Will I have a credit history in the US credit bureau even when I'm mexican if I use this US card?
They offer a "California Commerce Bank Miles" program. Does anybody know about this?
TIA.
Answer
Maybe a little offtopic. I'm mexican living in Mexico, and currently user of a Banorte credit card (Visa, $96,000 pesos = 32,000 point = 20,000 milles for Mexicana's Frecuenta = 1 round-national-fly ) and a Banamex Frecuenta credit card (Mastercard, $200,000 pesos = 20,000 milles).
I'm being offered however a California Commerce Bank creditcard. Since both of my credit cards are international (I have already used both in US without problems), will I get any advantage with this card in the US or overseas?
Will I have a credit history in the US credit bureau even when I'm mexican if I use this US card?
They offer a "California Commerce Bank Miles" program. Does anybody know about this?
TIA.
Yes you do have many advantages. Not only your charges will be made in US dollar currency without paying any extra conversion fees and exchange rate charges but the service of a US card when travelling is better than all Mexico cards. To give you an example if you have fraud charges or even to cancel a card with many other bank in Mexico it will be very difficult becuase their processes are tiresome and involve you going to a branch and sign letters.
The best benefit is that if you have a California Commerce Bank miles card you can transfer your credit history if you ever decide to come to the US. Just by requesting a product change to a BanamexUSA product when you move to the US you will automatically have credit history in the US and you will not have to wait two years to have a good score.
Answer
Just in case you ask I have a CCB card.
Answer
Maybe a little offtopic. I'm mexican living in Mexico, and currently user of a Banorte credit card (Visa, $96,000 pesos = 32,000 point = 20,000 milles for Mexicana's Frecuenta = 1 round-national-fly ) and a Banamex Frecuenta credit card (Mastercard, $200,000 pesos = 20,000 milles).
I use the Banorte credit card because they offer the best $$/mile ratio. I also have the HSBC Delta Skymiles "without annual fee for life", just because it is the best deal in the industry I have seen so far. I have heard that Banorte will not keep the program Puntos Banorte with the current conversion rate points/Frecuenta miles because it is getting too expensive. Additionally, expect a great surprise from the Banamex Frecuenta Credit Card in the next two months!!
I'm being offered however a California Commerce Bank creditcard. Since both of my credit cards are international (I have already used both in US without problems), will I get any advantage with this card in the US or overseas?
As said before, you have the benefit of getting the charges you made in the US in US currency. The only problem is that you have to pay an anual fee for a card (if your residence is in Mexico) that in the US does not have an anual fee. Remember that CCB offers US Residents the Citi Platinum Select without anual fee.
I recently got a letter from CCB offering the BANAMEX USA card without anual fee and with 0%APR, which is only available to people with US residence and with credit history. If you compere this benefits to the benefits offered in Mexico for the same card, it is not worth it. Another option in Mexico is the AMEX card where all US purchases will appear in your statement in USD.
The best benefit is that if you have a California Commerce Bank miles card you can transfer your credit history if you ever decide to come to the US. Just by requesting a product change to a BanamexUSA product when you move to the US you will automatically have credit history in the US and you will not have to wait two years to have a good score.
You don't need to request a product change, since all CCB cards are issued by CCB USA. Immediately after you give them your new US address and a SSN, you card will start to be reported to US credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion and Equifax). This is a great benefit for Mexicans planning on moving to the US and starting a Credit History. Just remember that it will be until you move to the US that you will get a credit history, because I know plenty of people who think they have one just because they have the CCB credit card.
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Thank you both very much.
Additionally, expect a great surprise from the Banamex Frecuenta Credit Card in the next two months!!
Now you really make me curious (worried?). Is it a good or a bad surprise? :confused:
I ask because I haven't received any miles yet, even after several calls to their support desk. And Frecuenta's support desk offered to give me the miles if I fax them the credit card statements.
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Thank you both very much.
Now you really make me curious (worried?). Is it a good or a bad surprise? :confused:
I ask because I haven't received any miles yet, even after several calls to their support desk. And Frecuenta's support desk offered to give me the miles if I fax them the credit card statements.
You are not the only one. I got the Frecuenta Banamex card in February and so far not a single mile has been credited to my Frecuenta membership. After multiple phone calls to Audiomatico, I decided to stop trying, since they will never get to credit the miles.
About the surprise, it is not that good!! You'll see...
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About the surprise, it is not that good!! You'll see...
Now I'm worried. Thanks for the tip and answers.
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Now I'm worried. Thanks for the tip and answers.
I don't want you to be worried so here it goes. Banamex Frecuenta Credit Cards will disappear next month. Frecuenta decided not to extend the contract with Banamex and instead it was awarded to Banco Santander Serfin and Bank of America (lots of $$ involved). So far, only Bank of America has been promoting the card in the US. Banco Santander Serfin will start promoting the card once Banamex reissues all Frecuenta Credit Cards with a new product.
Keep in mind that Bank of America owns 25% of Banco Santander Serfin...
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That's bad news :( . Well, let's see what they will offer in exchange for all that lost miles. :mad: Thank you again.
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FYI, I faxed my credit card statements (march to july) to Frecuenta and they credited my miles six days later :cool: