MBNA Platinum Plus (Mastercard and Visa)

Pros: High cash advance limit; Extra services that come with Platinum
Cons: Customer service issues; Automatic adjustments of limits and interest rates

MBNA America is a full- service financial operation, offering mortgages, certificates of deposit, IRA accounts, home equity loans, money market accounts, and other financial services. But among all its product offerings, the one that consumers around the ...

Pros: No annual fee.
Cons: Too many to list.

Once upon a time, in a far off land, I used to like being a customer of MBNA. Their rates were low to middle of the road, their statements were easy to read, the customer service reps were friendly, and they posted my payment in a timely...

Pros: Nothing stands out here...
Cons: MBNA did not deliver what they claimed they would

Review of MBNA Platinum Plus Credit Card (Offered by AAA) (April 17, 2003)

It seems that everywhere I go today I see advertisements for credit cards. They fill up my email inbox as spam, they take up space in my newspaper in advertisements,...

Pros: Doesn't charge the extra 2% that most credit cards charge for foreign currency transactions.
Cons: No different from any other credit card: mediocre interest rates, high fees.

[Bank of America has acquired MBNA. Thus, the terms of MBNA's credit cards may have changed. Then again, they may not have changed. Check carefully before you rely on the information in this review.] Rather than reviewing the usual stuff like ...

Pros: Spectacular customer service
Cons: Rates could be lower

I saw a number of poor reviews of MBNA's Platinum Plus Mastercard and Visa, and being a holder of both cards, I felt obligated to write in an attempt to bolster their reputation. The University of Georgia Alumni Association affinity MBNA Platinum ...

Pros: Offers low fixed rates.
Cons: Offers highest balance transfer fee of any credit card company.

I'm updating my review of MBNA. Many things have changed since my last review. I hope others find this helpful. One of the good things about MBNA right now is that they are finally offering low fixed rates. Some of their good rewards cards, such as ...

Pros: They are unsurpassed at being evil
Cons: everything, read below

I have never experienced a company as blantantly unethical as MBNA. My experiences are similar to the ones reported here. I started at 4.9% with excellent credit just five months ago, and now I am at a full 24.99%, which I expect to go up to the legal ...

Pros: 0% or low interest offers, Best customer service I’ve encountered in a credit card company
Cons: 3% balance transfer transaction fee is never waived (but capped at $50)

I use and abuse credit card companies. Sometimes I’m ashamed of it, but I can’t resist rolling those 0% balance transfers. A month or two before the 0% intro rate expires, I get a new 0% card and roll the balance onto that, cancelling the ...

Pros: MBNAShopSafe, mail bills on time, no fees, on-line acct management.
Cons: None yet....

I am very happy with my MBNA card. The thing I like about the card include: 1. MBNAShopSafe. I use this feature all of the time to quickly generate a one-time use credit card number with a $ and time limit, so I can make purchases on the web. This way ...

Pros: No surprises in fine print, free bill pay from credit card account
Cons: Bill pay from credit card not as full-featured as those from checking accts/third parties

If you religiously pay off your credit cards every month and dont carry debt on your credit cards, read this review. If you do carry balances on your credit cards, visit http://www.fool.com for a motherly dressing down. I had been looking for a ...

Pros: No annual fee
Cons: BT offers at too high fee and too short a term; poor customer service

I had a platinum card with MBNA for many years with no problems whatsoever. I charged, I paid my bill on time and always more than the minimum, they raised my credit line periodically, and I had a good interest rate compared to others I had.

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Pros: They have a great advertising hype that draws people to them
Cons: They mislead in every way possible to get your business

Six months ago, I was bombarded, on an almost weekly basis, practically begged, to open an account with MBNA. Seriously now, I was getting their applications weekly. When I finally got the one that advertised "Zero percent interest on Balance Transfers...

Pros: Great rewards for using the card, especially double RCCL points
Cons: Lying phone people who promise upgrades that are not there

I have what they call the Royal Caribbean Platinum Plus issued thru MBNA 3 years ago. Great perks such as On Board Credits on every cruise for the points you earn. $50 for every 5000 points. Any purchases from Royal Caribbeans (deposit on a cruise, ...

Pros: high credit limits
Cons: high interest rates, short grace period, rude customer service

I have had this card for 10 years. I have probably had TWO late payments in that time. The interest rate on this particular card hasn't mattered to me much because I only use it a few times a month and nearly always pay it in FULL, EVERY MONTH, ON TIME. ...

Pros: Absolutely no pros
Cons: Lots and lots of fees

Be careful with MBNA, they will offer a "Non-Introductory" low APR only to change it 1 year after opening an account. This is one company I will NEVER deal with again. My Story MBNA offered an APR of 4.60. How could I resist? I called a ...

Pros: Nice while you are not in trouble
Cons: False and misleading statements by customer service reps. No management support for their employees representations.

MBNA-America-Collection practices:
At the end of December 2002 I was contacted by MBNA to make a payment in January 2003 as I was late 30 days. I told this person I was unemployed for more than six months and in spite of this had made payments. She...

Pros: Five minute Honeymoon where they offer you the World on a Silver Platter
Cons: A lifetime of pain and suffering

Ask yourself if you learn from other's mistakes? Are you a believer that if something looks too good to be true then it usually is? Please for the Love of God, or whatever it is you may believe in NEVER DO BUSINESS WITH MBNA! Received offer from ...

Pros: None compared to competitors
Cons: New changes mean more fees

This is an update for anyone who wants to use this card.. perhaps due to new ownership this card now (as of 2007) charges foreign transaction fees, even when the purchase is made in US dollars. This is my biggest gripe and the primary reason I am ...

Pros: Low promo APR Cool customized designs for some cards
Cons: Customer Service Flooding my mailbox with preprinted checks that I don't want or need

I originally got an MBNA credit card through work and college alumni card. The cards serve a purpose and I use them responsibly. I am in the mode of paying off my balances in full each month so I'm not going to win any MBNA man of the year awards. Plus...

Pros: You will learn the legal system as it applies to credit cards.
Cons: Ultra high interest.

MBNA could find a way to suck blood from a turnip. This has to be the absolute worst credit card on the planet. You're better off going to your local mafia henchmen and borrowing money rather than putting one thing on this card. Let me be very clear on ...

Pros: Card is easy to obtain.
Cons: I could write cons all day.

My husband and I got joint Cards about 2 years ago. At first all was fine and we did enjoy having this card. However a funeral hit us hard and we ended up going over our limit by .85 cents. We did not know we were over, but when the statement came in we...

Pros: Ease of approval; high $ limits granted.
Cons: "Customer satisfaction department" offers ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!! BEWARE!!!!

Anybody considering responding to an application offer, or applying for their card should consider the following:

If you EVER have a dispute with a merchant who has refused a promised refund (made in writing, no less), and attempt to have the...

Pros: Unparalled Customer Service. Large credit lines.
Cons: APR is a bit high. MBNA NetAccess not as good as Citi.

Was at Yankee stadium watching them play the Twins. Noticed a free bobblehead and mini-bat if I signed up. Yanks won and I was happy, so sure why not. OK Fastforward 1 month. The card arrives with a 6500 limit 1.7% on BT's/advances and a fixed 12.90% APR ...

Pros: none
Cons: many

Yep! I just cancelled my MBNA card, too. They were once good, but now they are rotten to the core. Do yourself a favor and don't do business with MBNA. It is no longer run by people; it is run by unprincipaled scoundrels. Here's part of the LAST ...

Pros: good website
Cons: if you miss a payment APR on the balance may jump to 25%

Their ethics seem very poor. They sent me a letter with bold print cover page stating that it was a "brief summary". This "summary" stated many minor advantaged such as free additional cards and protection against fraud. However the fine print (three legal size pages) of the letter had many nasty surprises such as
1. adding a default clause so that if I was every late in my payment the interest rate on my whole balance became 24.999%
2. they were raising my late fee charge
3. they were increasing my balance transfer fee
4. they were increasing my over limit fee

The fine print also included that if I did not agree to this that I had to reply immediately these changes would take effect.

It seems obvious to me that they were required by law to add this last part but did everything they could to make me miss it.

Pros: There is no annual fee.
Cons: No disclosure on MBNA card.

I had decided to use the MBNA Visa card because of the 5% gas discount. However, after I using the card at a couple of gas stations in North Carolina, there was no discount provided. It bothers me to find out there is no clear disclosure that the customer needs to find out which gas stations have this offer. I plan to stop using this card.

Pros: Still offers free shipping w/LLBean
Cons: charges 3% foreign transaction fee

Pros: Can't think of any pros. None.
Cons: They prey on people by jacking their rates up to 20%, 24%, even 29%

I have a large balance but pay the bill the moment it hits my desk. These thieves just jacked my interest rate to 19.24%. Avoid them like the plague

Pros: High credit limit
Cons: Expect some nasty surprises

I have had this card for a few months on 0% interest and have always paid on time. I was therefore shocked to receive a statement from them this month stating that I had defaulted a payment for which they charged £12 and nearly £100 interest as they had decided to cancel the 0%. When I rang them they said they had sent me a further statement and it was not their problem if I had not received it. They would be prepared to waive the £12 late fee and convert the account back to 0% but the interest was still payable. their response to my threats of closing my account, reporting them etc was that I could do what I liked! Definitely would not trust this one!

Pros: Great card to recommend to your ENEMIES.
Cons: MBNA is a predator and cannot be trusted. Do NOT do business with this company.

I have held an MBNA mastercard for 7 years, through graduate school and then while at a good job for the government. I pay my bills in a timely manner each month and throughout all this my credit rating has been excellent. Two years ago, I left my government job to start my own company, naturally, my income dropped when I did this, though I kept paying ALL of my bills on time.

Recently, MBNA send me a notice that they were raising my interest rate from 11% to 19.99 on my balance, apparently for no other reason than my income has dropped. Obviously, this is not an optimum time for me to apply for new credit, so they've got me. How's that for kicking you when you're down?

My other debtors and credit card company's have been great, doing nothing to make my life harder right now. They know I've always paid and always will.

MBNA is a predator. I will never do business with this company again, no matter what deal they offer me. Attacking you at your lowest point is just wrong and reflects a very low ethical position. MBNA cannot be trusted.

Pros: High Credit Limit
Cons: VERY POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE. Service doesn't exist.

I have had MBNA for years (10+).
They are good only if you agree to their high rates.
Call customer service a lot of times to lower my rates. Late once over these years and you explain to customer service how your internet banking had problems....no respect from the people once they see you have a late payment. No more again. Goodbye MBNA!!!

Pros: Good online acct management, good cust service, secure online transactions with ShopSafe, competitive rates
Cons: None worth noting

I've been with MBNA for years. I love their Netaccess web system for account management... you can easily schedule monthly payments online, view transactions, change profile information (address/phone), etc. I have never had difficulty with customer service... from calling to request a specific type of letter of reference for an immigration application to calling to get a more competitive interest rate (which they agreed to)... and at the same time I called Chase and they said the didn't currently have an "offer" to lower my rate (needless to say, I don't do business with them anymore). Best of all they have ShopSafe for generating a secure one-time use account number for online transactions.

Pros: very generously with credit, understanding customer service
Cons: none

I've been a MBNA customer since 1996, and I can’t find anything bad to say about them, they have increased my credit very generously, and customer service has been very understanding, when I goofed once and forgot a payment, they have removed my late fee and restored my original interest rate.

Pros: NONE,
Cons: Can jack up the rates,

I was a customer of MBNA from pat 7 years and was never defaulted. My APR for purchases was set to 18.99% which is high.

In last june, i received an offer for balance transfer at an APR of 1%. So i moved the balances from other cards to this one. I received the letter from MBNA last week saying that my default rate is going to increase to 27%. This is going to take effect as soon as my promotional APR expires.

I closed the account would never do business with them again. Dont fall in the trap of low interest rates.

I strongly deny the unethical nature of MBNA.

Pros: None- bank takes over old accounts - positive from the banks standpoint.
Cons: MBNA thinks they are loan sharks. 47.01% on your credit card. They must be crazy.

Imagine having a credit card since 1995 and in 2006 or 2007 it is sold to MBNA. You only use this card for overdraft and get a bill that states that you have a 47.01% interest rate for this billing period? Well this happened to me this morning. I usually pay my bills on line and don't always check to see what the interest rate is since I pay it pretty fast. My credit is very good- Wow was this a shock!!
I was shocked to see what MBNA is pulling. Be aware that if they take over your account that you change immediately.
Isn't 47.01 like a loan shark percentage? Is this legal?? This isn't the last time they will hear from me-

Pros: None.
Cons: Fraudulent advertising; incompetent or unresponsive customer service reps.

Received offer to transfer balance at 2.9 APR for life of balance. Accepted offer. Have made all payments on time. Have used card for no other transactions. Am being billed 9.9 APR despite repeated calls to "Customer Satisfaction" reps: have received multiple promises rate will be corrected but no action and no explanation why it was charged in the first place. Will consider joining class action suit for fraud.

Pros: If you want to get shafted please apply at MBNA. Nothing good here.
Cons: They are sneaky and will cheat you for your last penny.

$39.00 late fees, $39.00 over limit fees and get this - 28% interest. I hadn't noticed the interest rate increase - they snuck the notice in amongst all the advertising they put in with the bill.

I called them to have it lowered so next month it will be 21%. Thanks for nothing.

I've refinanced and will be paying the entire balance this month and closing the account. Do not fall for their special offers - they will cheat you. Do not be late or go over the limit - they will shaft you.

Pros: 5% cash back on gas! My wife and I saved $358 in a year!!
Cons: No more walking to pay inside = less exercise.

I do a lot of traveling and like most people am paying for this at the pump. Since receiving this card a year ago my wife an I have realized a combined savings of $358. The only caveat is that it only counts "Pay at the Pump" transactions. If you are used to paying inside you will have to make a very slight change in your habits. Since we cannot pump our own gas in Oregon all I have to do is pull up to the pump and hand the attendant my card.

Pros: No annual fee and an OK airline mileage program.
Cons: Big time rip-off on foreign charges.

Prior to May 2005 there weren't any charges on foreign transactions. Without notice a 3% fee was instituted on foreign charges - an unpleasant surprise for those just returning from out of country visits. Are there no longer any credit cards that do not charge this rip-off called a foreign transaction fee?

Pros: No annual fee
Cons: toooooooo many!

For no fault of mine I had to pay late payments twice. The online billing system doesnot allow you to choose the date with in next two days. Sucks!! At one time it took 4 days for it......This is the most sh*** card ever.