InstaReM's AMAZE MasterCard

[vegavega25]

Once again, fraudulent transactions attempted while my card was frozen. Multiple attempts at all types of random places, look like attempts to determine if the card was operational.

What I am worried about is being abroad, unlocking and using the card once, and then forgetting to freeze it again before boarding a plane. And then landing somewhere and receive notifications about these fraudulent transactions. The last time, I had to fill out and sign a physical form to dispute the charges! Who the hell wants a hassle like this.

With the Amaze rates no longer what they were, I am very very tempted to close down Instarem all together.

 

[ekardo]

Once again, fraudulent transactions attempted while my card was frozen. Multiple attempts at all types of random places, look like attempts to determine if the card was operational.

What I am worried about is being abroad, unlocking and using the card once, and then forgetting to freeze it again before boarding a plane. And then landing somewhere and receive notifications about these fraudulent transactions. The last time, I had to fill out and sign a physical form to dispute the charges! Who the hell wants a hassle like this.

With the Amaze rates no longer what they were, I am very very tempted to close down Instarem all together.

Ask for a new cc number. Ur number maybe already in the database for hacking.

 

[Habrosus]

With the Amaze rates no longer what they were, I am very very tempted to close down Instarem all together.

Ask for a new cc number. Ur number maybe already in the database for hacking.

My concern as well, ever since I'd a fraudulent charges incident happened with my Amaze card.

With Amaze we HAVE to link a credit card in order to use it, whereas others like YouTrip and Revlout (which I also have) allow us to top up the eWallet for use.

When fraudulent charges happen with Amaze, we not only have to get into the hassle of having to deal with Instarem, but also the credit card bank. And in the above case, even when the scammers didn't manage to charge, we still have to contact the bank for a replacement card.

I've also been tempted to close my Instarem account, while trying to understand what's actually good about it, over the others.

Still learning...

 

[Insatiable_creat]

My concern as well, ever since I'd a fraudulent charges incident happened with my Amaze card.

With Amaze we HAVE to link a credit card in order to use it, whereas others like YouTrip and Revlout (which I also have) allow us to top up the eWallet for use.

When fraudulent charges happen with Amaze, we not only have to get into the hassle of having to deal with Instarem, but also the credit card bank. And in the above case, even when the scammers didn't manage to charge, we still have to contact the bank for a replacement card.

I've also been tempted to close my Instarem account, while trying to understand what's actually good about it, over the others.

Still learning...

Amaze has an eWallet too. You can switch the payment mode to eWallet, and top up from there. But it defeats the purpose of maximizing the miles for linking to CC.

You can switch to eWallet (empty) when not in use, then switch back to CC when using. A rather troublesome step :/

The risk of fraudulent charges is the same for any card imo. I doubt the banks will allow chargebacks for other debit cards.

 

[Habrosus]

Amaze has an eWallet too. You can switch the payment mode to eWallet, and top up from there. But it defeats the purpose of maximizing the miles for linking to CC.

You can switch to eWallet (empty) when not in use, then switch back to CC when using. A rather troublesome step :/

The risk of fraudulent charges is the same for any card imo. I doubt the banks will allow chargebacks for other debit cards.

Thank you so much, I'll look into this

 

[vegavega25]

Ask for a new cc number. Ur number maybe already in the database for hacking.

Did. This is the third card. I have not even used it since it was re-issued!!!!

Anyway, I finally pulled the plug on this god-awful product.

 

[ekardo]

Did. This is the third card. I have not even used it since it was re-issued!!!!

Anyway, I finally pulled the plug on this god-awful product.

Wonder why you are the selected one.

anyone else having this issue? Sounds scary.

 

[vegavega25]

Wonder why you are the selected one.

anyone else having this issue? Sounds scary.

Good question. I have no idea why and what bad karma I've gathered. The issue of fraudulent transactions or such attempts is limited to Amaze, and none of the other 2-3 cards that I have used regularly when abroad (Citibank, CIMB, and recently, Trust). Heck, Citi and CIMB don't even come with instantaneous app-based management controls like Amaze.

 

[naruto13]

Good question. I have no idea why and what bad karma I've gathered. The issue of fraudulent transactions or such attempts is limited to Amaze, and none of the other 2-3 cards that I have used regularly when abroad (Citibank, CIMB, and recently, Trust). Heck, Citi and CIMB don't even come with instantaneous app-based management controls like Amaze.

like what you have experience and what I had experience with certain bank of certain batch of card, it’s due to that batch of card which mean the number are compromised, which you will be able to relate your experience to this word
Nothing new except the full bank have better recourse over such incident that 3rd party small company but they sound like they will do consumer justice is too overrated of themselves

 

[naro]

I had this Amaze card since last year but i have not used it since.

Am thinking of using it for overseas trip. From what i gather, it seems like Amaze would be good with Citibank Cash Back Mastercard for dining overseas. Citibank charges 3.25% forex fees, Amaze even with markup of 1.8%, still worth it. At the same time, since MCC is maintained, i will still get the 8% dining rebates for Citibank cash back credit card

For hotels, its better that I still to using Youtrip.

 

[Trazora]

I had this Amaze card since last year but i have not used it since.

Am thinking of using it for overseas trip. From what i gather, it seems like Amaze would be good with Citibank Cash Back Mastercard for dining overseas. Citibank charges 3.25% forex fees, Amaze even with markup of 1.8%, still worth it. At the same time, since MCC is maintained, i will still get the 8% dining rebates for Citibank cash back credit card

For hotels, its better that I still to using Youtrip.

btw dining is 6% rebate

 

[naro]

yeah. Thanks for correcting. 6% for dining.

 

[jayjay0702]

Has anyone encountered the card getting declined when making transactions overseas?

This month my card has been getting declined while in Australia and Japan (was working perfectly fine till the end of March). It started in Australia slightly more than a week ago. Contacted support and they said it was the linked card bank’s rejecting, so I checked with the bank, but the bank said my linked card was in good standing and they didn’t receive any declined transactions. However, I tried making a random purchase in SG and it worked. Also, whenever my transactions get declined, I will receive a email from Instarem saying “declined due to our security and risk policy”. Checked with the support on this and they said it doesn’t mean anything as it’s auto generated (but why would you send a email like this if it’s the problem with the bank???)

Support kept asking me to try another Mastercard but it’s my only Mastercard with some form of reward (nobody should use the card linked with a Master without rewards; given their high FX spread, even with the 1% cashback spending you’ll still be losing money). So I didn’t try that nor using my linked card on its own overseas.

I suspected was because I made a few large purchases last month overseas (totalling about SGD5k), but answers given to me doesn’t support my suspicion, so hopefully anyone with similar experience before could shed some light!

 

[chopra]

tks for sharing that amaze admin is tt high!!


Read HWZ Forum Rules!

 

[Trazora]

tks for sharing that amaze admin is tt high!!


Read HWZ Forum Rules!

but if u pair with cards that giving 3 or 4mpd or 5-8% rebate, still better than using other cards

 

[rrrobt]

trazora may i know which are the card that pair with amaze that give 3 or 4mpd or 5-8% rebate for oversea use?

thanks

 

[RedsYWNA]

Has anyone encountered the card getting declined when making transactions overseas?

This month my card has been getting declined while in Australia and Japan (was working perfectly fine till the end of March). It started in Australia slightly more than a week ago. Contacted support and they said it was the linked card bank’s rejecting, so I checked with the bank, but the bank said my linked card was in good standing and they didn’t receive any declined transactions. However, I tried making a random purchase in SG and it worked. Also, whenever my transactions get declined, I will receive a email from Instarem saying “declined due to our security and risk policy”. Checked with the support on this and they said it doesn’t mean anything as it’s auto generated (but why would you send a email like this if it’s the problem with the bank???)

Support kept asking me to try another Mastercard but it’s my only Mastercard with some form of reward (nobody should use the card linked with a Master without rewards; given their high FX spread, even with the 1% cashback spending you’ll still be losing money). So I didn’t try that nor using my linked card on its own overseas.

I suspected was because I made a few large purchases last month overseas (totalling about SGD5k), but answers given to me doesn’t support my suspicion, so hopefully anyone with similar experience before could shed some light!

2 possibilities I can think of.

1st is whether the card is enabled for overseas use.

2nd is to ask the cashier to insert the card into the reader instead of paywave (in Malaysia, quite often, the paywave doesnt work and the cashier has to insert the card into the reader)

 

[doreen27]

trazora may i know which are the card that pair with amaze that give 3 or 4mpd or 5-8% rebate for oversea use?

thanks

citi rewards up to 1k sgd per statement cycle. exclusions apply

 

[jayjay0702]

2 possibilities I can think of.

1st is whether the card is enabled for overseas use.

2nd is to ask the cashier to insert the card into the reader instead of paywave (in Malaysia, quite often, the paywave doesnt work and the cashier has to insert the card into the reader)

I did not change any settings before the card was unable to use, but I also did check it was enabled for overseas use. I even activated the overseas mag stripe use for my linked card.

In Japan I used the chip but couldn’t work as well.

 

[rrrobt]

thanks doreen27