Happy New Year! As the new year begins, I’m hoping that the worst is truly behind us. However, the month of December wasn’t short of action either. Right from Amex Shutdowns to Walmart banning manufactured spending, a lot was still going on during holiday season. Here’s a quick recap of some of the top stories from the month of December.
Amex Shutdowns resurface as issuer cracks down again
The dreaded Amex shutdowns came roaring back as the issuer started shutting down accounts. Reddit users pointed out that the most recent Amex shutdowns are reportedly due to the PayPal Key trick that many were using to manufacture spend on their Amex cards. This crackdown isn’t surprising at all, given Amex’s recent posture on reacting to any behavior that’s deemed suspicious.
Walmart to place a ban on all manufactured spending
As per an internal memo, Walmart signaled its intentions to ban all sorts of manufactured spending and related activities at its stores. The memo also clearly described how manufactured spending works. However, a lot of the enforcement will depend on a particular location and how employees decide to act upon the guidelines.
As travel remains low, should you convert your points to cash?
By many accounts, it does seem like it will be a while before travel returns to any sort of normalcy. In such a scenario, does it make sense to convert any of your points into cash? This post delves into the pros and cons and the opportunity cost of simply piling up miles and points with no immediate redemption opportunity on the horizon.
Amex closed the wrong card upon request
A customer reached out to Amex via chat. After putting in a request, the chat rep processed the request. However, the chat rep closed the wrong card!
Travel to Thailand to be Visa Free again for citizens of 56 countries
While this news is encouraging, it still has its own set of restrictions, requirements and risks. However, if you’re still looking to travel, then this could be a good option for you to tame that travel bug.
100k Points bonus: Chase Ink Business Preferred Review
One of the best business credit cards in the market is still offering a 100,000 points welcome bonus. Read this post for a complete review and whether this card is a great fit for your business, especially with the enticing welcome bonus of 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points.
Why now is the best time to get the Amex Gold Card
With 2021 starting, you may not be able to get the extra $100 airline fee credit any more. However, a 60,000 points welcome bonus is still fantastic for the Amex Gold card, which is packed with great points earning categories and new benefits like a dining credit and the new Uber credit.
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Disclosure: The Points Pundit receives NO compensation from credit card affiliate partnerships. Support the blog by applying for a card through my personal referral links. This article is meant for information purposes only and doesn’t constitute personal finance, health or investment advice. Please consult a licensed professional for advice pertaining to your situation.
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