"My Reseach "
WaMu Platinum MasterCard® Review
Written by: angie on 2007-02-09
Overall Satisfaction
Customer Service
Rewards
Account Management
Delivery Time
angie's review: 
So I received this offer about two weeks ago. A lot of things seemed odd about it. So I did a little work.
1. The difference in the Visa logo: Visa did, indeed, change their logo January 2006 (and will be valid until June 30, 2011). As confirmation, I recently received a new Visa card with the same "new" logo.
2. WaMu website doesn't list the Visa, only Mastercard: WaMu recently acquired Providian. Until this time, WaMu only offered a Mastercard. It is through the acquisition of Providian that they offered a Visa. Actually, according to the Providian site, you can still get their Platinum Visa with the Providian name. Another credit card review site, confirmed this. I assume the discrepancy is simply due to that lag time during merges.
3. The www.GetmyVisa.com site just seems "shady": I really wasn't sure about this site myself. So since, it fly the VeriSign security logo, I went to VeriSign and tried to verify the site. The website confirmed that it had indeed been issued a security certificate. Of course, there are ways to fake everything, but that's as much confirmation as I was able to get.
4. The credit approval (e. G. 30K): I haven't been able to find any information on this on any other website, and they are updated pretty regularly. My offer indicates that my HIGHEST credit line would be $7500. Consequently, I'm inclined to agree with someone else's previous findings (Justin, maybe) that it is a website error. HOWEVER, I did find several examples of OTHER credit cards that claim to approve you for a large amount only to lower it as soon as you use it... This causes you to be over your limit and you owe fees. I found that several people had complained that OTHER cards (NOT this one) had approved them for, say, $5000. When they used their cards (ESPECIALLY those that made cash advances), their limits were DRASTICALLY reduced and they were over their limits or declined for purchases and left out in the cold. The credit card companies cited cash advances as being risky behavior, thus, as per the Terms, they were subject to credit reviews at any time and this was perfectly fine. I wouldn't believe this if it hadn't happened recently to my mother. She made a large cash advance because credit cards weren't accepted (mind you she always pays her balances in full) and received notice a week later that he credit line was being reduced to just above her current balance due to "risky behavior." I am really wondering if this isn't their game with the high credit limits (30K).
5. Conflicting Business Addresses: It took a LOT of work at the BBB, but I finally was able to locate the address given at the bottom of my offer in connection with WaMu. That doesn't say much, but it says something.
6. Has anyone noticed that only one person has received this card and only one person defends it?
So I received this offer about two weeks ago. A lot of things seemed odd about it. So I did a little work. 1. The difference in the Visa logo: Visa did, indeed, change their logo January 2006 (and will be valid until June 30, 2011). As confirmation, I recently received a new Visa card with the same "new" logo.
2. WaMu website doesn't list the Visa, only Mastercard: WaMu recently acquired Providian. Until this time, WaMu only offered a Mastercard. It is through the acquisition of Providian that they offered a Visa. Actually, according to the Providian site, you can still get their Platinum Visa with the Providian name. Another credit card review site, confirmed this. I assume the discrepancy is simply due to that lag time during merges.
3. The www.GetmyVisa.com site just seems "shady": I really wasn't sure about this site myself. So since, it fly the VeriSign security logo, I went to VeriSign and tried to verify the site. The website confirmed that it had indeed been issued a security certificate. Of course, there are ways to fake everything, but that's as much confirmation as I was able to get.
4. The credit approval (e. G. 30K): I haven't been able to find any information on this on any other website, and they are updated pretty regularly. My offer indicates that my HIGHEST credit line would be $7500. Consequently, I'm inclined to agree with someone else's previous findings (Justin, maybe) that it is a website error. HOWEVER, I did find several examples of OTHER credit cards that claim to approve you for a large amount only to lower it as soon as you use it... This causes you to be over your limit and you owe fees. I found that several people had complained that OTHER cards (NOT this one) had approved them for, say, $5000. When they used their cards (ESPECIALLY those that made cash advances), their limits were DRASTICALLY reduced and they were over their limits or declined for purchases and left out in the cold. The credit card companies cited cash advances as being risky behavior, thus, as per the Terms, they were subject to credit reviews at any time and this was perfectly fine. I wouldn't believe this if it hadn't happened recently to my mother. She made a large cash advance because credit cards weren't accepted (mind you she always pays her balances in full) and received notice a week later that he credit line was being reduced to just above her current balance due to "risky behavior." I am really wondering if this isn't their game with the high credit limits (30K).
5. Conflicting Business Addresses: It took a LOT of work at the BBB, but I finally was able to locate the address given at the bottom of my offer in connection with WaMu. That doesn't say much, but it says something.
6. Has anyone noticed that only one person has received this card and only one person defends it?
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Disclaimer: This content is not provided by Washington Mutual Bank. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by Washington Mutual Bank. Review content is powered by Finance Globe.
