Scotia Bank Momentum Visa Infinite Card 10% Bonus Offer Not applied to all purchases | Credit card reward programs | Discussion forum

Loonie said
I can't solve this for you, but here's a suggestion. Buy gift cards at major grocery stores for other merchants you want to patronize. This will count as "grocery", an 'everyday' item.
If they are going to be arbitrary and restrictive, I would say that major grocery stores, pharmacies and gas stations are your best bet.

Not getting the reward you thought you'd get due to purchase somehow being in wrong category seems pretty common.
I was in a restaurant recently and discovered that my purchases didn't count for restaurant reward since it was categorized as "doctors - health care". This was an ordinary restaurant that serves alcohol, not vegetarian etc.  

This I understand and am aware. Whether you get the cashback rate for a particular purchase category all depends on the merchant code that the establishment signs up with in the VISA network with and VISA is pretty restrictive about that. This restaurant must be within a doctor's office or building and decided to sign itself up in the VISA network with the merchant code for "doctors - healthcare" instead of the merchant code for restaurant and that's why you only got the cashback rate for "others". And this happens quite often I understand. For example, the restaurant that you eat at IKEA would not earn you the bonus cash rate for "dining" because its merchant code is "discount store" so you would only earn the 1% rate. This is widely known and stated in actually the "Terms and Conditions" that cashback reward rate may differ due to the merchant code of the merchant where purchases are made.

But this issue with the Special Offer rate advertised by Scotia Bank on this credit card is entirely different. It's a deliberate attempt by Scotia Bank to mislead customers if what this customer service department has advised me is true that even though it's widely advertised everywhere even on here that the 10% cashback on the special offer is on ALL purchases when in fact, Scotia Bank is secretly restricting the bonus cashback rate on only certain purchase categories without making it known to anybody or making anybody aware of it. This like I said, potentially constitutes false advertising and misrepresentation on Scotia Bank's part, both illegal actions.

This is why I want clarification if anybody who's had this same bonus offer before from Scotia on this same card has received the full 10% cashback on all purchases or if they indeed only received 10% cashback on just certain purchase categories.

Norman1 said
According to page 2 of the card's welcome kit, spending that earns 1% is also everyday:

1%	Cash back4 Earn 1% cash back on all other everyday purchases with no cash back limit.

  

That's what I thought and this is what I advised the supervisor that 1% purchases are indeed everyday purchases but that supervisor was vehement that it is not that he considers that "everyday eligible purchases" to be just the 4% cashback-earning and 2% cashback-earning purchases. And the problem is these bonus cashback offer rates are only applied 7 months after my card approval date so I have to wait for 7 months to find out whether I have earned the bonus cashback.

Loonie said
Actually, the restaurant to which I referred has nothing whatsoever to do with medical care. It's on a main street, not a mall, and there are no doctors, pharmacies, dentists etc on this block. The owners too are not health practitioners.

I am familiar with the code system, but I would submit that your problem is indeed very similar.
You say Scotia is 'secretly restricing the bonus", and that apapears to be correct. The use of codes which aren't revealed to the customer before or at time of purchase is equally secretive, restrictive and misleading. It's the same strategy by a bank to disallow rewards it has advertised.

As you said, you won't even know what's really happening for 7 months (similar to waiting for one's monthly statement to see if a restaurant is really a restaurant according to a code you can't access. You can do all the arguing you want uitl then, but it won't matter. I wouln't assume the supervisor yo uspoke o necesssarily knows wht he's talking about; at best a "maybe". It's not all that unusual for such people to make up rules base on ther own sense of what's right or somehting theythought they heard at a meeting. And,yes, they wilfl be adamant about it.

I still think your best strategy is to stick to grocer, gas, pharmacy and gift cards which you can use elsewhere.
If, in the end, you don't get the rewards you believe you were entitled to, you can appeal to the bank's ombudsman. With a credit card complaint, you don't have to go through most of the earlier steps because it's not branch-related.

I did once escalate a complaint on a BMO credit card and, to my surprise, actually received a courteous call from VP's office. He resolved my complaint.

I suppose you could try escalating your complaint, and see if theyt will hear it. At this stage, your complaint would be about the info provided by supervisor which contradicts posted info.  

Your restaurant issue is with the merchant choosing to register itself with a different merchant code so to perhaps pay a lower merchant fee as a merchant is free to choose any merchant code that they want in the credit card network.

My issue in this case is with Scotia Bank, the card issuer choosing to restrict bonus cashback rate to certain categories of purchases using some arbitrary definition of "everyday eligible purchases" whether it's Scotia Bank deciding to secretly restricting offers to certain purchase categories to our detriment or this supervisor contradicting Scotia Bank's published offer.

Two totally different cases initiated from different people. The end result might be the same but it's entirely two different issues with different causes. Your case with the restaurant is the merchant manipulating the system to maximize his/her profit, my case is with Scotia Bank potentially committing false advertising whether it's through customer service or not.

If it's really Scotia Bank's doing then like I said, they are potentially committing false advertising among others, illegal actions that are grounds for potential lawsuits, class-action lawsuits.

If it's really this supervisor's doing and not Scotia Bank then I agree the customer service of Bank of Scotia is horrible. Right off the bat, they don't even have a dedicated line or customer service department for at least Scotia credit cards. The phone number that's printed at the back of the card which is the number that I called is the phone number for the entire bank's service. So it's very likely that the customer service including the supervisor that I dealt with wasn't even dedicated to Scotia credit cards and that would explain their cluelessness about credit card terms. Overall, the level of competence and customer service skill of Scotia Bank's customer service is the lowest among all of the customer service for credit cards or any financial products in all financial institutions that I have ever dealt with. I have even dealt with customer service from foreign banks and they were all superior than what I have encountered. This level of service exhibited from a Schedule A bank, the highest level of banks in Canada is truly shameful.

Peter said
I do not have this credit card, but I believe you got a bad customer service rep. As a lay person, there's no interpretation of their marketing material or footnotes that would lead me to believe it doesn't apply to purchases in all categories (except for non-purchases such as balance transfers of course).  

That's exactly what I thought as well. The card actually pays cashback on all purchases during regular period. Why would the special rate 10% not apply to all purchases during promotional period?

Anyway the whole experience is just so weird.

Lodown said
My experience is that customer service has been going down the tubes for a long time, with each passing year getting worse. Speak to 3 reps and you may get 2 or 3 different answers. The only guide you should use is what is written down. My read is 10% on all "everyday purchases" is just that. Suggest you test it. Buy all normal % back categories and see what happens on your 1st bill.  

Yeah the normal cashback rate would be credited fine for sure that I have no problem with. It's the bonus rate that won't be paid until 7 months later after the promotional period is long gone that's the problem.

You are right about the deterioration of CSR quality. It's rarely that you would get someone who's both knowledgeable and efficient and has basic customer service skill nowadays. They either interrupt you, or talk over you or don't listen to you at all that you have to repeat again and again and again what you are looking for. It's just ridiculous. But Scotia Bank's CSR is the worst that I have ever encountered.

Norman1 said

crediphile said

That's what I thought and this is what I advised the supervisor that 1% purchases are indeed everyday purchases but that supervisor was vehement that it is not that he considers that "everyday eligible purchases" to be just the 4% cashback-earning and 2% cashback-earning purchases. …

I've seen nothing that supports the supervisor's misinterpretation and plenty that indicates otherwise.

The offer banner on the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card product page says 10% back on all purchases, up to $2,000 worth:

SPECIAL OFFER

Earn 10% cash back on all purchases for the first 3 months (up to $2,000 in total purchases).¹ Plus, no annual fee in the first year, including on additional cards.¹

Text of footnote #1 is at the bottom of the page in View legal footnotes. Explanation of what would be "eligible purchases" has no suprises:

¹ Offer Description and Conditions: The 10% Cash Back and First Year Annual Fee Waiver (the “Offer”) applies only to new Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite credit card accounts (“Accounts”) that are opened, and any additional Account cards issued, by October 31, 2024 subject to the conditions below.  We will waive the annual fee…

10% Cash Back Offer Description and Conditions: You will earn 10% cash back on the first $2,000 in eligible purchases you spend on your new Account within the first 3 months of the Account open date (the “Promotional Period”). Eligible purchases include purchases (less any refunds, returns or other similar credits) but do not include payments, cash advances (including balance transfers and cash-like transactions), interest, fees or other charges. After the Promotional Period, you will earn regular cash back on eligible purchases at the regular cash back rate (the “Cash Back Program Rate”) described in the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Cash Back Program Terms and Conditions (the “Program Terms”).  The 10% cash back rate for any category is made up of the sum of: (i) the regular Cash Back Program Rate (variable by categories as set out under the Program Terms); and (ii) a “Cash Back Bonus Rate”. 

Cash back earned under this Offer will be credited to your Account in 2 instalments so long as your Account is open and in good standing at time of payout of each:

1. Bonus Cash Back: The amount earned under the Cash Back Bonus Rate will be credited to your Account within approximately 7 months from the Account open date; and
2. Regular Cash Back: The amount earned under your regular Cash Back Program Rate will be credited to your Account according to the regular cash back payment schedule as set out under the Program Terms.

The Account is considered in good standing if it is not past due or over limit and the Cardholder(s) is not in breach of the Revolving Credit Agreement that applies to the Account.  

EXAMPLE: If the Regular Cash Back Program Rate for the Groceries and Recurring Payments category is 4% then the Cash Back Bonus Rate will be 6% for that category so that you will earn a total of 10% on the amount of all eligible everyday purchases in that category during the Promotional Period. If you make $2,000 in eligible everyday purchases in the Groceries and Recurring Payments category, your cash back earnings will be credited to your Account as follows:

(1) the Cash Back Bonus earnings of $120 (6% x $2,000)  (which will not be tracked on your monthly statements), will be credited to your Account within 7 months from the Account open date, and (2) the Regular Cash Back earnings of $80 (4% x $2,000) (which will be tracked on your monthly statements), will be credited to your Account as per the regular cash back payment schedule (i.e., November). 

Annual Fee Waiver Offer Description and Conditions: We will waive the annual fee for the primary card and each additional card issued before October 31, 2024 on the Account for the first year only.

Eligibility and Exclusions: Individuals who are currently or were previously primary or secondary cardholders of a Scotiabank personal credit card in the past 2 years, including those that switch from an existing Scotiabank personal credit card, as well as employees of Scotiabank, are not eligible for the Offer. Subject to the above exclusions, Scotiabank small business credit cardholders are also eligible for the Offer.

Rates and Fees: The current annual fee is $120 for the primary card and $50 for each additional card (including those issued to co-borrowers and supplementary cardholders). The current preferred annual interest rates for the Account are: 20.99% on purchases and 22.99% on Cash Advances.  All rates, fees, features and benefits are  outlined in the Application Disclosure Statement and are subject to change.

  

Thanks for clarifying. Much appreciated.