Who has received a call from ING Direct for splitting purchase to get 5%

Lpaloverde88 on 08/08/2014 - 12:33
Last edited 08/08/2014 - 12:37

Hi

I know many here rave about ING and for the most part they seemed a less rip off than most banks.

Recently I bought something from jb hifi that was $379 I asked jb if i could split that into 4 payments so I can get my cash back from ING jb had no issues.

I have had the account few months now, suddenly ING rang me to "chastise" me and warned me that I am not allowed to split a purchase into smaller portions to get cash back. They warned that they will take away this feature if it happens again.

In my defense I stated no fraud was committed here and no crime was committed. It was only 1 purchase and in the scheme of things $379 split into 4 portions is not $3790 split into 400 portions. Further this sort of things needs to be stated on day 1 when I had the account, not months later. This is only for 6 months not forever. Also I do not recall under the terms and condition that I have read then when I open the account have stated that , it may be that they have changed the terms and condition now that they see this happening.

They made accusations that I am not using it as an everyday transactions account. They further went on to say had there not been a 5% cash back I would never have split my purchase 4 times, so they are insinuating I am somehow trying to commit something clandestine here.

Dissatisfied they rang me on a Friday morning insinuating somehow I was doing something as clandestine as making a purchase and choosing how I best see fit to protect my interest, I told them I will contact fair trading and ASIC about what just happened.

Of course they then went through this spill on how the call was recorded, how everything I say is noted. Again more "threats". The way I see it appears banks run the show, not the law, it seemed everything they do is protected, they do not seemed concern that their approach is not correct.

I cannot think of any other industry except insurance companies that behave this way.

Any comments as to what they did was petty and disgusting?

Financial

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Comments

  • Boshait on 13/08/2014 - 14:20

    Let's try to keep the discussion practical. Most likely they threshold on the dollar total not the number of paywaves, because their cost is roughly proportional to the former. Someone did four paywaves totalling $379 through one terminal in quck succession and got into trouble. I have often done two such paywaves totalling over $190 and had no problems.

    Has anyone done THREE paywaves totalling $285 or more? what happened?

    • lplau on 13/08/2014 - 14:47
      +1

      If they have a decent data warehouse, it isn't hard to work out the people who have abused the system, it is actually quite easy.

      Select all members which have a transaction from the same retailer ID where it happened within the last 1-2 minutes. Any junior data miner could write this SQL within 5 minutes.

      Then call all of those members. It may sound hard but computers and databases nowadays have become extremely efficient and big.

  • iFetch on 13/08/2014 - 23:32
    +2

    It's within ING's rights for them to allow/disallow granting cashback for split payments. I think you should be thankful that they gave you the 5% offer in the first place - not all banks are that generous. I don't think they are being unfair in warning you not to do this, however I don't know how they can police this because, as in above posts, one can buy gift cards ahead of time in different denominations to get the cashback even though this is not as convenient as split payments.
    On the other side of the coin, if there was no mention in the T&C that split payments are not allowed, ING should now be sending everyone a polite letter stating the new condition/terms. They should not bet making phone calls targeted at just the individuals that have been doing this - to me that seems a bit rude because they're basically categorising these people as "wrong-doers" in need of a stern warning.

    I would suggest that you have a choice to make… all the best.

  • Boshait on 14/08/2014 - 10:21

    The underlying problem is that the implementation of contactless payments is broken in this country. Major retailers routinely allow you to swipe the same card for $99 as often as you like on one purchase. Australia's limit is the highest in the world. Canada's is $50, USA $50, UK £20.

  • ukulele on 14/08/2014 - 16:18

    This is an interesting topic. As a reference if I walk past a Safeway/Woollies and it is not busy I get 200 bucks cash out at the self service; each time getting the 50cent bonus. I do this nearly everymorning on my way to work and sometimes at lunch and sometimes in the afternoon. I have been actually waiting for a call from ING, still none yet; it could be because I have two homeloans with them?

    • bluedufflecoat on 15/08/2014 - 08:34

      Maybe 50c isn't as big a deal as $18.95 and they are able to easily identify the OPs transaction as gaming the system, but they can't accuse you of not needing the cash out of the ATM, if you really needed it.

    • PissLUR on 15/08/2014 - 09:54

      Haven't you read the other forum post?

  • cashless on 15/08/2014 - 16:04
    -1

    Yup OP, I got the "chastising" phone call from an ING rep.
    Bought an HP laptop from Officeworks (yes- an OzB inspired price match of course!)for $559.
    Ran it through in $99 lots at the check out.
    Two days later ING were on the phone threatening to withdraw my 5%.
    That was some time ago and I am now on the 2% cash back and not making multiple transaction purchases for over $100.
    Interesting thing about the HP laptop is that I got 5% back from ING and then went overseas and claimed the GST back.
    Good old OzBargain :)

  • Boshait on 21/08/2014 - 00:58

    I got the call Wednesday for swiping twice at Kmart. They were quite nice about and I pwomised not to do it again.

  • sintro on 09/09/2014 - 17:22

    Next time just buy $99 gift vouchers on separate days and pay the item.

  • CVonC on 21/11/2014 - 15:04

    i got a call today cos i bought 4x $99.99 + 1x $30 JB hifi gift cards lol

    • sintro on 21/11/2014 - 15:08

      Make it less obvious next time ;p

      • CVonC on 21/11/2014 - 15:22

        lol yeah well.. i had to do it on the day cos it was last day of the canon camera sale @ JB

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