Author Topic: BEST ISRAELI CREDIT CARD (Read 26760 times)

gold · « **on:** August 22, 2012, 07:37:03 AM »

What is it?

yhakak · « **Reply #1 on:** August 22, 2012, 07:43:49 AM »

After long and careful research, the answer is THEY ALL STINK.

honestly? use a sapphire preferred or similar card with no forex fee if you can. Israeli cards have high fees, give absolutely terrible rewards, and are generally useless. Sort of like the banking sector in Israel generally.

-yair

yhakak · « **Reply #2 on:** August 22, 2012, 07:46:03 AM »

My favorite Israeli credit card story is that I got a preferred American Express card here because it gave free access to the Dan lounge at the airport. Didn't use the card, but the deal said that I could use the lounge anyway.

Long story short, used the lounge a few times (only marginally better than the regular areas, by the way) and got a letter from Isracard (that's who issues Amex here) that they were cancelling my card because I was using the lounge and not putting charges on it. I called them and yelled at them, didn't help me...

-yair

Drago · « **Reply #3 on:** August 22, 2012, 08:39:38 AM »

Quote from: yhakak on August 22, 2012, 07:46:03 AM

My favorite Israeli credit card story is that I got a preferred American Express card here because it gave free access to the Dan lounge at the airport. Didn't use the card, but the deal said that I could use the lounge anyway.

Long story short, used the lounge a few times (only marginally better than the regular areas, by the way) and got a letter from Isracard (that's who issues Amex here) that they were cancelling my card because I was using the lounge and not putting charges on it. I called them and yelled at them, didn't help me...

-yair

Was their an annual fee?

yhakak · « **Reply #4 on:** August 22, 2012, 08:42:22 AM »

nope, it was some kind of targeted offer for members of some hi-tech club. The point was that they felt free to unilaterally cancel because the deal wasn't working out for them.
If that ever happened in the USA half of the members here would sue.

sky121 · « **Reply #5 on:** August 22, 2012, 08:43:19 AM »

Quote from: yhakak on August 22, 2012, 08:42:22 AM

nope, it was some kind of targeted offer for members of some hi-tech club. The point was that they felt free to unilaterally cancel because the deal wasn't working out for them.
If that ever happened in the USA half of the members here would sue.

#onlyinIsrael

shmuelb · « **Reply #6 on:** August 22, 2012, 03:34:26 PM »

Quote from: yhakak on August 22, 2012, 08:42:22 AM

nope, it was some kind of targeted offer for members of some hi-tech club. The point was that they felt free to unilaterally cancel because the deal wasn't working out for them.
If that ever happened in the USA half of the members here would sue.

I remember this happened in the USA around 14 years ago IIRC. Not much you can do about it. I don't recall anyone suing.

rots5 · « **Reply #7 on:** August 22, 2012, 03:37:26 PM »

Quote from: shmuelb on August 22, 2012, 03:34:26 PM

I remember this happened in the USA around 14 years ago IIRC. Not much you can do about it. I don't recall anyone suing.

i never heard about any one discussing cards here, lol, i didnt even know there was such a thing as an amex israel, is there a link to one? and whats the sign up bonus?

sky121 · « **Reply #8 on:** August 22, 2012, 03:46:44 PM »

Quote from: rots5 on August 22, 2012, 03:37:26 PM

i never heard about any one discussing cards here, lol, i didnt even know there was such a thing as an amex israel, is there a link to one? and whats the sign up bonus?

Not great. And the earning per shekel is even worse.

rots5 · « **Reply #9 on:** August 22, 2012, 03:53:43 PM »

Quote from: sky121 on August 22, 2012, 03:46:44 PM

Not great. And the earning per shekel is even worse.

forgot its all in shekel, i signed up for a bank account here a while ago they gave me a cc with it, she said with all seriousness ok gr8 here is ur new cc with a linit of 700 shekels....i looked at my wife and laughed ...

yhakak · « **Reply #10 on:** August 22, 2012, 03:54:20 PM »

a sign up bonus? don't make me laugh. Here they'll probably make a big gesture out of "waiving the signup fee" or something like that. The entire concept of miles, rewards, etc., is pretty much unknown here. I've had a card for about 6 years and the total, i mean the absolute total number of miles i can get is about 5K on united. For 6 years worth of charges, month in an month out.

yhakak · « **Reply #11 on:** August 23, 2012, 01:59:12 AM »

Quote from: rots5 on August 22, 2012, 03:53:43 PM

forgot its all in shekel, i signed up for a bank account here a while ago they gave me a cc with it, she said with all seriousness ok gr8 here is ur new cc with a linit of 700 shekels....i looked at my wife and laughed ...

I get about 18K shekel of credit - that's not the problem, it's the fact that they don't believe that being a good customer means they should treat you like one..

ashers · « **Reply #12 on:** August 23, 2012, 03:08:27 AM »

They all wanna know how they can get the Sapphire card here

They love the feel/ look of it and when I tell them I get points that are worth cash their jaw drops

Jkhein · « **Reply #13 on:** August 23, 2012, 03:10:49 AM »

Quote from: rots5 on August 22, 2012, 03:53:43 PM

forgot its all in shekel, i signed up for a bank account here a while ago they gave me a cc with it, she said with all seriousness ok gr8 here is ur new cc with a linit of 700 shekels....i looked at my wife and laughed ...

I actually dont get whats funny, in the US if you are a first timer and they have no idea your credit history, let alone you are just in the country as a student, they would not even give you 700 shekel limit...

Quote from: yhakak on August 23, 2012, 01:59:12 AM

I get about 18K shekel of credit - that's not the problem, it's the fact that they don't believe that being a good customer means they should treat you like one..

sorry to say, but from your above post, it looks like you were not a good customer to them at all, perhaps thats why they did not treat you like one.

yhakak · « **Reply #14 on:** August 23, 2012, 05:32:03 AM »

Quote from: Jkhein on August 23, 2012, 03:10:49 AM

I actually dont get whats funny, in the US if you are a first timer and they have no idea your credit history, let alone you are just in the country as a student, they would not even give you 700 shekel limit...sorry to say, but from your above post, it looks like you were not a good customer to them at all, perhaps thats why they did not treat you like one.

I got 18K shekel on a card i use all the time. On the Amex i don't remember what i got, because it wasn't important.
Here's what gets me angry:
1. the merchant fee is HIGHER in Israel than it is in the USA
2. There isn't any competition, the owners of the MC/Visa brand issue the cards, not the banks or other issues

and, after all of this: i just called leumicard today to cash in points for united FF. After 5(!) years of at least 3000 shekel on the card every month (bills, etc.), i got...hold your breath...3000 united points. That's about 6% of what chase gave me just for opening the card.

Pathetic. Just pathetic.

Drago · « **Reply #15 on:** August 23, 2012, 06:35:04 AM »

Quote from: ashers on August 23, 2012, 03:08:27 AM

They all wanna know how they can get the Sapphire card here
They love the feel/ look of it and when I tell them I get points that are worth cash their jaw drops

+1
It's a different world for them.
My co-worker wants me to get him an SSN so he can do the same

L'Chaim · « **Reply #16 on:** August 23, 2012, 07:47:19 AM »

Quote from: Reuven on August 23, 2012, 06:35:04 AM

+1
It's a different world for them.
My co-worker wants me to get him an SSN so he can do the same

Get him a SSN?! Can you get me one too?

shmuelb · « **Reply #17 on:** August 23, 2012, 08:10:30 AM »

Can you get a cc with an ITIN? I think it has been discussed here...

Moishebatchy · « **Reply #18 on:** August 25, 2012, 08:34:14 PM »

When I opened my student account at Leumi, they gave me a CC with some kind of promotion that for the first 36 months, for each month I spend 600 NIS, I get 41.6 NIS deposited into my account. Works out to roughly %7 cash back. Not bad at all...

Drago · « **Reply #19 on:** August 26, 2012, 12:49:00 AM »

Quote from: Moishebatchy on August 25, 2012, 08:34:14 PM

When I opened my student account at Leumi, they gave me a CC with some kind of promotion that for the first 36 months, for each month I spend 600 NIS, I get 41.6 NIS deposited into my account. Works out to roughly %7 cash back. Not bad at all...

Not bad, assuming at least that you only put that much onto your card.