If you've ever wished you could do more to manage your credit cards from your phone or computer, rather than making phone calls to customer service, instant messaging with representatives, or sending emails, then new features from Chase and Bank of America will come as welcome news.
We've probably all had the experience of misplacing a credit card and panicking. Now, rather than calling up the credit card issuer - whose phone number you might not be able to easily find, since it's printed on the missing card—you can log onto your Chase credit card account and lock the card until you find it. This new lock/unlock feature lets Chase customers stop their cards from being used for a temporary period, whether they've been stolen or simply misplaced.
The Chase Mobile App, which can be accessed via phone or computer, makes it simple to instantly lock your account, blocking new purchases, balance transfers, and cash advances. When the card is found, it can be just as easily and quickly unlocked. If it is not found, a new card can be requested.
For now, the feature is available only to Chase credit card customers, but later this year it will be available to debit cardholders as well.
Taking charge of rewards
On another front, Bank of America customers can now see and manage their credit card rewards more easily, thanks to the launch of My Rewards. This easy-to-navigate dashboard is accessible by phone or computer and lets customers manage rewards across all Bank of America programs, including Preferred Rewards, credit cards, and BankAmeriDeals.
The My Rewards dashboard displays a summary page with the total value of all rewards earned. Not only that, it makes suggestions as to how the rewards can be maximized and redeemed, along with recommending new rewards that are available to account holders.
David Tyrie, consumer products executive at Bank of America, says the My Rewards dashboard is "a game-changer". According to Tyrie, it gives customers "a new level of visibility into rewards they've earned to date and how they can earn even more."
These new features from Chase and Bank of America are among the many ways credit card customers can take control of their own accounts and manage their money the way they want to, from wherever they happen to be.