# MBNA SmartCash World becomes Visa Infinite?



## james4beach (Nov 15, 2012)

Has anyone else had this happen? I logged into the MBNA web site and discovered my card number had changed. When I phoned in, they said that they are discontinuing MBNA Smart Cash World and that I will be issued an *MBNA Visa Infinite* card. Apparently it is already on the way.

The agent said that the points system remains the same. She didn't have a lot of details on hand but I'm curious if anyone knows what the story is on this, and what kinds of benefits the new MBNA (visa) card has?


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## scorpion_ca (Nov 3, 2014)

I was surprised when I got the card in the mail yesterday. I called them and they assured me that I will get the same points. They sent me some brochures with the card. You can register to learn more at visainfinite.ca. They will discontinue MasterCard on Dec 1, 2016. We will also get following benefits -

- Rental Vehicle Benefits
- Common Carrier Accidental Death and Dismemberment
- Unexpected Return Home Benefits
- Purchase Assurance and Extended Warranty
- Legal & Trip Assistance

I get 2% cash back when I use this MasterCard at Walmart Supercentre. But some Walmarts have stopped taking visa card. Therefore, we will not be able to use this card at Walmart.


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## james4beach (Nov 15, 2012)

Thanks. Those sound like pretty standard benefits. I don't like losing the MasterCard though, I always had one VISA and one MC. Perhaps this means that PC MasterCard will become my primary card


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## Spudd (Oct 11, 2011)

Yeah, this is gonna cause me to cancel this card and switch to the Tangerine card. I do most of my shopping at No Frills and they don't take Visa.


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## scorpion_ca (Nov 3, 2014)

Why don't you get PC World Elite card? 3x points when you shop at No Frills or Loblaws.


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## MrMatt (Dec 21, 2011)

I get good rewards from my CC, but I find the games annoying.
I've streamlined to 4 cards, and going to cut it down to 3.

1 Visa, 1 MC.
My wife and I also each keep 1 with my bank online shopping (So I can easily watch the transactions more closely)
For the amount I spend, the incremental benefit of a higher reward isn't worth it.

If your current reward is 1%, and easy, what is the actual value of a 2% card? if you spend $1000/month on that new card, you've saved a whole $10. It isn't worth the hassle.


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## kcowan (Jul 1, 2010)

Agreed. We have streamlined to 2 Visa, one for no FX as we spend time in Europe and Mexico every year. One gives 1% on the outstanding balance as soon as it is earned. One MC to get the companion flight on Westjet. And an AMEX because some foreign online sites will accept it and they will ship to our away address.


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

I already shelved this card when Tangerine Money Back came out and I already have a Visa Infinite so now it's just made itself redundant again


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## larry81 (Nov 22, 2010)

cancelllllllll


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## cashinstinct (Apr 4, 2009)

I already applied for Tangerine Mastercard last month (pre-approved), because I found the $400 limit per month for the 2% at MBNA to be way too low limit.

Tangerine is 2% for 3 categories (3rd category when you have a savings account with them and agree to deposit monthly the CC rewards in it)... no $ limit on the 2%.

This move to Visa confirmed I won't be using that card anymore. We have 1 "joint account" CC, and I want it to be a Mastercard for Costco.

I was 99% sure, now this move to Visa makes it 100%.

I will not cancel yet for 1-extra-year warranty purposes, and wait if they end up with a good card (so I can switch to it)... but I don't plan to use it. Backup card.


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## capricorn (Dec 3, 2013)

Does anyone know if this is just for smartCash or all MBNA Canada cards are moving from mastercard to visa? I have a MBNA rewards card (with yearly fees) and haven't got any notification of change yet.


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## james4beach (Nov 15, 2012)

I received the MBNA Smart Cash Visa Infinite card. I'm still not clear on what benefits/insurance it has.

Does anyone know where I can find details on its rental car insurance? The visa.ca web site does not list an insurance contract for MBNA, but does list insurance contracts for other visa cards from banks.

capricorn - sorry, I don't know which cards are being moved to visa.


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## nobleea (Oct 11, 2013)

james4beach said:


> I received the MBNA Smart Cash Visa Infinite card. I'm still not clear on what benefits/insurance it has.
> 
> Does anyone know where I can find details on its rental car insurance? The visa.ca web site does not list an insurance contract for MBNA, but does list insurance contracts for other visa cards from banks.
> 
> capricorn - sorry, I don't know which cards are being moved to visa.


Should have been with all the paperwork you received with the new card. There was 3 or 4 pamphlets on all the additional insurance, etc.


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

james4beach said:


> I received the MBNA Smart Cash Visa Infinite card. I'm still not clear on what benefits/insurance it has.
> 
> Does anyone know where I can find details on its rental car insurance? The visa.ca web site does not list an insurance contract for MBNA, but does list insurance contracts for other visa cards from banks.
> 
> capricorn - sorry, I don't know which cards are being moved to visa.


I just call the 1-800 number and get transferred to the insurance department. I rent a lot of vehicles for work on my TD Visa Infinite and the insurance coverage is good.

This new MBNA Smart Cash went straight to the sock drawer


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## james4beach (Nov 15, 2012)

m3s, curious why you didn't find a use for the new MBNA Smart Cash? What's wrong with it?


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

I use Tangerine for banking and their new MC does everything the Smart Cash does and more (3 categories of your choice for 2%, no limits, no caps, Apple Pay compatible and 1 less place to login)

I carry 1 MC and 1 Visa so now that Smart Cash is Visa I would compare it to my TD First Class Visa Infinite.. which might get replaced itself by Chase Marriott Rewards (no fx fees) Just no need for MBNA


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

Another big reason I just remembered.. MBNA cash back comes at intervals of $50 iirc and you have to log into some other rewards page bs to set that up for some reason.. In the end I had to calculate how much to charge to the card to get my cash back.. Tangerine is just hassle free cash back straight to your savings account every single month no matter what amount.. and they even have a fancy dancy graph to see if you should change your cash back categories


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## larry81 (Nov 22, 2010)

cancelled and shredded the card this pm


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

larry81 said:


> cancelled and shredded the card this pm


I usually just stash them away somewhere safe. That way the "average number of months open for revolving accounts" is higher for my credit score and I may prefer to use it again someday if they improve the benefits. Also in case I ever want to use the extended warranty benefits years later

Now I just checked my credit report with the free equifax 30 day trial and see that this "new" MBNA card created a new revolving account.. opened in 03-2015 even though I just received it very recently and it has $14,000 limit..

So not only does it lower my "average months open for revolving accounts" it also adds another $14,000 to my total credit. The old MBNA MC smart cash is still there and open at $10,000. I never activated this new Visa Infinite card.. I think I should call and cancel it and just leave the old one..


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## scorpion_ca (Nov 3, 2014)

You can't leave the old MBNA MC after Dec 1, 2016.


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

So apparently I had 3 MBNA accounts unbeknownst to me and 1 of them is being replaced by this Visa

I had them all reduced to $500 credit limits and I'll stash them away. No idea how I ended up with more than 1..

MBNA has always been a bit sketch to deal with


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## james4beach (Nov 15, 2012)

nobleea said:


> Should have been with all the paperwork you received with the new card. There was 3 or 4 pamphlets on all the additional insurance, etc.


The paperwork with the Smart Cash Visa Infinite says that cash back benefits are not changing.

But then it says, "*earn 1% cash back on eligible purchases*". I didn't see anything in this paperwork that said there is still a 2% reward on gas & groceries like there used to be. It looks to me like they're getting rid of that and the only reward on the MBNA is now 1%.


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## oceansnow (Jan 3, 2017)

With regards to this switch from MBNA smartcash to Visa Infinite: I already have a Visa that's mostly been unused for many years (I was using the MBNA MasterCard). Since MBNA has switched to the Visa Infinite card, should I close the Visa infinite card (previously the MBNA MasterCard), or close the pre-existing (but rarely used) Visa account?


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