# BOA AGR MC Hack!!



## Bob Dylan (Oct 1, 2019)

Today (10/01) I received a New AGR Amtrak MC from Bank of America with a New Account # and Card Format.( They say it's more "Secure").

This is my third change of Cards/Numbers since BOA became AGRs Official Card.

The blurb with it told me this was being done because one of the Merchants ( Amtrak???) I used it with had a "Significant" Hack.

Has anyone else had this happen,I do remember the thread where BOA was declining Amtrak Charges to their cards, but cant locate it, so started a New thread.


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## pennyk (Oct 1, 2019)

Bob Dylan said:


> Today (10/01) I received a New AGR Amtrak MC from Bank of America with a New Account # and Card Format.( They say it's more "Secure").
> 
> This is my third change of Cards/Numbers since BOA became AGRs Official Card.
> 
> ...


That happened to me a couple of years ago. I never was able to determine which vendor. My card has never been denied (about which I am very happy).


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## Bex (Oct 1, 2019)

I've had my card numbers changed twice, but they never tell me who the vendor was, either.

What's amazing is, they are the worst for declining my card at ordinary, everyday stores (Old Navy, Costco, etc.) because of "suspicious activity," ie, me, shopping in a store in the city in which I live for under $100. And yet they have the most hacks of any card I have.


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## TinCan782 (Oct 1, 2019)

Bex said:


> I've had my card numbers changed twice, but they never tell me who the vendor was, either.
> 
> What's amazing is, they are the worst for declining my card at ordinary, everyday stores (Old Navy, Costco, etc.) because of "suspicious activity," ie, me, shopping in a store in the city in which I live for under $100. And yet they have the most hacks of any card I have.


How do you use the AGR card at Costco? They only honor Citi Visa.


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## TinCan782 (Oct 1, 2019)

Last year my BofA AGR card was used at a theatre and RedBox Video Rental some distance from here. I spotted it while checking my statement. The replacement card (new account number) was promptly used at RedBox again and the replacement card had to be replaced. All in a 4-6 week period.


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## jis (Oct 2, 2019)

FrensicPic said:


> Last year my BofA AGR card was used at a theatre and RedBox Video Rental some distance from here. I spotted it while checking my statement. The replacement card (new account number) was promptly used at RedBox again and the replacement card had to be replaced. All in a 4-6 week period.



Several similar experiences have almost convinced me that the AGR card hacking is an inside job between Amtrak and BofA. 

More recently the trend is for legitimate charge, even for Amtrak tickets, denial rather than hacking. It basically now stays home and is not touched except when traveling by Amtrak.


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## jebr (Oct 2, 2019)

It's issues like this that have made it far easier for me to decide to cancel the AGR World card. It's not going to be my primary card any longer due to all of these issues, and the benefits are rather mundane for the long-distance network (the upgrade chit is unusable on the vast majority of the long-distance network, and the companion coupon is only somewhat useful for my travel patterns.) I'll keep my annual fee-free Platinum card so points don't expire and for the 5% redemption bonus, but it won't be my primary card and likely only used for a monthly recurring bill or two and Amtrak purchases.


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## bratkinson (Oct 2, 2019)

Apparently, BofA must have a wide variety of hackers with a wide variety of ways to obtain credit card info. 

My AGR card got replaced about a year ago with a letter indicating that the old number had been compromised. And in the past 3 months or so, every time I used it to book tickets on Amtrak, I had to call the BofA fraud department to get the transaction approved. I finally 'beat them' and signed up for another AGR card to put an end to the calls to the fraud department. It solved the problem as I've used it for tickets and a number of other purchases in the past week or so without any problem. I'm also well on the way to getting the 40K points that it comes with, too! 

Will I ultimately cancel the 'old' AGR card? Probably not as it contributes favorably to my credit score.


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## jis (Oct 2, 2019)

I got me an Apple Card instead. Seems sexier and with fun new features.  Even though I did get the pure white Titanium physical card, I don't expect to use it all that much. Why settle for 1% when you can get 2% and 3% cash back instantaneously.

And the BoA Card still sits in my desk drawer to preserve AGR points, and use on Amtrak travel.


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## bratkinson (Oct 2, 2019)

Actually, the AGR card gives far better than 1%. 

Here's my calculations for a $100 ticket:
300 points from BofA for buying an Amtrak ticket
200 points from AGR for riding the train
----
500 points at 34.5 points per dollar redemption = $14.50 ticket value
200 more points for double days on now
----
700 points at 34.5 points per dollar redemption = $20.29 ticket value
50 points for business class (if not on upgrade coupon)
50 points for double days (if not on upgrade coupon)
----
800 points @ 34.5/dollar = $23.19 ticket value = 23.19% payback!

add on 25% (50), 50% (100) and 100% (200) point bonus if AGR Select, Select Plus, or Select Executive respectively (not doubled on double days).

Redemption dollar value is less for Acela and peak travel periods (more points per dollar value needed).

Even for everyday purchases like gas, the $100 spent gets 100 AGR points = 2.90% return.


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## jis (Oct 2, 2019)

That is why I use the AGR card for tickets, when BoA deigns to allow me to do so. I have close to zero chance of redemption in Acela.

Gas purchase I prefer to get 2% or 3% cash instead of bouncing through AGR points.  My preference at present is not to involve an Amtrak ticket to realize the value, since I do not travel that much by Amtrak anymore. My AGR card at present is mainly for retaining the rather large pile of AGR points that I have until I use it up.

Different people operate under different imperatives... For someone who wants to collect AGR points sure an AGR card even with its poor service issues is worth it. It was for me in a different part of my life when I lived somewhere that was close to Amtrak with usable service.


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## Bex (Oct 2, 2019)

FrensicPic said:


> How do you use the AGR card at Costco? They only honor Citi Visa.


Apologies for my faulty memory, it must have been BJ's (I was a member there last year, I'm at Costco this year).

Re: the value of the card, for me and my pursuit of Select Plus and the Acela Lounge, the TQP's are make or break. Without the 4k TQP's I get from the BoA card, there would be no early boarding of my weekly train, so it is a necessary evil. The points help as well, of course, as well as the rebate on points trips.

I have four cards:
Amazon Chase for Amazon (5%), restaurants, gas stations, and drug stores (all 2%)
Target for Target (immediate 5% off)
Chase Freedom left over from when it was the Amtrak card and whatever categories exist that quarter
Amtrak BoA for everything else. And I mean everything. I use cash for essentially delivery tips and small purchases at local mom & pop businesses only.


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## Dan O (Oct 3, 2019)

I had two changes in one year. Have had about 4 since the change from Chase.


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## Sauve850 (Oct 9, 2019)

Ive had one change a couple years ago but since then I only get an email once in a while to verify recent purchases.


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## seat38a (Oct 9, 2019)

FrensicPic said:


> How do you use the AGR card at Costco? They only honor Citi Visa.


Costco honors ALL Visa Credit Cards. I use my Marriott Visa and United Club Visa from Chase all the time. Their adverts make it sound like only Citi Visa's are accepted but when they switched over from AMEX, the ALL Visa part was hidden in fine print on the bottom corner.


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## TinCan782 (Oct 9, 2019)

seat38a said:


> Costco honors ALL Visa Credit Cards. I use my Marriott Visa and United Club Visa from Chase all the time. Their adverts make it sound like only Citi Visa's are accepted but when they switched over from AMEX, the ALL Visa part was hidden in fine print on the bottom corner.


Ok, I'll accept that...however, the AGR card, which is a MasterCard is the topic of discussion.


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## seat38a (Oct 10, 2019)

FrensicPic said:


> Ok, I'll accept that...however, the AGR card, which is a MasterCard is the topic of discussion.


I'm just correcting your statement you made that Costco only accepts Citi Visa's.


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