Hi all, very long winded, especially for a newby, but looking if anyone has any advice on this one, or anyone with old ANZ Rewards PDS docs they may be able to help with.
Back in 2006, we signed up with ANZ for a Breakfree mortgage package which included a transaction account and Gold Rewards Visa. Not sure what point scale they were paying back then but fast forward a couple of years, and ANZ changed everyone across to a new scale. I believe the old system was something along the lines of 1 point per $1.50, which was hard for users to follow, so make it easier it became 1pt per $.
Now I am not sure if that was the correct scale for the Gold cards back then or not, or if that scale only applied to regular cards.
Forward again to 3 years ago, we were automatically rolled over to a Platinum Card as ANZ killed off the Gold. Then 2 years ago we added AMEX to the equation. Now with the Platinum, they are supposed to be paying 1.5pts per $ on Visa, and 3pts per $ on AMEX. I have just discovered that they are paying us the old rate of 1pt per $ on Visa and 2pts per $ on AMEX, effectively ripping us off for 1/3 our points.
So I ring ANZ and firstly get told that since we are on Breakfree that we get reduced rewards. I point out that is bull as even their PDS specifically states there is no reduction in account features for Breakfree, at which point they back down. Then I get escalated to another muppet who now claims that since we are paying the old Rewards annual fee of $22, instead of the current $55, that is why, and that any brochure currently on the ANZ site relates to new sign ups, not old ones.
My first issue with that is that the general PDS states that for detailed rewards conditions, refer to the rewards website. When I go to the rewards site, the PDS there specifically states 3pts per $ on AMEX, etc, just like I am claiming. This is the only terms available on the site, and that is under my login, not just general info.
I have pointed out that their PDS clearly states that Platinum Cards are 3pts/1.5pts, and there is no mention of any lower rate for old cards. There is also no mention at all of what the annual fee is in there, and no allowance for a reduced fee equalling a reduced payout.
To top this off, as soon as I pointed out the error, they correct dthe rate of pay without hesitation, but are refusing to backpay.
This muppet in the complaints department (who has a severe attitude problem despite me staying quite calm even though this has been dragging on for weeks) keeps saying that reduced fee equals reduced rate and my agreed rate would be dictated by when I signed up, not by any current terms and conditions. He insists on completely ignoring that his argument is voided by the fact that I was rolled over to a Platinum account at a time when they were definitely paying 3pts/1.5pts. If I was still on a Gold account, it may be a possible excuse, but those terms were voided when my Gold side was closed down.
He has stated that he "may" be able to get a partial payment as a "good will gesture." Next time he says that I will reach down the phone and throttle the patronising cough! A goodwill gesture is if I stuff up and overdraw an account or something but they reverse a reasonable fee anyway to keep me happy, it is NOT a goodwill gesture when they are correcting their mistake!
I have calculated all the missing points back to when we rolled across to Platinum, and it equals something in the vicinity of 300,000 points, a couple of thousand $ worth, hence my continued fight.
I have now also found an old Gold card PDS from 2010 where they state that Gold cards should also have been paid at 1.5pts per $ on Visa, not the 1 per 1 we have been getting, so the issue appears to go back even further than I originally thought.
I have fought up the chain to end at this idiot who just keep parroting that I was on a reduced fee. I keep pointing out to him that there is nowhere in the PDS that allows for a reduced fee or reduced rewards points, and that if ANZ charged the wrong fee, then that is their problem. Initially, out of frustration, i told him to back charge the extra fee for the 3 years, but now I am going to tell him to shove that as he has continued to argue with me the whole way and waste more of my time, despite me pulling out every term and condition against them.
Hoping someone may have something to help, or even better, an incredibly long shot, anyone who has any old ANZ Rewards docs from around the 2006 era forwards, or anyone who was rolled over from Gold to Platinum when they shut down the old Gold cards.
This idiot I am stuck with is just failing to see logic and keeps pulling out excuses that have nothing to do with their own contracted terms and conditions. I cannot believe someone so illogical and stubborn and patronising works in their complaints department of all places!
I am on the verge of going to the Ombudsman, but hoping for some more ammo!
Cheers all in advance!
Oh, and any Platinum card holders, check what rate they are ACTUALLY paying you on your purchases!!!
Edit for clarity, BTW, this is on their normal Rewards Card, not the QFF card.
2nd edit, should also point out, I have read the previous posts on here about the changes when they occurred from Gold to Platinum, all I can find is the reference that when Gold rolled over to Platinum, there was no change in points paid, and that underlines my understanding that we were being paid the wrong rate all the way back to when we had the Gold card.
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