One major flaw about sending PAC/TAC to your mobile phone is that the system can be easily hacked. For example, once some @#$% stole your login id and password, they will need a PAC/TAC whenever they want to transfer the money out. And every time they managed to hack into the system and divert the sms from the bank containing the PAC/TAC number

So far Maybank and CIMB online banking are the two most vulnerable and prone to being hacked. Never heard anything about HSBC so far "touch wood"


This never happens to me. And hopefully it will stay this way

This post has been edited by MilesAndMore: Aug 16 2009, 11:08 AM

To see if what cannavaro said is true


Hey ! Didn't think of that. Will give the numbers to my dad and ask him to buy Toto6D



No reply after 2 months ? So you are just assuming that your application's been turned down ? Since AMEX is now under Maybank and we all know our 70+ years old grandma can work faster than any Maybank staff, do not be surprised if they are just about to process your application. Another likely reason that why you haven't heard from them is probably they lost your application form.

You should get a call or letter from AMEX/Maybank should your application has been rejected.



The best card from Standard Chartered is the Titanium Mastercard (JustOne) but unfortunately several fellow users said they have temporary stopped accepting new application for the card.


Not really. Most credit cards rewards points will expire. I believe only Citibank, Maybank credit cards and AMEX credit cards/charge cards rewards points are evergreen. You are losing out on points should you use too many cards.

Maybank and CIMB Bank credit cards have the most discounts year-round. CIMB Bank credit cards are the best actually. CIMB Bank gives me 5% - 20% discounts when shopping at ISETAN, Guardian, MPH and even KFC (certain days). They will still give you points on top of the discount which is great.

Regarding the redemption shipping fee we need to foot ourselves when redeeming stuff using reward points accumulated through CIMB Bank credit card. I recently redeemed RM500 Guardian vouchers from them. It's been about 2 weeks now since i got the vouchers and they did not charge the RM9 shipping fee to my credit card account yet.

The problem is that those @#$% do not need to change the mobile phone number registered with the bank. Somehow they have a way to divert the sms to their mobile phone/computer etc.

FYI, when i said the system can be easily hacked earlier. I was talking about our mobile phone, which we use to get the PAC/TAC number. Which is why i think generally HSBC online banking is safer than most online banking system as they do not send the PAC/TAC to our mobile phone. Instead they have this security device that will generate a unique password each time we login.

And by the way, Maybank is not the only bank a TAC/PAC registered mobile phone number can only be changed at the ATM/branch. It is the same with many other banks such as Public Bank, CIMB Bank and Standard Chartered.


Huh ? How so ? Our home address can be easily obtained. I believe when someone take the risk and goes through so many problems to steals your online banking password or ATM pin number, they are just interested with the money inside your bank account. Simply too many people have been victimised by these @#$%.

This post has been edited by MilesAndMore: Aug 16 2009, 11:52 AM

Always worth a try mate !

You can ignore this request. Our bank accounts held with other banks are private and confidential. So far only Maybank always request for our bank account statement held with other bank and my mom always ignore it. And still they approved her application everytime (she had applied for 3 different credit cards/charge card from Maybank in the last 1 year).


Public Bank still do (for its savings account). So does Standard Chartered Bank (regular savings account).


Have checked all the details they sent to us. No fine-prints about automatic activation after certain days. Anyway, even if there is a rule about automatic activation, how can the cards be activated since we haven't even received the card yet ? It looks to me Hong Leong Bank is forcing us to use their cards But i can confirm that there is no mention of automatic activation in all the letters they sent to us.

This post has been edited by MilesAndMore: Aug 17 2009, 04:33 PM

The orange bank we were talking a while ago ? But at least EON Bank had the courtesy to call you to inform you that your card's been activated


Thanks for the advice. Anyway, we went to a Hong Leong Bank branch just now. A customer service personnel called their credit card centre in KL. She told the guy on the phone about my mom's situation. Then the guy request to speak to my mom directly. The conversation was something like below :

Hong Leong : How much is your combined credit limit ?
Mom : RMxxx
Hong Leong : Okay, so we already charged you RM160 for each card. But you do not have to pay the annual fee now. No interest will be charged either even after this month's due date. I will mail the card out by this afternoon.
Mom : No. No. I do not want the cards. And why do you charge me the annual fee ? I haven't activated the cards yet !
Hong Leong : Yes. But when you applied for the card, our agent already told you about the minimum swipes.
Mom : Yes. I Know. But i haven't received the card. How can you simply charge me the annual fee. I do not want the cards.
Hong Leong : Ok. Here is what we're going to do now. I will give you an additional RM5400 of credit line.
Mom : RM5400 ? No. I don't want.
Hong Leong : Never mind. I will give you the additional credit line. I will also waive your annual fee for both your VISA Gold and Gold Mastercard. Once you receive the cards, charge whatever amount to each card twice within 45 days. Then the annual fee will be automatically waived.
Mom : Ah ? Must do like that ah ?
Hong Leong : Yes. Swipe twice on each card in 45 days then no need to pay for the annual fee.
Mom : Ok lah.

He promised my mom to change the fee waiver rule. Now the annual fee will be waived for both cards once my mom swipe twice on each card in 45 days. We shall find out what happens next in about a month time.

This post has been edited by MilesAndMore: Aug 17 2009, 05:09 PM

Yeah. Will do just that. My mom doesn't want to argue further.

Most people will bring US Dollar. I always have some US Dollar with me whenever i am going overseas, be it to Jakarta or Hong Kong.


I think you can do that with VISA debit card and debit Mastercard but not with credit card. Whatever money is drawn from your credit card account will be automatically treated as cash advance.

Did you know that some of your locally issued ATM card such as the CIMB Bank ATM card, which has the "Cirrus" logo on the back can be use to withdraw cash at overseas ATM that is "Cirrus" supported ? Another type of ATM card is on the "Plus" network, which is essentially referring to VISA as "Plus" is actually part of VISA. HSBC regular banking customer's ATM card has the "Plus" logo behind.

This post has been edited by MilesAndMore: Aug 18 2009, 07:48 PM

Huh ? Your annual gross salary is less than RM18,000 ? Then you are not qualified for HSBC classic credit card either. In fact, if your annual gross salary is less than RM18,000, then you are not qualified for any credit card in Malaysia.

The other way to get a credit card is to pledge by Time Deposit (Fixed Deposit - FD). Among the banks that offer this are :
- Public Bank (RM10,000 of TD will get RM10,000 of CL)
- AmBank (RM10,000 of TD will get RM10,000 of CL)
- HSBC (RM10,000 of TD will get only RM8,000 of CL)

I think you can also try with RM5000 with local banks.

Wah !! You have a lot of plastics !! Why do you need more, if you don't mind me asking ?


Yeah. Just try it at their HQ if you really want their credit card.

Yes. There definitely is overseas withdrawal fee. It is either RM8, RM10 or RM12. All different banks have different overseas withdrawal fee.



Maestro also belongs to Mastercard. If your card has the Maestro logo then it can also be used at Maestro supported ATMs.


HSBC regular banking ATM card (white in color) has the PLUS logo behind

HSBC Premier ATM card (black in color) has the CIRRUS logo behind

There is no handling fee of any sort if you use HSBC Premier ATM card to withdraw cash at overseas HSBC.

I think it is free for life for Public Bank as long as it is pledged by TD. As for HSBC, the annual fee for their VISA Platinum credit card is RM600/pa for regular banking/non-HSBC account holder and RM300/pa for HSBC Premier customers. However, i was told that the annual fee for HSBC credit card will be automatically waived provided you swipe it at least 12 times a year.

This post has been edited by MilesAndMore: Aug 19 2009, 11:34 PM

According to Star Newspaper, 35 EON Bank branches have gone totally orange and the rest will also be renovated by next year's end

My mom's was approved in about 2 weeks and got her physical card and welcome pack on the 3rd week.

Yes. There is a letter and agreement you need to sign. The agreement is printed on a thick green paper.


You can only withdraw your TD a month after you cancelled your credit card.

Please note that all HSBC VISA Platinum has a minimum credit line of RM30,000. So you need AT LEAST RM37,500 of TD to be eligible for HSBC VISA Platinum. This is however still subject to HSBC credit card HQ final approval. I've heard it's easier to get a HSBC VISA Platinum credit card pledged by TD if you're a HSBC Premier customer. Else they might just tell you to apply for Gold credit card or use your salary slip to apply for HSBC VISA Platinum should really want to get the HSBC VISA Platinum.

What ? I have also applied for a HSBC credit card pledged by TD but they did not mention anything about lawyer fee. In fact i was told that i do not have to pay for anything. No annual fee as long as i swipe 12 times in a year.

The agreement i signed is exactly the same agreement they ask their customers to sign who apply for OD. I will call the staff in charge of my application tomorrow to ask her about the lawyer fee.

And by the way, there are two forms you need to sign. One is the offer letter and another one is the agreement, printed on a thick green paper that looks like a pamphlet. Before they asked me to sign the offer letter, they had to check with their credit card centre in Kuala Lumpur if i'm qualified for it. The day they asked me to sign all the documents i was told that my card has been pre-approved and right now i just need to wait for their guys in the credit card centre to do some documentation and wait for them to courier the credit card to me.

This post has been edited by MilesAndMore: Aug 20 2009, 05:25 PM

Cash rebate ? How about Choice Rewards then ? If they can give us both then it is GREAT

Certain banks open on Sunday too (only selected branch). You can download the forms online. Read the instructions and submit all documents as requested.

Most people here are busy and working 6 days a week as well but many already have more than 2 credit cards, just so you know.

It is also not widely accepted in USA, despite what its name might suggest


It's totally fine. We've been too quiet here of late



It is all the same. Just that most generic credit cards are point based. Some will give you cash back. Just different marketing strategy.


What do you mean by link together ? Do you mean combined credit line ?


Wow, impressive ! May be next time should i decide to apply for AMEX Gold credit card i should go to 1U too



Yes. Just a photocopy of your current credit card and MyKad will do


Should be alright as long as your CCRIS record is clear.

This post has been edited by MilesAndMore: Aug 22 2009, 04:19 PM

Not to forget Maybank Petronas VISA which gives 5x Treatpoints and CIMB Petronas Mastercard that gives 2% rebate.

The AMEX Gold credit card 5x Membership Rewards Point is equivalent to 2.5% rebate (roughly, could be higher depends on which shopping voucher you want to redeem).