There are reports that some Discover cardholders are being targeted for spending bonuses worth an extra 2-3%.
Some of the bonuses being offered are:
- 2% bonus for the next 12 months on up to $7,500 of purchases (i.e. max $150 cashback)
- 3% bonus for the next 6 months on up to $2,500 of purchases (i.e. max $75 cashback)
- 3% bonus for the next 6 months on up to $2,000 of purchases (i.e. max $60 cashback)
- 3% bonus for the next 6 months on up to $1,500 of purchases (i.e. max $45 cashback)
The exact terms of the offer are a little unclear. Some of the comments on the DoC post suggest the 3% is actually a bonus 2% on top of the 1% you’ll already receive, whereas another commenter states that they were told it’s in addition to the 1% you’d already earn for a total of 4%.
Another unclear feature of the offer is whether the bonus will be applied to spend in 5% categories. Chuck’s post says it does, but some comments suggest people have been told otherwise. Seeing as there aren’t any registration links, there aren’t any written terms to verify how these offers will work. We might therefore have to wait until the bonuses have been credited before knowing for sure which transactions will earn the bonus and how much that actually is. I’d imagine that the bonuses won’t post until after the end of the promotion period, so it could be 6-12 months before we discover Discover’s terms.
My wife and I both used Discover’s online chat feature to see if we were targeted, but we both struck out. Here’s what I was advised, while my wife received a similar reply:
Good morning Stephen! I hope your Sunday is treating you well! Right now there aren’t any promotional offers available for Cashback Bonus on your account! I do see you are enrolled in our current 5% Cashback Bonus quarterly program to earn 5% on your first $1500 in purchases with Amazon.com, Target, and Walmart.com which started October 1, 2019 and goes through December 31, 2019. You are also activated for our 5% Cashback Bonus program that begins January 1, 2020 on the first $1500 in purchases at grocery stores, Walgreens, and CVS and goes through March 31, 2020. These are the current Cashback Bonus offers on your account at this time. As a friendly reminder, each of the 5% Cashback Bonus quarterly programs do require that they are activated to participate and you’re all set through March 31, 2020. Can I look into anything else in the meantime?
It took a while to get a reply from Discover. My session timed out after 10 minutes, but when logging back in I saw their reply; it’s therefore nice that you don’t lose your place in line if it logs you off. It’s probably worth keeping an eye on it though in case they need you to confirm that you do indeed wish to register for the promotion.
h/t Reddit via Doctor of Credit
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