So this rant about the PC Mastercard system, is a great example of what happens when on-line systems change. It is 8 years old, but now that CIBC has taken over PC Financial and has introduced Simplii, it could mean more changes for the PC Mastercard as well.
On July 1st, I got up early to catch up on my Home Finances, which had been neglected due to a very busy home schedule. While I managed to get most things balanced up, then I ran into a brick wall, which was my PC Mastercard.
Many e-mails arrived about how things were going to change with my card and such, but I hadn’t really realized what this actually meant, because the e-mails I received were at best cryptic and at worst unreadable.
The on-line PC interface was a completely different interface, which caused my breakfast to move up my esophagus a fair distance. I attempted to get around the page by using my previous login information, which failed miserably. I even changed tried different passwords hoping it was just me forgetting, but no dice, I was not allowed in using the existing credentials that I had. Obscenity strewn rant #1 followed, which I won’t elaborate on.
My memory seemed to recollect a comment from the Rosetta Stone-like e-mails saying that I would need to recreate my user id, and the bottom of this page seemed to imply I should do this, so I then put in my credit card number and name to attempt to start creating a new user id. This failed 3 times, and you guessed it: Obscenity strewn rant #2 followed.
The “error” message implied I should call the PC help line (on Canada Day morning, no less), so I dutifully got the cordless phone (which you should not use if you are inputting any banking info, but I forgot that important security point), and was asked my Credit Card info after navigating a few menus. The system said the information I had input was incorrect, and I should wait for an operator, and then it said my wait would be over 10 minutes, correct again: Obscenity strewn rant #3 & #4 followed.
At this point I went away, got another coffee, and came back and was still on hold, but decided that maybe I should try to recreate my userid one more time. This time when I typed in the exact same information, I moved onto the next page: Obscenity strewn rant #5 followed. I then was able to recreate my user id, and I was heartened to think I could complete my task for the morning.
I noted all this new info on paper (very insecure) and then was given a chance to log in using my brand spanking new login information. To my surprise the interface looked very different, and it took me a few minutes to figure out how this new interface worked (no I kept a civil tongue at this point). I finally figured out how to download from the web site to my Quicken account, and pressed the button.
The data file was created, however, when I attempted to import the data file (as usual) into Quicken, I got a message from Quicken that this was a new account, and said it was an RBC Mastercard. The light went on then, because previously the PC Financial stuff was all CIBC based, and I guess that PC-Financial is now going to use RBC CIBC as their banking back end.
OK, this means I had to disconnect my Mastercard account in Quicken from CIBC and then allow it to connect to the new RBC description, which worked fine (I had stopped swearing, because now I was full of pride in my figuring this out, but wait, there is more).
I then looked at my Quicken account, and on line at my banking accounts and found that there is a week “gap” in place where at least 8 transactions are missing. Obscenity strewn rant #6 followed, because one of those transactions is a sizable payment to PC Mastercard.
I had to go back over the paper statement I received and found most of the missing transactions (they are missing on the “on line” statement which is supposed to reflect the printed statement (which it doesn’t)).
PC MastercardDenouement
So, I seem to have on line banking access, which is OK, but I still have these missing payments, which is worrying.
All of this happened on Canada Day morning, wonder what might have happened if I had gotten through to someone on the phone? I suppose that might have been Obscenity strewn rant #7!
I have also noticed now that every time I log in I am asked a “Security Question” no matter what, which is very annoying as well!
PC cards suck, too many changes with the fuel sales credits. I use Capital One and get an average of 4% rebate annually with no annual cash limits.
Am frustrated with PCMC too. We moved in April and I dutifully changed my address with all financial institutions including PC. How would I know that I have to change my address with PC banking and PC mastercard both?! Turns out our MC expires end of June and they sent the replacement cards to my old address. And Canada Post never forwarded that mail to me even I signed up for mail forwarding service. So on July 1, we don’t have our regular creditcard, the other regular creditcard Amex is not as widely accepted. And I can’t log on, because they have my wrong address on file. It took forever to get through their phone line. Now talk about those security questions, I only wish they give the option of creating your own questions. What if I don’t have an answer for the questions in the dropdown boxes? Just my rant of the day……
Excellent rant, hope you feel better, sounds like a no-win situation.
Could have been worse… look at my situation: I was going to pay my balance off before I received my paper statement and went on holidays. However, in all the confusion with re-registering for my PC Mastercard online access, I forgot to look up my balance and pay it. $15 in interest accrued.
I’ll take responsibility for that, even though I feel slightly annoyed that the new login procedure indirectly caused me to forget to pay my bill. Like Jason, I recently moved most of my spending to the MBNA Smart Cash card. Funny coincidence.
OUCH!! That smarts, but you can call and try to get that taken back, as a one time gesture by PC Financial, it worked for me.
I decided to get the canadian tire MC rather than the PC one, and I’m glad I did! Actually, I found another good article on credit card tips maybe that would help your readers also?
Thanks for the blog post!
I also was a little aggravated by the PC MasterCard changes. Thankfully, prior to the change-up I had switched almost all my spending to my MBNA Smart Cash Plus card :).
Why didn’t I think of that one!!!!