Bank of America Credit Cards

You can check your Bank of America credit card status online. Unfortunately, there is no Bank of America credit card status phone number. But if you have trouble checking online, you could try to call customer service at (800) 732-9194.

In order to see whether your application is approved, denied or still pending, you’ll need to give some basic personal information like your zip code and the last four digits of your Social Security number. This ensures that Bank of America can match you to your application. You can check your application status as often as you like, as it’s free and quick.

How to check your Bank of America credit card status:

1. Go to Bank of America’s application status page.
2. Enter your last name, date of birth, last four digits of your Social Security number and zip code.
3. Click “Submit.”

You’ll now be able to see any applications you’ve submitted and whether they have been approved or denied yet. If your application is still pending, don’t worry. It may take up to 30 days from when you submitted your application to receive a decision. If you are approved, you can expect your card in 7-10 business days. But if you’re denied and think you can justify why you should be approved, you can call customer service and ask for reconsideration. 

The Bank of America credit card customer service phone number is 1-800-732-9194. To speak with a live Bank of America credit card customer service representative, enter the last four digits of your SSN or account number, then press 0 to skip the intro menu, and say “Service” when asked to describe your reason for calling. Say “Service” again if asked twice, then press “4,” and you’ll get to a live person.  

The standard menu options when calling Bank of America credit card customer service are 1 for fee-related questions, 2 for disputing charges, 3 for reporting suspicious account activity, and 4 for all other inquiries. If you don’t press anything after entering your account info, the automated system will list the most recent payment received, balance activity, available credit for purchases and cash advances, and rewards balance. Offers for new credit cards or balance transfers will be listed as well. Press 0 at any time to skip this info.

Live customer service is available 24/7 for lost or stolen credit cards. Automated customer service is available 24/7 for existing Bank of America credit card accounts.

Bank of America credit card customer service number and more:

1. Live Customer Service: 1-800-732-9194. After entering your account info, press 0 and say “Service” when prompted to describe your reason for calling. You might be asked a second time—just say “Service” again and another menu will be prompted. Press 4 for “all other inquiries.”
2. Automated Customer Service: 1-800-732-9194. Enter last 4 digits of SSN or account number. The menu will automatically list recent payment info, balance, available credit, rewards balance and more. Press 0 at any time to skip.​​​​​​​
   
3. In-Person Credit Card Support: Schedule an in-person appointment online by logging into your account and selecting “Schedule an appointment” on the right side under “Activity Center.” Choose the bank branch, date, time, and discussion topic. ​​​​​​​
   
4. Secure Message Center: Log in to your account online and select “Help & Support.” Then click “Contact Us” and select the topic you wish to discuss. If email is an option, you can select the “Email” button and receive a response within 2 days.​​​​​​​
   
5. Lost or Stolen Credit Card: 1-800-732-9194. Say “lost or stolen credit card” when prompted to describe your reason for calling. The most recent charges will be listed so you can confirm which are valid. You’ll be transferred to a live representative to reissue your card or close the account.​​​​​​​
   
6. Fraudulent Charges on Credit Card: 1-800-432-1000. Call if you suspect fraudulent activity on your credit card account.​​​​​​​
   
7. Customer Service on Social Media: You can send them a direct message using @BofA_Help on Twitter. Or, select the “Send Message” button on their FB page. Hours are 8am-9pm M-F, 8am-8pm Sat, and 8am-5pm Sun (ET). Just don’t include your SSN or account number.​​​​​​​
   
8. Credit Card Activation: 1-800-276-9939. You’ll be asked to say or enter your account number, SSN, zip code, or the phone number connected with your account.
   

As you can see, there are several ways to get in touch with Bank of America for credit card customer service. You can also access FAQs through BofA’s mobile app. And BofA tends to score high in customer satisfaction, so it’s likely you’ll have a positive experience.  

You can easily check if Bank of America will pre-qualify you for a credit card online. All you have to do is provide your name, birth date and Social Security number, and Bank of America’s pre-qualify tool will show you any BofA credit cards for which you have good approval odds. You might also receive a pre-qualified offer in the mail, which will only be for a single card.

Pre-qualification doesn’t guarantee you approval. But pre-qualified applicants end up being approved in the vast majority of cases. Pre-qualification doesn’t affect your credit at all since it uses a soft inquiry. But if you want to apply for a card, Bank of America will do a hard inquiry, which will cause a temporary score dip. This decrease is easily fixed with a few months of responsible card use, though. If you’d like to check for pre-qualification, you can do it in minutes.

If you already have a Bank of America account, all you have to do is log in on the pre-qualification page and you’ll be able to see your offers right away without inputting any extra information. If you don’t have an account, you just need to follow five simple steps.

Here’s how to get Bank of America to pre-qualify you for a credit card:

1. Go to Bank of America’s pre-qualification page. 
2. Click “Continue without signing in.”
3. Enter your full name, birth date and the last four digits of your Social Security Number. Click “Continue.”
4. Enter your address and select what type of credit card you’re interested in (you can also select that you don’t have a preference). 
5. Click “Show me my offers.”

You’ll now be able to see any cards that Bank of America thinks you’d be a good candidate for. If you got a pre-qualification letter in the mail, you can either fill out the enclosed application, or use the special code provided when you apply online to flag your application as pre-qualified.

The Bank of America foreign transaction fee is 3% or 0% of all international transactions, depending on the BofA card. There are 9 Bank of America credit cards with no foreign transaction fees, including the BofA Premium Rewards and Travel Rewards cards.

Those no foreign fee BofA cards clearly are a better choice for international spending than the ones with a 3% surcharge for everything you buy abroad. That’s actually one of the highest foreign fees on the market. So international shoppers need to be careful when picking a Bank of America credit card and perhaps consider cards from other issuers too.

Bank of America foreign transaction fees:

Some Bank of America credit cards have a 3% foreign transaction fee.

Other Bank of America credit cards have no foreign transaction fee.

Foreign transaction fees can apply when you travel abroad or make online purchases from foreign merchants.

At 3%, the Bank of America foreign transaction fee is too steep for anyone planning to make international purchases. But the cards that charge it are meant more for everyday spending than travel. The good news is there are a handful of foreign fee-less alternatives.

Best Bank of America credit cards with no foreign transaction fees:

1.  Bank of America Premium Rewards - Biggest Bonus

2.  Bank of America Travel Rewards - No Annual Fee

3.  Alaska Airlines Credit Card - Best Airline Rewards

4.  Bank of America Travel Rewards for Students - Best Student Card

Plus, more and more cards from other issuers are shedding their foreign fees. So you can shop around for the best deal.

You can request a Bank of America credit line increase online or by calling customer service at 1 (800) 732-9194. For the best chances of receiving a Bank of America credit line increase, you should have at least six consecutive months of on-time payments under your belt. Having more income and/or less debt than you did when you got your Bank of America credit card will help, too.

When you request a Bank of America credit limit increase, Bank of America may ask to do a hard pull of your credit. This may cause your score to drop a bit in the short term. But if you get a higher limit, that can help your score long-term. Anyway, depending on what Bank of America’s computer system decides, they may just do a harmless soft pull of your credit instead.

Bank of America may offer you a credit limit increase without you asking. They’ll periodically review your account to see if you are eligible. A credit line increase from this type of review always uses a soft pull.

Here’s how to get a Bank of America credit limit increase:

1. Sign in to your Bank of America online account. You’ll need to enroll in online banking if you haven’t already.
2. Go to the “Account details” page.
3. Click the “Information and Services” tab.
4. Look to see if there is a button for increasing your credit limit. It will only appear if your account is eligible.
5. Enter your total annual income, the amount of the increase you want, and click “Submit Request.”

You will receive your Bank of America credit line increase decision either on the site or by email.

If you would like to request a Bank of America credit line increase by phone, call 1 (800) 732-9194 and enter your card number. When connected to a representative, tell them you’d like a higher limit. They will ask for your income, desired increase amount and permission to do a hard pull, if applicable.

A Bank of America cash advance lets you borrow money from your credit line, via ATM withdrawal, paper check or direct deposit to a bank account. But there’s a high cost. Bank of America’s balance transfer fee is 3% or 5% of the transaction amount, and interest immediately starts accruing at an annual rate of 17.99% to 26.99%. The exact fee depends on the type of transaction you choose, but there’s a minimum charge of $10 in all cases. Your exact cash advance APR is based on both your creditworthiness and the type of cash advance.

The cash advance APR applies immediately and interest compounds daily. So each day you owe interest on all past interest plus your principal balance. That’s why it’s best to avoid cash advances except in emergencies.

To get a Bank of America cash advance at an ATM, you’ll need to request a PIN. You can do this through your online account or by calling the number on the back of your card. With other methods, you won’t need a PIN since you’ll confirm your identity in person, online or through a check you were issued. But before you take out a cash advance, you should make sure you know all of the potential fees and interest rates.

Bank of America Cash Advance Info:

• Cash advance from an ATM: 5% fee ($10 min.), 17.99% to 26.99% APR
• In-person cash advance (from a bank teller): 5% fee ($10 min.), 26.99% APR
• Same-day transfer to BofA bank account: 5% fee ($10 min.), 26.99% APR
• 1-3 business day deposit into bank account: 3% fee ($10 min.), 17.99% to 26.99% APR
• Cash advance check: 3% fee ($10 min.), 17.99% to 26.99% APR
• Cash equivalents (money order, traveler’s check, etc.): 5% fee ($10 min.), 26.99% APR

As you can see, there are lots of different ways to get a Bank of America cash advance. But they’re all extremely costly, with high fees and interest. So you should really avoid them unless you have absolutely no choice.

A Bank of America credit card’s interest rate can be anywhere from 14.74% to 24.99% (V). It depends on both your creditworthiness and which Bank of America credit card you apply for. All Bank of America credit card APRs are variable, meaning they can change over time.

Here are the Bank of America credit card interest rates:

• BankAmericard Credit Card: 12.99% - 22.99% Variable regular APR. 0% on purchases and balance transfers for 12 billing cycles.
• Bank of America Cash Rewards: 13.99% - 23.99% Variable regular APR. 0% on purchases and balance transfers for 12 billing cycles.
• Bank of America Travel Rewards for Students: 14.99% - 22.99% (V) regular APR. 0% on purchases for 12 billing cycles.
• Bank of America Cash Rewards for Students: 13.99% - 23.99% (V) regular APR. 0% on purchases and balance transfers for 12 billing cycles.
• Bank of America Travel Rewards: 14.99% - 22.99% Variable regular APR. 0% on purchases for 12 billing cycles.
• Bank of America Premium Rewards: 15.99% - 22.99% Variable regular APR. No intro APR.
• BankAmericard Secured: 22.99% (V) regular APR. No intro APR.

Each Bank of America credit card also has more than one interest rate. There’s the regular APR, which applies to purchases and balance transfers and ranges from 14.74% to 24.99% (V). Several cards have a 0% APR on purchases and/or balance transfers for a certain number of months, before the regular APR takes effect. And if you miss a payment, you could have a penalty interest rate of up to 29.99%. The APR for cash advances can be anywhere from 17.74% to 26.99%, depending on your creditworthiness and card.

If you want to increase the chances of getting a low Bank of America credit card interest rate, you should make sure your credit is as good as possible before applying. Doing anything you can to bump up your income can also make a difference. But if you pay your credit card bill in full every month, you won’t ever have to worry about the interest rate.  

To cancel a Bank of America credit card, call the bank at 800-732-9194 and enter your account number, Social Security number or telephone access ID when prompted. Then choose the option to speak to a customer service representative and tell the representative that you want to close your account. The representative may try to keep you as a customer by offering some kind of retention offer (such as a special bonus), but you can decline and have them close the account anyway.

Another way to close your Bank of America credit card account is to visit a branch location in person. Or you can send a written request with your credit card number to: Bank of America / P.O. Box 982234 / El Paso, TX 79998-2234.

Keep in mind that canceling your Bank of America credit card may lead to a drop in your credit score, especially if it’s an old account. You can see how closing the card is likely to impact your score using WalletHub’s free credit score simulator.

To report a lost Bank of America card, log into your online account on Bank of America’s lost or stolen cards page, which works for both credit cards and debit cards. Another way to report a lost Bank of America card is to call customer service at 800-732-9194 for credit cards or 800-432-1000 for debit cards. Enter your account number, Social Security number or telephone access ID when prompted, then listen for the menu option to report your card as lost.

After you report your card as lost or stolen, Bank of America will immediately cancel your card so that it can’t be used (though your account will remain open), and they will send you a replacement. Once you receive the replacement for your lost Bank of America card by mail, you will need to activate it before you can use it. You should get your replacement card within 10 business days normally, but you can also call customer service and ask to have it expedited. Expedited cards come in 1 to 3 business days, though there may be a fee.

Luckily, you won’t be held liable for fraudulent purchases made by anyone who may have picked up or stolen your card. Bank of America credit cards and debit cards have $0 liability guarantees for fraudulent transactions. You should make sure to report unauthorized transactions as soon as you notice them, though.

No, Bank of America does not offer American Express credit cards as of November 2020. There have been some Bank of America American Express cards in the past, notably the Bank of America Accelerated Rewards and Accelerated Cash Rewards Amex cards. These were inexpensive rewards cards, but neither is currently available to new applicants, unfortunately. Bank of America only issues cards on the Mastercard and Visa networks right now.

Though there aren’t any Bank of America American Express cards to apply for at the moment, both Bank of America and American Express have plenty of good choices available separately. So both companies’ offerings are worth browsing.