Act fast! Score an iPhone 12 with a new UOB credit card

If you’re new to UOB credit cards in Singapore, the bank has a very generous but also very limited offer for the first 30 successful applicants picking up a range of cards including the PRVI Miles and KrisFlyer UOB options, with a brand new iPhone 12 on offer.

To be eligible, you’ll have to successfully apply within the promotion period and be among the first 30 cardholders to meet a S$1,500 minimum spend, so this is a deal for those of you who can act fast and spend fast too.

The offer

If you aren’t currently a principal UOB credit card holder, and haven’t cancelled one of the bank’s credit cards in the six months leading up to 8th March 2021, you’re eligible to take part in this promotion.

Here are the promotion details:

• Valid from 8th March 2021 to 21st March 2021 (both dates inclusive)
• Only open to individuals who are new-to-UOB credit cards (see above)
• Successfully submit an application and be approved during the promotion period
• Activate your card and charge at least S$1,500 of eligible transactions within 30 days from your approval date

If you are among the first 30 customers to satisfy all of the requirements of this promotion, you’ll be eligible to receive one iPhone 12 (64 GB, Black), worth S$1,299.

If you are among the subsequent 100 participants of this promotion to satisfy all of the requirements, you’ll be eligible to receive a one-time S$50 cash credit.

Eligible Participants	Gift
1 to 30	iPhone 12
31 to 130	S$50 cash credit
131+	None

Remember that satisfying all the requirements also includes meeting the spend requirement, so you’ll have to be among the first 30 to hit S$1,500 in eligible transactions too, in order to qualify.

We would strongly recommend making the required spend almost immediately if you can, since this offer is bound to be popular and you’ll want to give yourself the best chance to snag the iPhone, which is worth S$1,299.

As you can see the offer unfortunately takes a big dive if you don’t manage to secure your spot in the top 30, with the subsequent 100 new cardholders picking up only a S$50 cashback gift, which is nothing to shout about.

If you end up with the cash credit, it can only be used to offset your credit card bill.

Which cards?

UOB is excluding the following credit cards from this promotion:

• UOB Lady’s Card
• UOB Lady’s Solitaire Card
• UOB Visa Infinite Metal
• UOB Privilege Banking Card
• UOB Reserve Card
• UOB Professional Platinum Cards

It’s a shame the popular 4 mpd Lady’s cards aren’t included, but the miles earning cards most of our readers are interested in remain eligible.

That includes the PRVI Miles options, with an entry-level income requirement, attractive miles earning rates, and no annual fee in the first year, though they do have their drawbacks too.

See our comprehensive review for full details.

The KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card is also part of the eligible lineup, with an uncapped 3 mpd on a wide range of everyday transactions, it potentially suits those who don’t want the hassle of a multi-card strategy for miles earning.

Again we’ve got a thorough review of that product to help you decide if it’s a good option.

Eligible transactions

Eligible transactions on your new UOB credit card for meeting the S$1,500 minimum spend for the purposes of this promotion includes all retail purchases, with the exception of:

• Bill payment transactions to utilities or telecommunication providers
• SMART$ transactions (in-store Cold Storage, Giant, Guardian, etc. purchases)
• NETS and NETS-related transactions
• 0% Instalment Payment Plans, personal loan, balance/funds transfers, cash advances, fees, interests, finance charges, late payment charges, annual fee charges, reversals, other financial charges

The following transaction types by MCC code are also excluded from counting towards the minimum spend for this offer:

Spend exclusion categories All transactions which are classified under the following Merchant Category Codes: 4829 Wire Transfer/Remittance 5199 Nondurable Goods 5960 Direct Marketing - Insurance Services 6012 Member Financial Institution–Merchandise and Services 6050 Quasi Cash–Financial Institutions, Merchandise and Services 6051 Quasi Cash–Merchant (Non-Financial Institutions – Foreign Currency, Non-Fiat Currency, Cryptocurrency) 6211 Securities–Brokers and Dealers 6300 Insurance Sales/Underwrite 6399 Insurance - Default 6513 Real Estate Agents & Managers – Rentals 6529 Quasi Cash-Remote Stored Value Load-Financial Institute Rentals 6530 Quasi Cash-Remote Stored Value Load-Merchant Rentals 6534 Quasi Cash-Remote Money Transfers 6540 Stored Value Card Purchase/Load 7349 Clean/Maint/Janitorial Serv aka Property Management 7511 Quasi Cash – Truck Stop Trxns 7523 Automobile Parking Lots and Garages (from 1 Feb 2021) 7995 Gambling - Betting, including Lottery Tickets, Casino Gaming Chips, Off-Track Betting, and Wagers at Race Tracks 8062 Hospitals (from 1 Feb 2021) 8211 Schools, Elementary and Secondary 8220 Colleges, Universities, Professional Schools and Junior Colleges 8241 Schools, Correspondence 8244 Schools, Business and Secretarial 8249 Schools, Trade and Vocational 8299 Schools and Educational Services–Not Elsewhere Classified 8398 Organizations, Charitable and Social Service 8661 Organizations, Religious 8651 Organisations, Political 9211 Court Costs including Alimony and Child Support 9222 Fines 9223 Bail and Bond Payments 9311 Tax Payment 9402 Postal Services—Government Only 9405 Intra-Government Purchases—Government Only 9399 Government Services—not elsewhere classified Miles are also not awarded for: Stored Value Card Purchase/Load (including Grab mobile wallet top-ups) Selected transactions on wire transfers Payments to Non-Financial Institutions (e.g. crypto-currencies etc) Payment of Funds to Prepaid Accounts (see T&C for full list) All transactions or payments made at, via or to AXS

Notable exclusions include payments for education, Grab wallet top-ups, hospitals and insurance.

When will you know?

In true UOB style with these ‘gambling’ promotions, you won’t even know if you’ve made the top 30 (or the top 130 for that matter) until mid-July, so hopefully your current phone isn’t in urgent need of replacement!

If you are eligible for either gift under this promotion, UOB will inform you by 15th July 2021.

As usual with these promotions, your credit card account must be active and in good standing at the time the gift is awarded.

Terms and conditions

Full terms and conditions applicable to the UOB Credit Card iPhone & Cash Promotion are available at the following link:

 UOB Credit Card iPhone Promotion T&C

Summary

As usual with UOB, a nice offer but you’re taking a chance with this one since winning the race to be approved and hit S$1,500 spend as one of the first 30 new-to-bank UOB credit card holders is by no means guaranteed, no matter how fast you act.

Despite the generosity of the headline iPhone gift, a S$50 cash credit alternative for the next 100 successful applicants to meet the requirements is hardly worth shouting about (equivalent to around 3% cashback if you meet the minimum spend exactly).

Worse still of course, those ‘crossing the line’ in 131st place and beyond won’t receive anything.

The best opportunity for success is to act quickly, and that probably means signing up today and hitting the spend threshold as soon as you get the chance.