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Get Your Credit Card Late Charge Waiver in Singapore!

May 22, 2017/ KC / General / 17 comments

Find out how to get your credit card late charge waiver (or annual fee waiver) in Singapore with our step-by-step guide.

What comes to your mind when you hear credit card fees? It is likely the hated annual/membership fees. We often find it excessive, unexpected and downright unreasonable.

Until recently, I realised that there is a more “money-grabbing” fee – credit card late charge or late fee. It is auto added to your statement one day after missing your credit card bill payment deadline!

How did my late fee on credit card come about?

I always make sure I pay my credit card bills before the deadline. But due to crazy work schedules, I have missed my bill payment, by a day or two, for the past 3 months on my POSB Everyday Card.

When I finally got my life back, I had a rude shock while looking through my statements for the past 3 months. These are what I saw:

• LATE CHARGES (4 Mar) – S$80.00
• LATE CHARGES (3 Apr) – S$80.00
• LATE CHARGES (4 May) – S$100.00

Wow, that’s a whopping S$260.00 in late payment charges!

Get your late charge waiver with a quick phone call

Apart from lamenting about how mercenary the banks are, we can do something about it – call for a waiver!

It is a pretty simple and quick process. Call up your credit card’s customer service line and select a few phone options. And the system will process your waiver.

I managed to get my last late charge of S$100 waived within a minute.

Step-by-step guide – How to get a late fee (or annual fee) waived?

(Last updated on 8 June 2020)

Here’s how I got my late payment waiver. And for the benefit of all, I have also documented the instructions for most banks in Singapore.

American Express – AMEX Late Fee Waiver

1. Dial 1800-392-2020
2. Press 1 to confirm Card number and skip to Point 5.
3. OR Press 2 and then Key in your Card number
4. Key in 4-digit Customer Passcode OR Date of Birth in DDMM format
5. Hold WITHOUT choosing any options
6. Press 0 to speak to a customer care professional
7. Inform customer care that you would like to request for late payment fee waiver
8. You will be updated immediately on your late fee waiver request

AMEX Annual Fee Waiver

1. Repeat Instructions 1 to 4 (as above)
2. Inform customer care that you would like to request for annual fee waiver
3. You will be updated immediately on your card waiver request

Citibank Credit Card Waiver of Late Fee

1. Call Citibank Singapore Hotline 65-6225-5225
2. Key in your NRIC or Credit Card number
3. Press 1 for late or interest fee waiver
4. Press 1 to place request
5. Key in your 8-digit registered mobile number
6. You will receive a phone call or SMS in 3 to 5 business days

Citibank Annual Fee Waiver

1. Repeat Points 1 & 2 (of above)
2. Press 2 for self-service banking
3. Press 2 to request one-time pin via SMS
4. Key in your one-time pin
5. Press 1 for other menu options
6. Press 0 to speak to customer service officer
7. Verbally ask for an annual fee waiver

DBS Late Charge Waiver

1. Call DBS Credit Card Waiver Hotline 1800-339-6666
2. Press 1 for English language
3. Key in your Credit Card/NRIC number, and press # key
4. Press 1 to continue without PIN
5. Press 2 for fee waiver request
6. Press 1 for credit card fee waiver
7. Key in your Credit Card number, and press # key
8. Press 3 for annual fee waiver
9. Hold and wait for it has been approved message

DBS Annual Fee Waiver

1. Same as above

HSBC Late Charge Waiver

1. Dial HSBC Singapore Hotline 1800-227-6868
2. Press 2 for credit card fee waiver
3. Press 2 for late charge
4. Press 2 to continue
5. Key in your Credit Card number
6. Key in your mobile number, followed by the # key
7. You will receive an SMS update in 5 to 7 business days

HSBC Membership Fee Waiver

1. Repeat Instructions 1 & 2 (of above)
2. Press 1 for membership fee
3. Repeat Instructions 4 to 7 (of above)

OCBC Late Fee Waiver

1. Dial OCBC Credit Card Hotline 1800-363-3333
2. Press 1 for English
3. Say these words: “Request Fee Waiver”
4. Say these words: “Credit Card Charges”
5. Key in your NRIC number followed by the # key
6. Key in your Credit Card number, followed by the # key
7. Key in your mobile number
8. Press 1 to confirm mobile number
9. Wait for notification in 5 business days

OCBC Annual Fee Waiver

1. Same instructions as above

POSB Late Charge Waiver

1. Dial 1800-339-6666
2. Press 1 for English
3. Key in your NRIC or Credit Card number, followed by the # key
4. Press 1 to proceed without PIN
5. Press 2 for fee waiver request
6. Press 1 for credit card fee waiver
7. Key in your Credit Card number, and press # key
8. Press 3 for annual fee waiver
9. Hold and wait for it has been approved message

POSB (Everyday Card & Others) Annual Fee Waiver

1. Same as above

Standard Chartered Late Fee Waiver

1. Dial 1800-747-7000
2. Press 1 for English
3. Press 2 for credit card fee waiver
4. Press 2 for late fee waiver
5. Key in your Credit Card number
6. Wait for confirmation message

Waive Stand Chart Annual Fee

1. Repeat Steps 1 to 3 (as above)
2. Press 1 for annual fee waiver
3. Repeat Steps 5 to 6 (as above)

UOB Credit Card Late Fee Waiver

1. Dial UOB Card Waiver Hotline 1800-222-2121
2. Press 1 for English
3. Key in your NRIC or Credit Card number
4. Press 1 to confirm
5. Press 4 to leave contact details for fee waiver
6. Press 1 for credit card fee waiver
7. Press 2 for late charge or finance charge fee waiver
8. Key in your mobile number, followed by the # key
9. Press 1 to confirm
10. Key in your Credit Card number, followed by the # key
11. Press 1 to confirm
12. Wait for SMS or phone call within 5 to 7 business days

UOB Membership Fee Waiver

1. Repeat Instructions 1 to 6 (as above)
2. Press 1 for membership fee waiver
3. Repeat Instructions 8 to 12 (as above)

When should you call?

You should call immediately once you realised you have missed the payment deadline.

This will allow the bank to include the late fee reversal in your statement. And this will offset the late charge in the Grand Total amount of your actual statement.

Did your bank refuse to grant you a late charge waiver after you have made a request? Or is there a bank that you wish to see in the list above? Share it with us in the comments below!

Need help with your credit card debt?

If you cannot get your late fee waived and the amount owed is increasing, trustworthy Singapore moneylenders – like AK Credit – will be able to help at a rate much lower rate.

Tags annual fee waivercredit cardlate charge waivermembership fee