Chase INK Cash: Strange Email Mentions 3% Office Supply Rewards Rate

There are lots of grumblings (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) about an email sent just now from Chase about the INK Cash card earning 3% on Office Supply instead of the 5% rate we always get. The regular 5% rate still shows on the Chase site.

Check your emails for title: Appreciate your employees with these offers and benefits this Spring. Not everyone got the rewards amounts mentioned in the email. The email casually mentions the card earn rates as:

  • 3% at Office Supply, up to $2,000 per month
  • 3% at Gas Stations, up to $2,000 per month
  • 3% at Restaurants, up to $2,000 per month
  • 3% at Hardware & Home Improvement stores, up to $2,000 per month
  • 1% everywhere else

There have been similar grumblings a couple of times many years ago which turned out to be referencing an outdated grandfathered version of the INK card. This time there are a number of people who got it and apparently have the regular INK Cash card, so I’m not sure what to make of it. I assume some sort of error.

Update: readers confirm that these are the exact rewards levels on a grandfathered version of the INK card. Apparently, they sent out the email to many newer users in error.
    Chuck
  • On May 27, 2025, 21:14
Tags: chasechase inkchase ink business cashoffice supply

View Comments (28)

  • It actually wouldn't be a bad offer to have this employee cards, so long as it doesn't change things on the main card.

  • Wow, I forgot that that grandfathered Ink card earned 3% at anything other than home improvement stores. I had to apply for additional cards to earn more than 1% elsewhere many years ago. It annoys me how limited their "home improvement" category is, especially when Lowe's offers 5% to their cardholders.

      • The old Ink card does earn 3% on home improvement, restaurants, office supplies, and gas.

        • OP said it "earned 3% at anything other than home improvement stores." That's factually incorrect. If it were, it would be the best credit card ever made available.

          • OP said they forgot that the card earned 3% at anything other than home improvement stores - meaning, they thought it ONLY earned 3% at home improvement stores. Reading comprehension is fundamental.

  • I received the email also, with last 4 digits corresponding to my ink Plus (from ~13 years ago), and it shows the correct earning structure. 5x office; 5x cable/wireless/landline; 2x gas/hotels. Cap of $50K each account anniversary year.

  • I have this old no fee INK card (15 years) and these are the normal rewards levels.

    • ahha, okay, so then I guess they just sent out the old info to all cardholders instead of sending it specifically to those grandfathered cardholders

  • From the reddit thread: "Yes, I have an original ink cash card and these are exactly what the reward levels on it are and always have been."

    Looks like for some reason the email to everyone had the old ink cash earning levels, crisis averted

  • Did not get an email for my SSN nor EIN Ink cards. I have Ink Unlimited only on SSN (was Preferred).

    Unless this is Chase's new AI credit/marketing team it's probably a mistake. The extra 1% in gas isn't enough to justify a 2% drop at office supply. I really don't want to believe this.

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