Chase Bank: how to use it for bank switching

The best ‘dummy’ account to nab bank switch offers.

When you use an existing account for bank switching it means that first account closes for good. That’s not always a bad thing, but there are reasons why you might want to avoid this.

And that’s where a ‘dummy’ current account comes in, and Chase is the perfect one to choose.

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What is a ‘dummy’ current account?

A ‘dummy’ current account is an extra one which you don’t ever use or need. It exists purely for the purpose of bank switching. Most current accounts can be a ‘dummy’, but there are few account features you’ll want to avoid when choosing one.

If your existing account has the following you’ll want to keep hold of it:

• it has any perks such as free cinema tickets or cash rewards
• it’s required for a high paying regular saver or linked savings account
• the account offers cashback on bills or spending
• you need to have the current account for a special deal on a credit card, mortgage or other product with the same bank
• it’s an account you’ve had for a long time
• it’s one of the best apps for banking

There are also a handful of accounts where you can’t switch away, including Revolut, Kroo and Monese. Plus if you don’t have a valid debit card on your existing account at other banks, some new banks might not accept your switch in.

However if you have any accounts that don’t meet these criteria then they’re good contenders for using when you switch away.

Why Chase is the best ‘dummy’ account

Assuming you don’t want to close down an existing account for the switch, then you’ll want to open up a new account to use as the ‘dummy’.

But there’s another problem here. Most high street banks will perform a hard credit search on your credit report when you apply. It’s not the end of the world if this happens, but combined with another hard search for the new account you’ll be switching too, that’s two searches in a short space of time, which is best avoided. Especially if you’ve other credit needs in the near future.

The good news is there are a handful where a soft search happens instead, which won’t be visable on your credit report to other banks. The key banks here are Monzo, Starling and Chase.

However, go with Monzo or Starling and you might find when you switch away that you struggle to reopen an account with either bank in the future. They’re both two of our top rated app based current accounts, so I wouldn’t use either as a ‘dummy’.

The same is true for Chase Bank. It’s a decent app and even though it’s cashback rate on spending and interest rate on savings aren’t as good as they were, it’s still an account I wouldn’t want to lose. Especially since if you completely close a Chase account you can’t EVER reopen one in the future.

But there is a workaround with Chase that means you can keep it open and it’s features while still using it to switch away for other bank’s welcome offers.

How to use Chase Bank as a ‘dummy’ switch account

The trick is very simple, and it’s thanks to a feature where once you have your initial Chase current account, you’re able to open up to nine more within the app. With each of these there still won’t be a hard credit search, so there’s no impact on your finances whether you have one or all ten.

To open a new account, you need to:

• Open the Chase app
• On the ‘Spend’ tab you’ll see ‘Current accounts’ listed
• Tap the ‘Add +’ button here
• Click ‘Next’
• Choose a name for the account (e.g. ‘Dummy’)
• The account will be opened and appear in your ‘Current accounts’ list

Each new account you create has a new account number, and along with the sort code, this is all you really need to enter when completing the switch application. It’ll only be the account you enter these details for which is closed when the switch happens, not any others you have with Chase.

What if you need a debit card number?

As mentioned some current account offers require you to enter the long 16 digit card number from your ‘dummy’ account. But there’s no need to worry about that here.

Chase works a little differently to other banks as you won’t be sent a new debit card with each new account. Instead, you connect your debit card to the current account you want to use for payment before spending. So you’ve only got one card number for all your accounts.

However, new banks only ask for the debit card number as a check, and though the ‘dummy’ Chase current account will close, the debit card will continue to function. You don’t even need to link the debit card to the ‘dummy’ account for the switch to process.

What to watch out for

It’s worth reiterating that you must never switch when you have just one Chase current account as it will completely close your entire account, including savings accounts, and prevent you ever opening it up again.

On that note, make sure you don’t accidentally use a separate Chase savings account rather than an extra Chase current account. The switch won’t work.

I’d also be cautious about how often you do this, especially in a short space of time. Though it’s not against any rules, Chase could well see it as an abuse of their services and decide to close your account. But if you’re still using Chase for other features, such as 1% cashback on shopping and travel, or only do this a few times a year, I’d hope you’d be ok.