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@bs6054 wrote:I don't think lionsfan was disputing the Member Since stuff, he/she was suggesting that it didn't fully carry over to the AAoA calculation.
My guess is that is not the case, as the CR shows the Member Since date, so the algorithm would have to be tweaked just for Amex cards, and i doubt that happens.
However, it IS strange in the case being discussed, where the new card is "backdated" to 1/12, before the user had ANY Amex. Why don't they just backdate to the date of the older card, which seems more logical and as easy
Although of course, the whole thing is illogical! As I've remarked before, this must make more work for other lenders, who have to determine if the AAoA is really accurate. Similarly for Amex SP for denials for existing card holders. Other lenders depend on HPs from all potential lenders to determine if the customer is desperate for credit. Amex hides this from them, while getting the benefit of full info from other lenders....
Do any lenders actually do this? After you populate the payment history (2 years, I think?), a backdated card is indistinguishable from a card that's been open the full length of time (at least on the free annual credit reports). On the other hand, it would be trivial for other lenders to "rebel" against Amex and treat all tradelines from Centurion Bank as one "account", as Amex seems to view their cardmembership.
@kekrre wrote:
@bs6054 wrote:I don't think lionsfan was disputing the Member Since stuff, he/she was suggesting that it didn't fully carry over to the AAoA calculation.
My guess is that is not the case, as the CR shows the Member Since date, so the algorithm would have to be tweaked just for Amex cards, and i doubt that happens.
However, it IS strange in the case being discussed, where the new card is "backdated" to 1/12, before the user had ANY Amex. Why don't they just backdate to the date of the older card, which seems more logical and as easy
Although of course, the whole thing is illogical! As I've remarked before, this must make more work for other lenders, who have to determine if the AAoA is really accurate. Similarly for Amex SP for denials for existing card holders. Other lenders depend on HPs from all potential lenders to determine if the customer is desperate for credit. Amex hides this from them, while getting the benefit of full info from other lenders....
Do any lenders actually do this? After you populate the payment history (2 years, I think?), a backdated card is indistinguishable from a card that's been open the full length of time (at least on the free annual credit reports). On the other hand, it would be trivial for other lenders to "rebel" against Amex and treat all tradelines from Centurion Bank as one "account", as Amex seems to view their cardmembership.
Sorry, I should have put an "if" there, as in "if they wanted to determine..." I was thinking more of manual review for a mortgage, which may be more discounting the whole credit age, rather than doing a recalculation.
But, I did see on my credit report "Months Reviewed" on each card, which for the backdated Amex showed the actual age rather than the backdated age (so the card I got in Feb 12 had at that stage 9 Months Reviewed, other cards had 99 months reviewed for example (that seemed to be the max so probably a 2 digit field!)
But I like the idea about treating all accounts as one!
@SwampSystems wrote:
@bs6054 wrote:Why BCE? Don't understand the love for this particular card!
For me, it was just to finally have an Amex card (and thus have one card on each major network). If you don't travel (and don't care for MR points), the BCE makes the best sense as a no-AF, cash-earning Amex product. The glamor has definitely worn off though -- with the exception of Small Business Saturday, I haven't used mine since cashing out the sign-up bonus.
BCP has nothing to do with being a travel card. It's rewards come from grocery stores, department stores, and gas. 3 things you would spend money in even if you never left your own town (assuming you owned a car).
BCP makes fiscal sense for 80% of the population as far as I can tell. The other 20% eats out all the time or doesn't own a car or have other cards that fit those categories.
@webhopper wrote:
BCE and BCP are nice if you shop for groceries at a grocery store. our local grocery does not accept amex and so we use other cards...
Perhaps I will expand my assumptions by another 5%. Thanks, Web!
@SnackTrader wrote:
@SwampSystems wrote:
@bs6054 wrote:Why BCE? Don't understand the love for this particular card!
For me, it was just to finally have an Amex card (and thus have one card on each major network). If you don't travel (and don't care for MR points), the BCE makes the best sense as a no-AF, cash-earning Amex product. The glamor has definitely worn off though -- with the exception of Small Business Saturday, I haven't used mine since cashing out the sign-up bonus.
BCP has nothing to do with being a travel card. It's rewards come from grocery stores, department stores, and gas. 3 things you would spend money in even if you never left your own town (assuming you owned a car).
BCP makes fiscal sense for 80% of the population as far as I can tell. The other 20% eats out all the time or doesn't own a car or have other cards that fit those categories.
Right, which is why I said the Blue Cash series makes more sense than any of the Amex travel cards.
I was on the fence, but the clock has barely struck midnight, and my trigger finger is VERY itchy! The backdating is SO tempting. Would increase my AAoA by around a year, based on the spreadsheet I use to calculate AAoA. And I like the 3% for groceries.
That said, I would really like a good sign-up bonus like some got earlier in 2012. So, maybe I'll wait... if I can!