Credit Cards

[GregB]

I didn't get any comment out of Amex for $8,800 at a gas station.................

[AndyK]

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Koop10010 wrote:

Liquor stores are state-owned where I live and they take Amex.  I used mine there once, nothing happend....

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State liquor stores where I live (in Ohio) won't accept credit or debit cards. Cash only. I've been to quite a few of them and they all have the same policy.

The only one that I've been able to pay at a card with was a state liquor store inside a Kroger. Too bad it's on the opposite side of town - not worth the trip just to avoid having to use an ATM.

[Koop10010]

I guess Virginia is different.  I hardly drink so I don't shop at the ABC stores very often, I was expecting them to only take cash.  I was presently surprised they took credit cards.  

[jamesdwi]

I don't think they care, firstly CSR and reps don't see more than your account summary unless they need to see something, and even at that point I think they are all pretty much numb, at what they see, if you don't believe that read this thread http://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Credit-Cards/100-000-CREDIT-FROM-VICTORIAS-SECRET-ANGEL-CARD/td-p/12... tell a customer that they are owed $100,000 with a straight face, and the CSR didn't put the customer on hold and  request 3-4 managers and employees to verify? they just said yes you have a ninety-nine thousand dollar credit, and offered to cut him a check. If that isn't numb I don't know what is. 

I know when I worked in a Walmart store as a cashier, I really didn't care what the people bought, or how they paid unless it was a really unusual transaction, like $1,200 in 3 carts. In my entire 5 years at walmart, I can only recall maybe 10 or so transactions and believe me those 10 were really strange. You just get used to it, people do crazy things sometimes but mostly its all just the same. I bet at the credit card card companies it the same, but even then its all just numbers and letters on the screen. If an actual person is reviewing your invidiual account, there is even less to take note of, they may see some customer payed $100 at a resturant or perhaps a fast food place. Just because you know the place you visited is a dive and no one would ever order  $100 worth of chicken. Someone a 1000 miles away has no idea what  the resturant is, for all they know you could of just dropped $100 at the nicest resturant in town. 

If you don't contact a front line CSR, no one besides you and and merchant has any idea what you bought. Even people that do recon's don't have access to what you bought and when they see a summary page and your Credit report, my guess is that unless they drill down they probably can't even see that you pay your bill every other day or pay the day before your  statement cuts. They see you charged $5000 last month and paid in full. They would probably even need to drill down to see if you paid it before the statement cut or not.. Most companies have strict limits on what each person can see, and if its not there job to see certain facts they probably don't see them without extra work and perhaps extra scrutiny called to them self. AMEX doesn't want bored CSR's looking at Janet Jackson's or Tom Cruise's AMEX account and seeing where she shopped and what she bought. 

[taylour]

I use my Hilton Amex at liquor stores and bars quite a bit. No problem at all. I rarely go to Walmart, and was thinking as I swiped the card, what they were thinking. Probably nothing at all! They've got too many other things to worry about than what merchants we select to purchase at.

[dyv8914]

There was a time (2008-09 financial crisis) when Amex was doing CLD and other AA specifically mentioning "stores where you shop are seen as high risk."

To me this is absolutely ridiculous. If they don't want you to use their card somewhere they should just not accept it at those merchants. But to AA someone after the fact is downright unethical. I think they learned their mistake b/c they did a promo with Walmart as one of their cardmember offers - like spend X amount get $10 back like they have with Whole Foods currently. I think Walmart is also one of the MR gift card redemptions.

I didn't have an Amex back then so I can't say I was treated unfairly but if they ever do something like that to me I won't hesitate to SD both my cards and close my savings account with them in a second. Whether I shop at Walmart (which I do) or Whole Foods (which I do) I have every right to do so.

[LS2982]

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webhopper wrote:
Wonder what Amex thinks of all my fried chicken from charlies chicken

Does anyone know if Amex cares who the merchant is?

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In all honesty they shouldn't and it's quite petty if they really do. They should only be concerned about your CR and your ability to pay them back.

[GomerPyle]

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jamesdwi wrote:

I don't think they care, firstly CSR and reps don't see more than your account summary unless they need to see something, and even at that point I think they are all pretty much numb, at what they see, if you don't believe that read this thread http://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Credit-Cards/100-000-CREDIT-FROM-VICTORIAS-SECRET-ANGEL-CARD/td-p/12... tell a customer that they are owed $100,000 with a straight face, and the CSR didn't put the customer on hold and  request 3-4 managers and employees to verify? they just said yes you have a ninety-nine thousand dollar credit, and offered to cut him a check. If that isn't numb I don't know what is. 

I know when I worked in a Walmart store as a cashier, I really didn't care what the people bought, or how they paid unless it was a really unusual transaction, like $1,200 in 3 carts. In my entire 5 years at walmart, I can only recall maybe 10 or so transactions and believe me those 10 were really strange. You just get used to it, people do crazy things sometimes but mostly its all just the same. I bet at the credit card card companies it the same, but even then its all just numbers and letters on the screen. If an actual person is reviewing your invidiual account, there is even less to take note of, they may see some customer payed $100 at a resturant or perhaps a fast food place. Just because you know the place you visited is a dive and no one would ever order  $100 worth of chicken. Someone a 1000 miles away has no idea what  the resturant is, for all they know you could of just dropped $100 at the nicest resturant in town. 

If you don't contact a front line CSR, no one besides you and and merchant has any idea what you bought. Even people that do recon's don't have access to what you bought and when they see a summary page and your Credit report, my guess is that unless they drill down they probably can't even see that you pay your bill every other day or pay the day before your  statement cuts. They see you charged $5000 last month and paid in full. They would probably even need to drill down to see if you paid it before the statement cut or not.. Most companies have strict limits on what each person can see, and if its not there job to see certain facts they probably don't see them without extra work and perhaps extra scrutiny called to them self. AMEX doesn't want bored CSR's looking at Janet Jackson's or Tom Cruise's AMEX account and seeing where she shopped and what she bought. 

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I personally found Bernie Madoff's AMEX account very fascinating when it got plastered all over the internet. I would love to see what wealthy people buy.

[littlesister]

I use mine at kfc sometimes and also use it at the buffet in Foxwoods alot. Then I go to the car wash.

 Never had an issue with amex. The only time they soft my report is if I apply for new credit.

[webhopper]

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GregB wrote:

I didn't get any comment out of Amex for $8,800 at a gas station.................

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How can you spend 8k at a gas station?