Adding auth user to AMEX that had bad history?

[09Lexie]

I think the difference is default account vs just having bad credit. Keep in mind, the 'path' to getting your own Amex is also being an ACM. I would think that they are monitoring all ACMs credit -if not just for potential marketing. Like youngandcreditwrthy mentioned the possibility of FR has been mentioned here for various reasons namely the ACM charging more than the primary.

Amex is one of the few lenders that ask for SSN and DOB for all ACM's. although you might not agree with their policies - their business model works.

[steffiejoe]

Interesting information. I added my daugther over 1 year ago, who had no credit . She was 17 at the time. I wanted to make sure she had the card for emergencies while living on campus at  college. Now she is commuting to college and working full time. I rarely use the card , she uses it almost daily . The thing I like is I set the amount of  credit available for her use. 

I was thinking about adding my fiance who has had credit issues . He is working on repairing his credit but now I will have to give this more thought. 

[Creditaddict]

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@Mike_B03 wrote:

Well, I'm not even going to try because I went to do it to see what the process is like and right there at the top it says...

Complete the fields below to add an Additional Card member to your account. All Additional Card members must be 15 years of age or older and must never have had a defaulted account with American Express.

I just got this card and was amazed to even get it, not about to risk losing it.

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Amex has gone back and forth a couple times over the years... For the longest time they did not care about any past cardholder history if being added as additional cardholder to someone in good graces... then during the bad economy they made some changes that basically ran the additional through their internal system and if they owed amex money it simply denied the add on... They have switched back to IT IS FINE....

Additionaly cardholders credit doesn't even get softed so you all are off in fairy land talking about cardholders getting FR and shut down because of additional cardholders bad credit.

You can add someone and it will spit it back instantly if it's approved... it kind of feels like you are applying for credit. and since additional cardholders can set up their own online access and see credit up to what the primary authorizes them for, it can feel like your own amex account too!

I have been on both sides of this so I'm speaking from current experience.