Amex Backdating AU

[handle_free]

Hello everyone,

I have a question on an issue I seem to be having with Amex.

Quick background.

My DW has been a member with Amex since 2003 and has a regular green card.

I figured I could help her out by adding her as an AU on my BCP acct to help her with a revolving acct/increase her TL and also so she could boost her AAoA by having another card dating back to 2003 reporting to the CRA's not to mention also spare her the INQ. BTW her BCP card does show a member since date of 2003 matching her original green card.

Now today we looked at her EXP and see that the new BCP acct was reported just fine but with an acct open date of 7/13. So instead of helping her I might have messed up her AAoA, and the other 2 have yet to report. This has caused her AAoA to go down instead of up. I called the Amex # on the back of card and was told that this was correct and even is she had opened her own acct it would report as being opened on 2013.

I was under the impression that regardless of acct type Amex would backdate members acct to the member since date and report it so to the CRA's.

Im thinking now about removing her as my AU. Will this restore her AAoA or has the damage been done already? Let DW apply for her own card but again risking hers wont backdate as mentioned by the CSR making matters worse.

Any advice on how to proceed w this?

Thanks a million guys.

[mongstradamus]

I don't think amex backdates if you are an AU, i recently was put as an au on an amex costco card. They wouldn't back date to my old amex account that has been reporting for about 20+ years. 

[Open123]

As a courtesy, Amex used to backdate an AU to the date of the Basic cardmember.  This is no longer the case, and the current date is used, as you've experienced.

From what I know, if your wife applies, then her 2003 date should be used, unless her being an AU on your card has reset her membership date to 03.  I'm not sure how Amex handles this these days.

[Crashem]

My comment is going to complicate the discussion, but hopefully I can explain it clearly.

At some point (around year and half ago), Amex started not backdating AU accounts automatically in a lot (if not most) cases.  Let me explain what I mean:

1) AU accounts reporting their open date as the date where AU was issed AU card

2) Adding someone as AU will still set their member date.  Their member date will still be used for any cards they are the primary cardholder.

Let me use my wife as example,

1) Added her as AU in Dec 11 (my member date is 89)on plat card. Card shows open date of 12/11 on credit report, and member since of 11 on credit card

2) She opened her own Amex BCP on March 2012.  Showed 3/11 as open date on credit report.  Did not show her member date from when she was an AU on her dad's account in 1995.

3) Got backdated to 1995

4) Amex BCP now showing 3/95 as open date on both card and credit report.  AU Plat Card showing open date of 12/11 on credit report, and member since of 11 on credit card

5) Opens own AMEX SPG card on 5/12.  Open date shows as 5/95 on credit report and member date

6) Added as AU on Amex Centurion in Dec 2012.  Card shows open date of 12/12 on credit report and 11 on member since on credit card

Tried to argue about AU being backdated to either my member date or her member date for platinum AU Account to no luck when she she got backdated to 1995.  However didn't use centurion CS line.  Asked Centurion line to reissue her AU cards with member date of 1995.  They did it gladly.  Now the question is whether or not credit report will pick it up.  It didn't pick it up for AU platinum when her member date got changed to 1995, but then we never actually got the AU plat card reissued with 1995 member date.  Let you know if this helps.

[09Lexie]

Here's my situation, this might even be more confusing.

1. Earlier this year, added DH to my PRG. His card came with 1990 MSD
2. DH credit report did not backdate
3. DH is a primary on Delta Gold, Im an ACM- his card came with MSD of 1985 ( which matches my MSD)
4. Online account matches 1985 date for DH.

Delta has not reported yet on CRAs .

[Crashem]

I think this might be the simplest way to look at it:

1) First AMEX as primary or AU sets the member since date.

2) Any cards you own as primary should be backdated to your member since date (which is year only).

3) If AU on card, YMMV on when the card is reported open, but expect it to be reported open when it was opened.  Btw, this is worse than it would be on a VISA/MC which would report the exact same as the original card.  Therefore, I would recommend only giving AU status to someone who never had an AMEX or someone who couldn't qualify for an AMEX.

Now I am still waiting to see if jogging the member since dates on my wife's AU cards results in it jogging the reported open date on credit reports, but I am not holding my breath.

[handle_free]

I think I can shed some more light on the matter in our case.

My original MSD is this year being 2013 (new member) so that could've complicated things and caused Amex to report this year to the CRA's. Now Crashem, when we received my DW BCP card it was dated 2013 and after calling CSR a new card was issued to her name with her original MSD of 2003 (they were extremely friendly about). We were hoping that since the new card was issued (corrected) with her original MCD they would also report it as so to the CRA's. Doesn't seem to be case unfortunately. Again we're still waiting for the other 2 CRA's to report but it doesn't look good.

YMMV, hoping it works out for your DW, DH as well Lexie