Amex FR Fallout

[Charger_Fan19]

Thanks to all who posted. I'm going to see if I can get her an account at NFCU and have her balance transfer.

Yes the debt is mine. I started a new job that had me traveling a lot and the POT feature plus the general amex perks made her feel better about having her kid on the road. (I'm 32, yet will always be the baby). The promtion was a 90 day float and then 17.99 everything else was pif. The FR was triggered because as an AU I was charging more than her and more frequently. Since opening her account in the 70's she never charged more than 1000 a month and always PIF. I was using the float.. Never even heard of the FR process until this experience, I've come to find out its rather common. Her problem with the FR was first they asked for a paystub and she supplied. Then they called back asking for 3 months of bank statements and sent her a form for AMEX to contact the IRS and get copies of her tax returns. She decided that it wasn't worth it at that point, too invasive, especially since that info includes her husbands money which isnt releveant to AMEX. No reason for a loyal cardmember to be treated that way and to "all of the sudden" have a problem and freeze the account with no warning (literally leaving me stranded across the country) after nearly a year of this new spending pattern. Like I said, always PIF the non POT time charges and never hit the end of the float with out paying in full. I understand this is AMEX's perogative but I don't blame her a bit for giving them the boot.

Cherry on top was losing her 500K in points. 

[Creditaddict]

Charge card while it offers pay over time is not a feature Amex really wants you to use and pay over time AND charging more... It's the wrong credit card for that!

[Imperfectfuture]

---

@Creditaddict wrote:
Charge card while it offers pay over time is not a feature Amex really wants you to use and pay over time AND charging more... It's the wrong credit card for that!

---

Definitely this.  If you get it paid off, they will likely let you open a card in your name.  If it's your debt, have her add you to account, and ask for some interest love there.

[Charger_Fan19]

Who wouldnt take advantage of a 90 day float at 0%. Seems like a no brainer to me. Why offer the feature if you are going to penalize you for using it? It really left a bad impression on me. I was in a strange city and couldn't check in to my hotel. Neither one of us will be doing business with Amex again. I'm not worried about my relationship with them at all just hoping to get out of nearly 30% interest. Thanks for the tips tho.

[taxi818]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

@longtimelurker wrote:

---

@Skye12329 wrote:
Since your an AU only. Your not technically liable for payments. That would be your mother or the account owner. As for getting a reduction in APR I would suggest have her call amex. Also any lender does reserve the right to request tax and income verification documents. Why doesn't she just send them in? If there's nothing to hide it shouldn't be an issue.

---

This is a frequent argument.  They have the option to ask, you have the option to refuse, most frequently on privacy grounds.    YOu don't have to have something to hide to object.

But this is an interesting case.   I hadn't thought about pay over time and promotional rates going away when the card is closed.  That certainly increases the cost of non-compliance.

---

Agree completely.

---

Totally agree with LTL. I don't need to have something to hide. Like I don't want to be finger printed every time I enter the U.S.   I have nothing to hide. I'm not a criminal but I don't need a test to prove who I am. That's what my passport is for. 

[Creditaddict]

I don't completely disagree that they shouldn't explain better that this is kind of a one time use thing, emergency float thing... But they are a bank and a credit consumer should also know what type of product they are using and you are using a "charge card" which in essence were designed to be pay in full products and if your needs are different then you should get a different product.
From Amex's standpoint you have to look at they have had a 30 year relationship with a pay in full client who all of a sudden needs to revolve balances and not pay charges that are suppose to be paid in full... It's like fire alarm red flags going off of what has changed that this person can't afford the bike anymore... If mom had had a revolving credit card product Amex probably wouldn't have blinked but that's not what she had.

[Creditaddict]

Mom should protect her excellent credit and pay this off and let her baby pay her back because this is only hurting her!!

[longtimelurker]

---

@Charger_Fan19 wrote:

Thanks to all who posted. I'm going to see if I can get her an account at NFCU and have her balance transfer.

Yes

Cherry on top was losing her 500K in points. 

---

That is very bad.  Did they stop transfer when they started the FR? Harsh to keep it all!

The lesson from those that play closer to the edge: never leave large balances with cc accounts, because you never know!   Not that they are totally safe with say an airline, but more so, and the loss of flexibility is small compared to total loss as here.

[CreditCuriosity]

---

@longtimelurker wrote:

---

@Charger_Fan19 wrote:

Thanks to all who posted. I'm going to see if I can get her an account at NFCU and have her balance transfer.

Yes

Cherry on top was losing her 500K in points. 

---

That is very bad.  Did they stop transfer when they started the FR? Harsh to keep it all!

The lesson from those that play closer to the edge: never leave large balances with cc accounts, because you never know!   Not that they are totally safe with say an airline, but more so, and the loss of flexibility is small compared to total loss as here.

---

Couddn't you take them to small claims court and possibly win?  I know there is wording and what not in T&C's, but wording isn't golden...  Account hasn't been defaulted on yet.   I think I would go the court route if anything ever happened to me like this..  No clue if I would win, but that is quite a bit of rewards on the table there

[Anonymous]

---

@CreditCuriousity wrote:

---

@longtimelurker wrote:

---

@Charger_Fan19 wrote:

Thanks to all who posted. I'm going to see if I can get her an account at NFCU and have her balance transfer.

Yes

Cherry on top was losing her 500K in points. 

---

That is very bad.  Did they stop transfer when they started the FR? Harsh to keep it all!

The lesson from those that play closer to the edge: never leave large balances with cc accounts, because you never know!   Not that they are totally safe with say an airline, but more so, and the loss of flexibility is small compared to total loss as here.

---

Couddn't you take them to small claims court and possibly win?  I know there is wording and what not in T&C's, but wording isn't golden...  Account hasn't been defaulted on yet.   I think I would go the court route if anything ever happened to me like this..  No clue if I would win, but that is quite a bit of rewards on the table there

---

I'm under the impression that OP's mom closed the account without inquiring about the points... Doesn't seem like Amex's fault.  To me, it seems like Amex spotted an irregularity, asked for simple verification, and OP's mom flipped out and closed the account.  I see nothing wrong with what Amex did.  I certainly see nothing to take Amex to small claims over.  Call Amex, ask what your options are.  Find out if you can use those points to pay off a portion of your debt.