@Open123 wrote:
@enharu wrote:
So you have done that once a year with Amex cards and you have gotten the full sign-up bonus each time round? Which Amex cards have you churned thus far?
Citi cards are very churnable except for their personal AA card, but the TY points are a lot more useless compared to UR or MR. I'm sitting on a lot of TY points and I'm not even sure what to do with it because i don't have any student loans nor mortgages to redeem for. Transferring it to Hilton seems like a pretty bad deal too.
The executive AA card is considered as a separate product and I should be able to get the 50k (or whatever the current offer is then) offer for the regular AA card, right?
Have you gotten the arrival bonus more than once?
Well hopefully my account opening spree last year helps to establish a pattern of mass account openings, so that issues like this hopefully won't happen again in the future I suppose.I don't churn Amex too much, but the only where I have a couple of times is (1) SPG; (2) Bus Gold; and (3) the MB to regular Platinum. The first two, I waited after 12 months, and called for the applicaiton. The CSR even checked for me to ensure I past the 12 month restriction and eligible for the bonus. They were targetted offers with RSVPs in my name, but not sure if that makes a difference.
Yes, the Exec 100K AA is completely seperate from the other AAs. I plan to app for the Exec AA, once the 9 day wait period passes on my 50k AA Advantage. Right, TY points are pretty useless all around. I suppose, my niece is thankful I have them, since I just redeem them all, once a year for her to use. Easier than shopping for her b'day present, I suppose.
No, but my friend has just applied for a 2nd Arrival. Barclays has insisted to him that he'll get the bonus, but I'm not sure. If he does, I'll app for it again, naturally.
Please keep me updated on whether your friend got his Arrival bonus again! 
I can't do it now, but doesn't hurt to find out! How long was his previous Arrival closed for? I may have to close mine early to "prep" as well then.
I have the MB Plat currently. Does this mean I will still qualify for the regular Platinum sign-up bonus?
@Ron1 wrote:Sorry to hear it. They closed all my accounts when they were Bank One. They didn't send me any letter to explain the reason.
Ron.
Thanks Ron.
How long did you wait until you put in a new app again with them?
@HeilFico wrote:
I've opened 4 in 12 months. Very worried...
If nothing has happened to you so far, you will be fine.
What triggered my review was the inquiry done by Chase for my Palladium card.
And the analyst pointed out that it was due to a combination of excessive number of inquiries and aggressive credit seeking behavior.
@red259 wrote:I never considered getting this card until I saw this post. I just went and read about it and I don't really see the appeal (at least for my needs). Unless I was going to be putting a 100k though it per year or maybe if I needed united lounge access? Although if I was on united that much I would think I would pick up the united club card for that benefit? Was just curious as to the appeal of the card. Its not bad or anything, just seems like other chase cards might fill rolls slightly better.
The 100k spending for 35k bonus UR definitely is one of the nicer perks to help offset the AF.
There are many useful perks of the cards, namely hidden tradeline, lounge access and airline perks (UA and BA mostly), hotel status (GHA black for instance is a great perk if you stay at some of their hotels), higher protection / claim limits compared to most other Chase cards, no fee cash advances, etc.
Many of the perks have been stripped away over the past years, similar to the situation Amex Plat is in. According to Bibro and several other posters on FT, the Palladium will be improved sometime next year. Hopefully the same can happen for the Amex Plat, otherwise I will be cancelling that.
@sailor_mercury wrote:Just trying to understand... What is VR? Is it a good, like alcohol or is it something like a gift card or cash equivalent?
Sorry for not being in the know
Vanilla reload. It's a prepaid card to help reload your bluebird or many other online accounts. Think it covers Paypal too nowadays?
Pretty much a cash-equivalent.
And to add: I've done zero MS. Not even 1 GC purchase.
@newUser0 wrote:I am really very sorry about this. Just now, I got my CSP (5K) card by UPS.
I went to CVS to get some VR. They will be usually out of stock, but today they had 6. That's what was needed to meet my spending requirements. Then, swiped my card for 3.1K. It did not went through, and asked the cashier to call the back to be approved.
Later Chase Fraud team called me up immediately, asked 10-15 Questions about CR and all and then they approved the charges. I am really getting VERY VERY SCARED now...
This is my 3rd card with chase in less than 2 months...
I think I would be too. 3K at CVS? What is that BUT MS? 
I know to each his (or her) own, but why not pay your usual bills instead of MS? Just wondering...
@adavis425 wrote:
@newUser0 wrote:I am really very sorry about this. Just now, I got my CSP (5K) card by UPS.
I went to CVS to get some VR. They will be usually out of stock, but today they had 6. That's what was needed to meet my spending requirements. Then, swiped my card for 3.1K. It did not went through, and asked the cashier to call the back to be approved.
Later Chase Fraud team called me up immediately, asked 10-15 Questions about CR and all and then they approved the charges. I am really getting VERY VERY SCARED now...
This is my 3rd card with chase in less than 2 months...
I think I would be too. 3K at CVS? What is that BUT MS?
While 3k on a new card at CVS is not a great opening move you should understand that this type of activity is not always MS. MS is creating spend for the sake of spend. Some people are just trying to pay bills such as rent/mortgage and other bills that they normally can not pay directly with a credit card and not necessarily generating spend and then paying the card back with the same money. Granted some people do that, but that is not the only reason why this method is used.
;
To most banks, buying any sort of prepaid cards or cash equivalents to circumvent cash advance policies is manufactured spending. They most likely don't care what the VR is being used for. Someone who buys 7000 worth of VRs for his mortgage payment or 7000 worth of VRs for rewards abuse doesn't change the fact 7000 worth of cash equivalents were bought using a CC.
Some people may have really high mortgages or bills as well but that doesn't justify them buying 15-30k worth of VRs each month.
And well.... 3k at cvs.... can buy you lots of cialis / Viagra
Some people may have really high mortgages or bills as well but that doesn't justify them buying 15-30k worth of VRs each month.
And well.... 3k at cvs.... can buy you lots of cialis / Viagra
Main reason for 3K charge was the excitment of seeing VR. But, also, I wanted to see, if I can push a 3K transaction at once and will It be approved.
My Max single transaction till now would be like 550$.
Again used my CSP in walmart and Taco Bell. It still working
@enharu wrote:
To most banks, buying any sort of prepaid cards or cash equivalents to circumvent cash advance policies is manufactured spending. They most likely don't care what the VR is being used for. Someone who buys 7000 worth of VRs for his mortgage payment or 7000 worth of VRs for rewards abuse doesn't change the fact 7000 worth of cash equivalents were bought using a CC.
Some people may have really high mortgages or bills as well but that doesn't justify them buying 15-30k worth of VRs each month.
And well.... 3k at cvs.... can buy you lots of cialis / Viagra
+1. Generally it would the purchase of cash equivalents they would complain about.
Now if you are using a 1x reward card, arguably this way they would get something from the transaction whereas if you paid your mortgage or rent by check they wouldn't
(and you wouldn't have got a cash advance anyway). But if they had a concern, these fine distinctions wouldn't matter.
Buying 3k of Viagra would raise concerns from different agencies though! "It's for my personal use, honest"
@enharu wrote:Please keep me updated on whether your friend got his Arrival bonus again!
I have the MB Plat currently. Does this mean I will still qualify for the regular Platinum sign-up bonus?
About 8 months ago? He even app'ed for the CSP again, but the CSR informed him there's only one bonus per lifetime. I told him to let me know if he gets the bonus again. If it is churnable, I'll cancel immediately and app for it again in several months.
Amex has closed the MB Plat and regular Plat product differentiation allowing it qualify for a new 50K bonus. This no longer works.
@longtimelurker wrote:
@enharu wrote:
To most banks, buying any sort of prepaid cards or cash equivalents to circumvent cash advance policies is manufactured spending. They most likely don't care what the VR is being used for. Someone who buys 7000 worth of VRs for his mortgage payment or 7000 worth of VRs for rewards abuse doesn't change the fact 7000 worth of cash equivalents were bought using a CC.
Some people may have really high mortgages or bills as well but that doesn't justify them buying 15-30k worth of VRs each month.
And well.... 3k at cvs.... can buy you lots of cialis / Viagra+1. Generally it would the purchase of cash equivalents they would complain about.
Now if you are using a 1x reward card, arguably this way they would get something from the transaction whereas if you paid your mortgage or rent by check they wouldn't
(and you wouldn't have got a cash advance anyway). But if they had a concern, these fine distinctions wouldn't matter.
Buying 3k of Viagra would raise concerns from different agencies though! "It's for my personal use, honest"
In a way, they could also interpret as you being a baller and getting all kinds of action because of that too!
@Open123 wrote:About 8 months ago? He even app'ed for the CSP again, but the CSR informed him there's only one bonus per lifetime. I told him to let me know if he gets the bonus again. If it is churnable, I'll cancel immediately and app for it again in several months.
Amex has closed the MB Plat and regular Plat product differentiation allowing it qualify for a new 50K bonus. This no longer works.
Hmm guess no more Plat promos for me then. Unless Amex does something about the Plat before my AF is due, I will most likely cancel it anyways as well.
Please let me know if he does get the sign-up bonus again