wmarat wrote:
Do not use it in liquor store. <-- did that (low tab though, lol)
Do not use it in tire shop. <-- used it at the Honda dealer; does that count?
Do not use it on adult sites.
Do not use it on-line <-- do this all the time; easy to check my charges
Do not use it in bars <-- hey, I had the card in New Orleans, and DD#2 had it in Ireland! Of course it was used it in a bar; quite a few, in fact
Do not use it in man parlor <-- errr, don't know what this is, and don't want to, either
Do not use it for gambling
Do not use it for paying to shrink <-- but they loved having it used for an orthopaedic surgeon and physical therapist
Do not use it for paying to lawer
Do not use it for paying to family cancelor
Do not live in wrong zip code
Do not get morgage from the wrong lender <-- Our mortgage was shopped to Countrywide right after we got it 6 years ago; not a lot we can do there
Be ready for FR.
I think I might use it for a shrink, if I ever let worrying about this stuff make me crazy.
And the right zip code and occupation. That's not hearsay, that's substantiated. It was even in an article quoting an AmEx spokesperson (sorry, way too many months ago to hunt down the reference, but it was posted here on the boards, I think.)
Watchmann wrote:
... Your success with AMEX depends on sane, steady charging, and paying promptly over a long period of time. Very simple.
Red-lining by zip code in the foreclosure climate is very real, and it's pretty bitter for the forum members here who got hit, even though their own mortgages and equity are OK.
It's easy to see the AA triggered by payment patterns and so forth. But those zip code/ occupation ones are killers. Understandable from the lender's perspective but grossly unfair from the individual perspective.
I wish they'd be honest, and mail a letter saying something like, due to the current uncertainty in (your housing market) (your occupational field), we are having to reduce your available credit on a temporary basis in order to protect our interests. We do hope that you will be willing to stay with us as a customer, and we look forward to restoring your credit status as soon as conditions stabilize. --or something similar
IMO, they need to hire some ethics/ religion majors to deal with times like this, not just PR guys.
Actually, that is incorrect. Timothy was CLD'd on his Gold charge card, as was another member (can't remember who it was.)
Creditaddict wrote:
...Yes we have seen CLD on regular amex cards but that has never effected the charge card and has not slowed me down from where, who, and what I do with my charge card
Again, there are known behavior triggers for those who haven't been with them for long, and there are now also the issues of perceived foreclosure risk and unemployment risk, for those in certain areas and occupations. Not a lot you can do about the last two; the first is something that can be controlled, if so desired.
It will really, really help separate the heat from the light on all these posts if everyone will remember that American Express does loooooong engagements, and they can and will back out if they're not comfortable, whereas they appear to be a bit more tolerant with time and history. So showing a bit more respect for other people's experiences would really help us all.
You're right. And people keep posting those articles about not using your card at the "wrong" place the first time, and so forth. I sort of note these, but I'm not really convinced. Could be, but I'm sitting on the fence on this.
wmarat wrote:
Any information is incomplete when we discuss Amex. We are making assumptions based on what we read on different forums. I have happened to read people's reports that they have had Amex's AA due to using a card at liquor stores, or on line, or at bars...
Although the "man parlor', yes, that might do it!
