I wanted to share my experience with AMEX and get suggestions from people here who have strong relationships with AMEX.
Back in 2012 - my scores were in the range of 620-650 when I applied for my first AMEX card. It was the Green card; I got excited and applied also for the BCE and was approved for $1,000. That was my highest credit line at the time. However with time I was able to get approved for many other cards with much higher limits and my requests for CLIs with AMEX have all been denied. The reason they list every time is 'Your FICO score'.
I'm trying to understand the criteria for a CLI with AMEX. I've had the BCE since 2012 with no CLI at all - I admit that for quite sometime I carried a balance on the card (when I was still in college) but I paid it off after graduating right away. Could that be the reason they have such a low internal score for me?
Two things come to mind:
- When I was approved for the BCE I added my mother as an AU on the account (she had no credit history at all before that). Last year she applied for the BCE and was approved for $2k .. then got an increase to $6k. She has much lower income than me and still an AU on my account. I don't understand it!
- AMEX approved me for 3 other cards in 2014 - I got Delta Platinum , Everyday and Hilton Surpass all with $1000 each!
My income is $82k .. my current utilization is %40 (will go down significantly in 3 months).
I really apprecaite all the suggestions.
Yeah .. two things I plan on doing. Not apply for credit for at least 6 months .. and reduce my utilization. When I called a rep told me if you reduce your balances you might get a CLI.
Well throughout 2012 and 2013 I was carrying about 50-60% balance on the BCE .. I only had 4 other cards with balances as well. Last year I added about 6 cards and I ran some large amounts on them .. still paying them down. So I guess yes .. every time I requested a CLI I had some balance .. either on AMEX or other cards.
@CreditCuriousity wrote:@Guessing it was your utilization that doomed you... @Anonymous%
Each time you have tried have you had a balance or high utilization being 30-50ish% across the board when you tried? Plenty of peope that have current balances on Amex get the CLI, although they are usually not very high balances...
Yeah I plan to pay off all my AMEX cards next month .. have them at zero balance. I plan to use either my ED or BCE card and PIF and then ask for CLI at the end of the year.
@Anonymous wrote:
@CreditPacMan wrote:I wanted to share my experience with AMEX and get suggestions from people here who have strong relationships with AMEX.
Back in 2012 - my scores were in the range of 620-650 when I applied for my first AMEX card. It was the Green card; I got excited and applied also for the BCE and was approved for $1,000. That was my highest credit line at the time. However with time I was able to get approved for many other cards with much higher limits and my requests for CLIs with AMEX have all been denied. The reason they list every time is 'Your FICO score'.
I'm trying to understand the criteria for a CLI with AMEX. I've had the BCE since 2012 with no CLI at all - I admit that for quite sometime I carried a balance on the card (when I was still in college) but I paid it off after graduating right away. Could that be the reason they have such a low internal score for me?
Two things come to mind:
- When I was approved for the BCE I added my mother as an AU on the account (she had no credit history at all before that). Last year she applied for the BCE and was approved for $2k .. then got an increase to $6k. She has much lower income than me and still an AU on my account. I don't understand it!
- AMEX approved me for 3 other cards in 2014 - I got Delta Platinum , Everyday and Hilton Surpass all with $1000 each!
My income is $82k .. my current utilization is %40 (will go down significantly in 3 months).
I really apprecaite all the suggestions.
It is your utilization, that has got to come down. It's not about your income, which is descent. What is your current score?
Yeah .. I understand why they denied me last time .. but it seems like a pattern. Even when my scores where in the 700s ( 705 last July) they denied me for the same reason (Your FICO score). My current score with EX is 635.