What is the best Amex Card to start over with after a 15 year Charge-off?

[BBYGRL]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Definitely check their prequal site.  I think it's actually one of the accurate ones. 

Please let us know what your results are.  

Good Luck!

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Thank you Bumblebee! I will be sure to follow up with you all! :-)

[pipeguy]

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@BBYGRL wrote:

I get get the pre-qual offers for the Amex Premiere Gold and the Blue Cash cards frequently. I'm afraid to apply fearing I will be denied. They soft pull me regularly. Is there a number for the Oasis program that I can call? I do want to pay my debt to them. 

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@creditguy wrote:
Apply for what you want not what you think you can get, your scores are good enough for any of their cards. Have you tried a pre qual to see if any offers show up? If not, give it a try, it may help with figuring out if your still blacklisted or not.

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If AmEx is currently soft pulling you on a regular basis then you are still on their internal "list" and my educated guess is you'll get denied for a prior default. That said, since you said you'd be willing to pay the charge-off, why don't you call them and offer to pay the charge off under the terms that they do NOT report the account as "paid after charge off" aka concerns that your good deed will end up as a reset of the SOL and they report "correctly" - I assume you are happy with the current reporting (after 7 years it doesn't show). Frankly if you are willing to pay in full a time-limited debt they are not going to castigate you on the phone. 

Once paid, you might need to wait a few years but they'll let you back in. Frankly I'm not much of an AmEx fan (long story I won't get into it) so I wouldn't bother, but if getting an AmEx is important to you, that's how I'd do it. Feel free to ask them if and when they might let you back in, don't be surprised if they give you a non-commital kind of answer.

[longtimelurker]

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@pipeguy wrote:

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@BBYGRL wrote:

I get get the pre-qual offers for the Amex Premiere Gold and the Blue Cash cards frequently. I'm afraid to apply fearing I will be denied. They soft pull me regularly. Is there a number for the Oasis program that I can call? I do want to pay my debt to them. 

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@creditguy wrote:
Apply for what you want not what you think you can get, your scores are good enough for any of their cards. Have you tried a pre qual to see if any offers show up? If not, give it a try, it may help with figuring out if your still blacklisted or not.

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If AmEx is currently soft pulling you on a regular basis then you are still on their internal "list" and my educated guess is you'll get denied for a prior default. That said, since you said you'd be willing to pay the charge-off, why don't you call them and offer to pay the charge off under the terms that they do NOT report the account as "paid after charge off" aka concerns that your good deed will end up as a reset of the SOL and they report "correctly" - I assume you are happy with the current reporting (after 7 years it doesn't show). Frankly if you are willing to pay in full a time-limited debt they are not going to castigate you on the phone. 

Once paid, you might need to wait a few years but they'll let you back in. Frankly I'm not much of an AmEx fan (long story I won't get into it) so I wouldn't bother, but if getting an AmEx is important to you, that's how I'd do it. Feel free to ask them if and when they might let you back in, don't be surprised if they give you a non-commital kind of answer.

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YOu can also just apply (for a card you want!) and see what happens.  If you are really blacklisted, it usually won't be an HP, and you will be clearly told the issue (prior unsatisfactory relationship or something).  If that happens, then you could call and discuss the options, and follow pipeguy's advice.  And, if you are lucky, you get approved anyway!

If the default is a lot (for whatever that means to you) consider if it is worth it to one day maybe get an Amex card.

[Anonymous]

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@longtimelurker wrote:

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@pipeguy wrote:

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@BBYGRL wrote:

I get get the pre-qual offers for the Amex Premiere Gold and the Blue Cash cards frequently. I'm afraid to apply fearing I will be denied. They soft pull me regularly. Is there a number for the Oasis program that I can call? I do want to pay my debt to them. 

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@creditguy wrote:
Apply for what you want not what you think you can get, your scores are good enough for any of their cards. Have you tried a pre qual to see if any offers show up? If not, give it a try, it may help with figuring out if your still blacklisted or not.

---

If AmEx is currently soft pulling you on a regular basis then you are still on their internal "list" and my educated guess is you'll get denied for a prior default. That said, since you said you'd be willing to pay the charge-off, why don't you call them and offer to pay the charge off under the terms that they do NOT report the account as "paid after charge off" aka concerns that your good deed will end up as a reset of the SOL and they report "correctly" - I assume you are happy with the current reporting (after 7 years it doesn't show). Frankly if you are willing to pay in full a time-limited debt they are not going to castigate you on the phone. 

Once paid, you might need to wait a few years but they'll let you back in. Frankly I'm not much of an AmEx fan (long story I won't get into it) so I wouldn't bother, but if getting an AmEx is important to you, that's how I'd do it. Feel free to ask them if and when they might let you back in, don't be surprised if they give you a non-commital kind of answer.

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YOu can also just apply (for a card you want!) and see what happens.  If you are really blacklisted, it usually won't be an HP, and you will be clearly told the issue (prior unsatisfactory relationship or something).  If that happens, then you could call and discuss the options, and follow pipeguy's advice.  And, if you are lucky, you get approved anyway!

If the default is a lot (for whatever that means to you) consider if it is worth it to one day maybe get an Amex card.

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If the OP was blacklisted, AMEX wouldn't send them offers after a SP.

[UncleB]

Lots of good advice here so far.

I'll only add that I was approved last year for two Amex accounts 15 years after including them in a BK7 (Bankruptcy Ch. 7).  I never paid them back.

I will also add that like others have mentioned, they 'forgave' but they definitely didn't forget... in my case they also updated my 'Member since" date online within a few days of  my approvals, but each time I've tried to get a CLI on my BCP (Blue Cash Preferred) I've been turned down due to the account that was included in bankruptcy 15 years ago.  While I would like a slightly higher credit line, it is what it is, and I'm simply glad to have accounts with them again.  (Oddly, in my case they won't give me a CLI, but they will approve additional revolving credit lines).

As for your soft pulls, keep in mind that using their pre-qual site will create a SP inquiry on your credit, so that's likely why you see the SPs.  As for Oasis, if it were me I would first apply for a new account; if you're 'blacklisted' you'll simply be turned down without a HP anyway, so there's no harm in trying.  If you are blacklisted, you can then pursue getting back with them via Oasis.  I understand your desire to pay them back, but at this point it might create more obstacles for you than it's worth (in my opinion), especially if you're able to get approved for an account anyway.

We do use many abbreviations on here; here's a link to a thread with a list of many of the most common ones:

http://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/User-Guidelines-General/Common-Abbreviations/m-p/88458#M23

Good luck whatever you decide! 

[BBYGRL]

Thank you all for the great advice!  I think I'm ready to see what happens.  I'm well aware they may reject me but I will never know until I try. Thinking postive thoughts. 

I used this link https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/tools/25330?linknav=us-CCSG-ProspectNav-SpecialOffer... check my offers. Only the Amex Everyday and Everyday Preferred were listed. Decisions, decisions. 

[BBYGRL]

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@UncleB wrote:

Lots of good advice here so far.

I'll only add that I was approved last year for two Amex accounts 15 years after including them in a BK7 (Bankruptcy Ch. 7).  I never paid them back.

I will also add that like others have mentioned, they 'forgave' but they definitely didn't forget... in my case they also updated my 'Member since" date online within a few days of  my approvals, but each time I've tried to get a CLI on my BCP (Blue Cash Preferred) I've been turned down due to the account that was included in bankruptcy 15 years ago.  While I would like a slightly higher credit line, it is what it is, and I'm simply glad to have accounts with them again.  (Oddly, in my case they won't give me a CLI, but they will approve additional revolving credit lines).

As for your soft pulls, keep in mind that using their pre-qual site will create a SP inquiry on your credit, so that's likely why you see the SPs.  As for Oasis, if it were me I would first apply for a new account; if you're 'blacklisted' you'll simply be turned down without a HP anyway, so there's no harm in trying.  If you are blacklisted, you can then pursue getting back with them via Oasis.  I understand your desire to pay them back, but at this point it might create more obstacles for you than it's worth (in my opinion), especially if you're able to get approved for an account anyway.

We do use many abbreviations on here; here's a link to a thread with a list of many of the most common ones:

http://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/User-Guidelines-General/Common-Abbreviations/m-p/88458#M23

Good luck whatever you decide! 

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Which one did you apply for first? Just curious. I will certainly choose one that fits my needs. I just wonder if I have a better chance if I apply for the ones I received as offers first. I know it's hard to know until I apply. 

[UncleB]

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@BBYGRL wrote:

Which one did you apply for first? Just curious. I will certainly choose one that fits my needs. I just wonder if I have a better chance if I apply for the ones I received as offers first. I know it's hard to know until I apply. 

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I actually applied for the Green card, since that was the one I was most familiar with (it's the one I had all those years ago).  Honestly I was expecting a decline, and I was planning on using the decline to get a copy of my credit report (I was new to the forum then).  You could have knocked me over with a feather when it was approved!

I had read enough to know that many folks could get a charge card and a revolver the same day with one HP, so I applied for the BCP (the card I really wanted anyway) and was approved as well, but only for $1k (where it still is). 

Later I realized that the PRG would have been much better than the Green, so back in April I closed the Green and in May I got the PRG and Delta Gold  (again with one HP).  I plan to keep the PRG for the long haul, and at some point I'll probably move the credit line from the Delta Gold to the BCP, and close the Delta Gold.

It's generally believed that charge cards are easier to get approved for than the revolving cards, but I would only apply for a charge card if I actually had a need for it.  The "2-for-1" on the HPs usually works for a revolver and a charge, but it's not guaranteed (YMMV) - basically if you apply for two cards, expect two HPs and just be pleased if it turns out to be only one.  Since it's easy to redeem the $100 airline credit on the PRG I consider it to effectively have a $95 AF, which is the same as the Green anyway, and it earns MR points at a higher level for some categories. 

Hope this helps! 

[UncleB]

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@BBYGRL wrote:

Thank you all for the great advice!  I think I'm ready to see what happens.  I'm well aware they may reject me but I will never know until I try. Thinking postive thoughts. 

I used this link https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/tools/25330?linknav=us-CCSG-ProspectNav-SpecialOffer... check my offers. Only the Amex Everyday and Everyday Preferred were listed. Decisions, decisions. 

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Keep in mind that many of us (myself included) have never gotten a prequal for an Amex product, yet we still got approved. 

I would still go for the card you actually want... that you have prequals for any product at all is a good sign. 

[BBYGRL]

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@UncleB wrote:

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@BBYGRL wrote:

Thank you all for the great advice!  I think I'm ready to see what happens.  I'm well aware they may reject me but I will never know until I try. Thinking postive thoughts. 

I used this link https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/tools/25330?linknav=us-CCSG-ProspectNav-SpecialOffer... check my offers. Only the Amex Everyday and Everyday Preferred were listed. Decisions, decisions. 

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Keep in mind that many of us (myself included) have never gotten a prequal for an Amex product, yet we still got approved. 

I would still go for the card you actually want... that you have prequals for any product at all is a good sign. 

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I WAS APPROVED!  Woo hoo! I feel redeemed! All of that hard work paying off debt and restoring my credit score paid off! Patience it key!! 

I applied for the card on their recent offer - Amex Everyday Card. The APR is high after the 0% intro but they gave me a 15k limit. What? I'm happy but stunned. I will certainly make sure they know I am worthy of a second chance. Paying off any balances every month. ;-)  Thank you all for sharing your experience and for your encouragement. I really do feel like that dark Amex cloud has finnally lifted!  I love the MYFICO community! Woot!