topic Re: Amex Blacklist in Credit Card Applications

Amex Blacklist

Jeffster1 — Sun, 22 May 2022 01:27:57 GMT

I filed my Chapter 13 in April 2017, and was discharged in January 2021. It ended being a 100 percent plan as I sought, and got my DC early. I included two Amex cards in my 13. Today I decided to test the waters with the Amex pre-qualifier. It said I was pre-qualified for the Gold. Recently, I had tried it and it said I wasn't qualified for anything.

I pulled the trigger on the application for the Gold. TU pull....but denied. I'll wait for the letter to see the reasons for rejection. My TU FICO8 is at 690. My reason for posting is that it looks like I am not on the Amex blacklist. All that I have read indicates that they would not have even pulled a CR if I were on the blacklist. Is that still correct?

Re: Amex Blacklist

sjt — Sun, 22 May 2022 01:30:51 GMT

@Jeffster1 wrote:
I filed my Chapter 13 in April 2017, and was discharged in January 2021. It ended being a 100 percent plan as I sought, and got my DC early. I included two Amex cards in my 13. Today I decided to test the waters with the Amex pre-qualifier. It said I was pre-qualified for the Gold. Recently, I had tried it and it said I wasn't qualified for anything.

I pulled the trigger on the application for the Gold. TU pull....but denied. I'll wait for the letter to see the reasons for rejection. My TU FICO8 is at 690. My reason for posting is that it looks like I am not on the Amex blacklist. All that I have read indicates that they would not have even pulled a CR if I were on the blacklist. Is that still correct?

I would call and find out. Its not the BK because its past the 5 years (they go by date filed). You can also go to this link:
https://online.americanexpress.com/eaol/statusCheckAction.do

Re: Amex Blacklist

Jeffster1 — Sun, 22 May 2022 01:38:51 GMT

@sjt

i cannot thank you enough for that link. I'll try it again later as it appears to be down. I'm getting the following message, "We apologize, but due to a system error we are currently unable to access your application. Please try again later."

I'll try later. Thank you again. I'm sure it's too many Inquiries.

Re: Amex Blacklist

sjt — Sun, 22 May 2022 02:47:57 GMT

Also, try calling 800-528-4800

Re: Amex Blacklist

ReturnOfTheCredi — Sun, 22 May 2022 17:24:42 GMT

My BK discharge hits the 10-year mark in August. It has already fallen off my Equifax report, but not TU or Experian (and my scores on TU and Experian are about the same or slightly higher than my Equifax......not sure why that is). To this day Amex still auto-denies any app I submit. I don't personally care much since there are SO many better options than anything Amex offers, but I'll still check again in September or after. I have seen some people claim they were able to get back in with them with their BK still showing, but it seems to be a crap shoot.

Re: Amex Blacklist

Rogue46 — Sun, 22 May 2022 20:09:14 GMT

I was back in with Amex just over the 5.5 yr mark if that helps

Re: Amex Blacklist

sjt — Mon, 23 May 2022 15:07:26 GMT

@ReturnOfTheCredi wrote:
My BK discharge hits the 10-year mark in August. It has already fallen off my Equifax report, but not TU or Experian (and my scores on TU and Experian are about the same or slightly higher than my Equifax......not sure why that is). To this day Amex still auto-denies any app I submit. I don't personally care much since there are SO many better options than anything Amex offers, but I'll still check again in September or after. I have seen some people claim they were able to get back in with them with their BK still showing, but it seems to be a crap shoot.

Did you burn Amex in your BK? Also, I would contact Experian and Equifax to see if you can get an early deletion of your BK. Experian tends to delete 3-4 months prior upon request.

Re: Amex Blacklist

ReturnOfTheCredi — Mon, 23 May 2022 15:21:58 GMT

Yes, Amex was included. I want to say to the tune of $4k or less. Don't recall off hand. I suppose I could stay blacklisred with them indefinitely.

Also, Equifax was the one that already dropped the BK. Do you have a number that I can reach someone at for Experian and TU that would be able to remove the BK early? I'd never heard that before, so thanks for the tip!

Re: Amex Blacklist

bigseegar — Mon, 23 May 2022 15:26:22 GMT

@sjt wrote:
@ReturnOfTheCredi wrote:
My BK discharge hits the 10-year mark in August. It has already fallen off my Equifax report, but not TU or Experian (and my scores on TU and Experian are about the same or slightly higher than my Equifax......not sure why that is). To this day Amex still auto-denies any app I submit. I don't personally care much since there are SO many better options than anything Amex offers, but I'll still check again in September or after. I have seen some people claim they were able to get back in with them with their BK still showing, but it seems to be a crap shoot.

Did you burn Amex in your BK? Also, I would contact Experian and Equifax to see if you can get an early deletion of your BK. Experian tends to delete 3-4 months prior upon request.

If you burned AmEx you can expect a wait of 10-20 years probably to come off Blacklist. I didn't burn them or owe them and it still took me 19 years to be removed.

Re: Amex Blacklist

ReturnOfTheCredi — Mon, 23 May 2022 15:27:21 GMT

He was responding to me about the early BK drop off. I'm about to hit 10 years in August.

Re: Amex Blacklist

bigseegar — Mon, 23 May 2022 15:51:03 GMT

@ReturnOfTheCredi wrote:
He was responding to me about the early BK drop off. I'm about to hit 10 years in August.

And so was I. If you burned AmEX don't expect to come off the Blacklist just because the BK falls off your reports.

Re: Amex Blacklist

coldfusion — Mon, 23 May 2022 16:03:08 GMT

@bigseegar wrote:
@sjt wrote:
@ReturnOfTheCredi wrote:
My BK discharge hits the 10-year mark in August. It has already fallen off my Equifax report, but not TU or Experian (and my scores on TU and Experian are about the same or slightly higher than my Equifax......not sure why that is). To this day Amex still auto-denies any app I submit. I don't personally care much since there are SO many better options than anything Amex offers, but I'll still check again in September or after. I have seen some people claim they were able to get back in with them with their BK still showing, but it seems to be a crap shoot.

Did you burn Amex in your BK? Also, I would contact Experian and Equifax to see if you can get an early deletion of your BK. Experian tends to delete 3-4 months prior upon request.
If you burned AmEx you can expect a wait of 10-20 years probably to come off Blacklist. I didn't burn them or owe them and it still took me 19 years to be removed.

That is a huge YMMV, as every senario is different. There are reported data points that are all over the map including those with less than 10 years on the list. Your example is one of the longest I remember ever reading.

One recurring theme appears to be that if AMEX were IIB in a BK and the cardholder later on made them whole (voluntarily on their own initiative if a BK7) it tends to have a positive impact on the amount of time on the blacklist.

Re: Amex Blacklist

ReturnOfTheCredi — Mon, 23 May 2022 16:08:40 GMT

No, you edited your response. You were addressing two things, one to the OP and one to me. You quoted one of the responses about contacting Equifax and Experian to see if they would remove my BK a couple months early and stated "it wouldn't happen" because I had not yet hit the 7-year mark. You clearly got myself and the OP mixed up.

I only responded to the OP about my Amex experience. I never said I wanted off their list early and don't really care enough about any of their products to go out of my way pursuing an "early release."

Re: Amex Blacklist

bigseegar — Mon, 23 May 2022 17:38:44 GMT

@coldfusion wrote:
@bigseegar wrote:
@sjt wrote:
@ReturnOfTheCredi wrote:
My BK discharge hits the 10-year mark in August. It has already fallen off my Equifax report, but not TU or Experian (and my scores on TU and Experian are about the same or slightly higher than my Equifax......not sure why that is). To this day Amex still auto-denies any app I submit. I don't personally care much since there are SO many better options than anything Amex offers, but I'll still check again in September or after. I have seen some people claim they were able to get back in with them with their BK still showing, but it seems to be a crap shoot.

Did you burn Amex in your BK? Also, I would contact Experian and Equifax to see if you can get an early deletion of your BK. Experian tends to delete 3-4 months prior upon request.
If you burned AmEx you can expect a wait of 10-20 years probably to come off Blacklist. I didn't burn them or owe them and it still took me 19 years to be removed.
That is a huge YMMV, as every senario is different. There are reported data points that are all over the map including those with less than 10 years on the list. Your example is one of the longest I remember ever reading.

One recurring theme appears to be that if AMEX were IIB in a BK and the cardholder later on made them whole (voluntarily on their own initiative if a BK7) it tends to have a positive impact on the amount of time on the blacklist.

Of course it is and of course they do.

As to time frame I've seen several folks post on here their time on the BL was near 20 years like mine was and many in other Groups and Forums as well. As we all know, you, me or none of us have the "answers" as to why/how AmEx does what they do. We can only relate personal experience and DP's and experience of others as shared.

Re: Amex Blacklist

Jeffster1 — Mon, 23 May 2022 18:26:59 GMT

@sjt wrote:
Also, try calling 800-528-4800

Thanks for that! I called the number and was told that I was not really denied. My application was "cancelled" because they needed a 4506-C (but didn't tell me). The rep was very helpful. I called back and got a few clarifications on the form, and it's on its way.

My takeaway is that:

1. I am not on the blacklist.
2. I could still be denied but this really only took about 30 minutes of my time.
3. Amex definitely differentiates between BK situations when it comes to the blacklist.
4. If they deny me, reagardless the reasons (too many inquiries, too many "new" accounts), it is something that will rectify itself within far less time than the blacklist would have taken.

5. I'd be happy with any deal they might come up with to get my foot in the door with Amex.

Re: Amex Blacklist

TRC_WA — Mon, 23 May 2022 21:09:39 GMT

@ReturnOfTheCredi wrote:
Yes, Amex was included. I want to say to the tune of $4k or less. Don't recall off hand. I suppose I could stay blacklisred with them indefinitely.

I closed my $1k Delta Gold prior to filing my Ch 13 in Jan 2017... and was just approved last week for a $10k Delta Gold. They pulled EX which showed 665 and I also got a notification they pulled TU which is even lower than that.

I honestly think me not burning them made a difference.

@coldfusion wrote:
@bigseegar wrote:

If you burned AmEx you can expect a wait of 10-20 years probably to come off Blacklist. I didn't burn them or owe them and it still took me 19 years to be removed.
That is a huge YMMV, as every senario is different. There are reported data points that are all over the map including those with less than 10 years on the list. Your example is one of the longest I remember ever reading.

One recurring theme appears to be that if AMEX were IIB in a BK and the cardholder later on made them whole (voluntarily on their own initiative if a BK7) it tends to have a positive impact on the amount of time on the blacklist.

My mileage definitely varied. I feel super lucky to be back with Amex.

Re: Amex Blacklist

MarkintheHV — Thu, 26 May 2022 01:08:10 GMT

I burned Amex back in 2011 in a CH7 and I didnt repy them. After BK fell off, I tried once in awhile to see, and they always offered me a Credit One Amex. Last month I gave it a try and got approved for Delta gold (5k) and BCP (15k).

Time on the blacklist seems to vary a lot these days

Re: Amex Blacklist

Antredd — Sat, 04 Jun 2022 02:41:02 GMT

My original AMEX Green Card was issued to me in 1987 when I was a college student. I burned my second AMEX Gold card in a Ch7 BK, filed in April 2012 primarily because of my getting laid off from work, loss of income, and my wife's illness during the Great Recession.

I waited 8 years later to apply, but I kept getting denied. I would say that I was on AMEX's blacklist because AMEX never did a hardpull. I would get an instant denial, and their reason for my denial was because" my AMEX account was closed by issuer."

However, there is light at the end of the tunnel. After waiting 10 years until my Ch7 Bk aged off in April 2022, I tried again to apply for my AMEX card when my FICO score shot up 39 points placing me well into the 700 point club.

Yesterday I went on AMEX's site to see would I be preselected for their AMEX card, and to my surprise, I was prequalified for their AMEX Everyday Card. I went for it and applied. Then I saw the spinning circle which scared me because typically I would get an instant denial. All of these thoughts started going through my mind. Am I still on their blacklist or not? Then a message popped up that I haven't seen before asking me would I like to add an authorized user. Now my heart begins to beat really fast in anticipation of being denied again or getting approved. Well, I was finally approved with a 5,000 limit. AMEX pulled my Experian which was 720.

Since the AMEX green card was my first credit card approved in 1987, it had a sentimental value to me. So now that I am back in the AMEX family, I will gradually build my new relationship with them and wait a year to start applying for their other cards. So needless to say, I am absolutely ecstatic that I am back in the AMEX family.

Re: Amex Blacklist

ReturnOfTheCredi — Sat, 04 Jun 2022 02:39:46 GMT

That's interesting. I hit my 10 years on August 24th, so we'll see how it goes in September or so and report back.

Congrats on getting back in the AMEX fold!

Re: Amex Blacklist

Antredd — Sat, 04 Jun 2022 02:46:20 GMT

I guess for me, I needed to wait two months after the BK aged off. I did apply for AMEX Gold Card after all three credit bureaus reported that my BK had aged off in April. And again, I was denied. They do have a site to see if you are prequalified/preselected for one of their cards.