topic Re: Amex CLI Declined in Credit Card Applications

Amex CLI Declined

ScarlettHusky — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 09:31:38 GMT

Hey y'all.

Today marked 6 months since the last CLI I apped for according to my calendar. I did receive an automatic CLI from Amex on my platinum SkyMiles card a couple months ago, but the research I've done said that auto CLIs don't reset the clock so I apped for the standard 3x increase.

I was declined, and the AA letter stated the sole reason was "Your income is insufficient for any additional credit lines or increases due to the amount of existing lines open with American Express". Unless someone can offer some insight, it sounds like I am pretty much capped at 12K with Amex unless I get a raise at work, or transfer to a higher paying role. Scores in siggy are current, reported income is 65K.

Thought y'all would like the DP.

Re: Amex CLI Declined

AverageJoesCredit — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 13:11:17 GMT

@ScarlettHusky wrote:
Hey y'all.

Today marked 6 months since the last CLI I apped for according to my calendar. I did receive an automatic CLI from Amex on my platinum SkyMiles card a couple months ago, but the research I've done said that auto CLIs don't reset the clock so I apped for the standard 3x increase.
I was declined, and the AA letter stated the sole reason was "Your income is insufficient for any additional credit lines or increases due to the amount of existing lines open with American Express". Unless someone can offer some insight, it sounds like I am pretty much capped at 12K with Amex unless I get a raise at work, or transfer to a higher paying role. Scores in siggy are current, reported income is 65K.

Thought y'all would like the DP.

Sorry to read the denial. I'm kinda in same boat with Amex. My income is low but has gone up a little last year or so . Ever since burning them in a bk my second chance I vowed to keep them PIF and I have done so but it doesn't matter to them I'm capped at about 14k over various cards but always get rejected on cli requests. To be fair I have alot of debt but imho Amex will like who they like and those that don't fill those parameters won't matter what you do. Honestly though unless someone is using them heavy I find other lender cards have more value to me. Thanks for sharing

Re: Amex CLI Declined

4sallypat — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 14:45:53 GMT

Yah, Amex seems to know your income more than other banks which relates to their ability to offer preapproval on a SP.

For years, I had a small business and didn't leverage that with Amex (Platinum only since 1993).

Then in 2020 when I divulged I had a small side business, apped for their Business card (Amazon Prime) with an EIN, I got a huge SL.

Last month they pre-approved me for the BCP with $10K SL - now I have 3 AX products.

Try starting a small side gig business - might help overcome the personal card limit.

Re: Amex CLI Declined

Gregory1776 — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 01:32:42 GMT

@4sallypat wrote:
Yah, Amex seems to know your income more than other banks which relates to their ability to offer preapproval on a SP
And how do they know that!!

Re: Amex CLI Declined

MissLiz — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 13:50:38 GMT

I'm sorry about your denial, but do appreciate the DP's.

Re: Amex CLI Declined

Gregory1776 — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 03:17:16 GMT

@Gregory1776 wrote:
@4sallypat wrote:
Yah, Amex seems to know your income more than other banks which relates to their ability to offer preapproval on a SP
And how do they know that!!

Couldn't quote it properly.

how does American Express find that out?

Re: Amex CLI Declined

Snook_on_the_Line — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 13:24:30 GMT

There are many way they could know what a customers income is. There are a number of small CRAs that deal with payroll services One I can think of off the top of my head is called TheWorkNumber

Re: Amex CLI Declined

4sallypat — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 13:16:47 GMT

Amex has been one of the few handful of banks that offer preapproval without a HP for new customers.

Apparently Amex has been able to glean data from not only the SP, but other sources as well when they do a SP preapproval.

For current Amex customers, they don't even do a HP when you accept a new product.

As for income, I am sure they know - based on your SP employer, etc...

Re: Amex CLI Declined

FicoMike0 — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 16:33:58 GMT

Sorry you were declined. Thanks for the data point.

For comparison, a couple of months ago, I asked for a 3X on bce, $9000 to $27000, instant approval. A few weeks later, I apped for amex hilton, approved for $1000. I took that to mean I'm at my max with them. My ficos were about 800, low util, no baddies. My reported income was $63000, close to yours.

I'm wondering at the total credit difference at about the same income. My dti is 1%. Is yours higher? It may be they look at disposable income.

I'll have another dp when the Hilton card hits 91 days and I ask for 3X to $3000.

Re: Amex CLI Declined

creditrizz — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 09:30:02 GMT

The last response made me wonder - has anyone ever asked AMEX to decrease the limit on one of their credit cards so that you don't end up with small limits on future amex credit cards if you're near your total max from amex? They gave me more than I need on a BCE - I'll honestly probably never spend more than 10% of it. I know it's good for utilization to have a high max, but I'd rather not deal with any drama or financial reviews in the future when I want some additional cards.

Re: Amex CLI Declined

creditrizz — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 10:23:38 GMT

to OP - you could try doing the weekly pay down if possible. I've noticed some card issuers seem to give me pretty consistent auto-CLI when I spend, clear it out, repeat. The ones I've noticed this most frequently with were Elan (US Bank), Amex, and Chase. Even crap Synchrony used to do it, then after I started letting it just autopay monthly for a while, I asked them for another CLI and they said GTFO!

Re: Amex CLI Declined

cabledude27 — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 14:39:56 GMT

I hit 90 days since my last AMEX CLI decline for my AMEX Blue Preferred. I applied for a CLI yesterday, but it was again shot down. The crazy part is that I use that card the most. I do about $300-400 a month and pay it off. And what really makes me frustrated is they keep saying they are declining me for bankruptcy on my record. It was a Ch 13; I paid off and got discharged, so it's literally just sitting on my CR's until the required time frame to drop off, which is April 2025. They knew this when they approved me for my AMEX Platinum and this BCP card and had no issues, but it's an issue for any CLI *AND* if I do the preapproval tool, they tell me they'd approve me for another card, but won't give me the intro bonuses, so I can get another card but can't get a CLI on the card I want to use more.

I'm at 1% or less utilization, no late payments, etc. The only "flags" are the BK and because I got a car and most of my current cards around the same time last year, I have a bunch of HP's in the last 2 years.

Re: Amex CLI Declined

markbeiser — Sat, 10 Aug 2024 02:11:51 GMT

@ScarlettHusky wrote:
it sounds like I am pretty much capped at 12K with Amex unless I get a raise at work, or transfer to a higher paying role. Scores in siggy are current, reported income is 65K.

Thought y'all would like the DP.

I think it is unlikely that you are "capped at 12k", just that at your stated income the maximum CL they are willing to extend to you is lower than the 3x CLI you requested.
They don't necessary counter offer with something lower unless it is a conditional approval pending a financial review.
When you try again, ask for something less than 50% of your stated income. Note that asking for more than $35k could trigger a financial review, but not always

When I was at $27k with them, I requested a CLI to $50k and got a flat denial with the same reason code you did, no counter offer.
3 months later I requested a CLI to $34k and it was approved.
Since then I've tried for $50k again, but was denied again.
In a month or so I'm going to try for an even $40k, with a stated income of $87k, and see what happens.

Re: Amex CLI Declined

UncleB — Sat, 10 Aug 2024 07:13:01 GMT

@creditrizz wrote:
The last response made me wonder - has anyone ever asked AMEX to decrease the limit on one of their credit cards so that you don't end up with small limits on future amex credit cards if you're near your total max from amex? They gave me more than I need on a BCE - I'll honestly probably never spend more than 10% of it. I know it's good for utilization to have a high max, but I'd rather not deal with any drama or financial reviews in the future when I want some additional cards.

While I'm sure you could, I don't think it would make a difference.

My last Amex approval was for a BCE, and they reallocated a large 'chunk' of credit automatically from my ED (at that time, EDP) card. I ended up with only $600 in new available credit when all was said and done (which was fine by me, since I hardly ever use the ED anyway).