topic Re: Interesting AMEX Optima Development - Does This Mean AMEX Still Backdates? in Credit Cards

Interesting AMEX Optima Development - Does This Mean AMEX Still Backdates?

Repairman — Sun, 06 Sep 2015 21:44:32 GMT

So, I got an AMEX Optima rebuilder a little over a year ago and on my bills and online it was backdated to 2006. Now, I've seenall over this board how AMEX has since stopped backdating cards. Now, I received an alert a couple of weeks ago that new activity was on a card that I had not used in over a year, when I investigated what card it was...it was my Optima (dated since 2006 on my cr) - which baffled me as I use it every month.

Anyway, right before receiveing that alert, I received a new Optima card in the mail with a chip. I was just doing some cleaning and realized I hadn't yet shredded the old Optima card, but I noticed something interesting...the old Optima was actually dated "Member Since 2014," but the new Optima with chip is dated "Member Since 2006."

Could this mean, after a full year with the card, AMEX just backdated the card? Is that why I got a Fico alert that a card I hadn't used in a year has new activity? Is the card showing up like the previous AMEX I had since 2006, which the Optima replaced?

Any thoughts?

Re: Interesting AMEX Optima Development - Does This Mean AMEX Still Backdates?

Anonymous — Sun, 06 Sep 2015 21:49:24 GMT

It was always backdated, but Amex whips out the cards so quickly that when it was initially issued it had the actual approval date on it. With both of my cards I had to do chat to get the backdate on the cards, even though it already showed online. You got your card before Amex nixed the backdate reporting to the CRA's.

Re: Interesting AMEX Optima Development - Does This Mean AMEX Still Backdates?

Repairman — Sun, 06 Sep 2015 21:57:43 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
It was always backdated, but Amex whips out the cards so quickly that when it was initially issued it had the actual approval date on it. With both of my cards I had to do chat to get the backdate on the cards, even though it already showed online. You got your card before Amex nixed the backdate reporting to the CRA's.

That makes sense, however, that still does not explain why I got a Fico alert saying that I had activity on the card for the 1st time since a year ago, which is clearly not true.

Re: Interesting AMEX Optima Development - Does This Mean AMEX Still Backdates?

Repairman — Mon, 07 Sep 2015 04:20:25 GMT

Any ideas from anyone?

Re: Interesting AMEX Optima Development - Does This Mean AMEX Still Backdates?

sjt — Mon, 07 Sep 2015 18:09:02 GMT

@Repairman wrote:
Any ideas from anyone?

Its most likely a FICO issue and not Amex.

Re: Interesting AMEX Optima Development - Does This Mean AMEX Still Backdates?

Repairman — Mon, 07 Sep 2015 18:49:42 GMT

@sjt wrote:
@Repairman wrote:
Any ideas from anyone?
Its most likely a FICO issue and not Amex.

What does that mean? What kind of "issue" could that be? Fico shows what the cc's are reporting to them. I find it odd that right after I got a new cc with chip with a new Member Since date printed on it, and I use the card, I get an alert saying I'm using it for the 1st time after months of non activity.

Re: Interesting AMEX Optima Development - Does This Mean AMEX Still Backdates?

jsucool76 — Mon, 07 Sep 2015 18:54:14 GMT

@Repairman wrote:
@sjt wrote:
@Repairman wrote:
Any ideas from anyone?
Its most likely a FICO issue and not Amex.
What does that mean? What kind of "issue" could that be? Fico shows what the cc's are reporting to them. I find it odd that right after I got a new cc with chip with a new Member Since date printed on it, and I use the card, I get an alert saying I'm using it for the 1st time after months of non activity.

The alert could have just been an error. The same way people get alerts that their scores dropped 40 points due to a derog falling off. lol.

Re: Interesting AMEX Optima Development - Does This Mean AMEX Still Backdates?

sjt — Mon, 07 Sep 2015 19:12:02 GMT

@Repairman wrote:
@sjt wrote:
@Repairman wrote:
Any ideas from anyone?
Its most likely a FICO issue and not Amex.
What does that mean? What kind of "issue" could that be? Fico shows what the cc's are reporting to them. I find it odd that right after I got a new cc with chip with a new Member Since date printed on it, and I use the card, I get an alert saying I'm using it for the 1st time after months of non activity.

It could be a FICO alert error. I would call them up to clarify. It could also be an alert based on using your newly issued Optima Card that you recently received.

Re: Interesting AMEX Optima Development - Does This Mean AMEX Still Backdates?

Repairman — Mon, 07 Sep 2015 20:03:36 GMT

@sjt wrote:
@Repairman wrote:
@sjt wrote:
@Repairman wrote:
Any ideas from anyone?
Its most likely a FICO issue and not Amex.
What does that mean? What kind of "issue" could that be? Fico shows what the cc's are reporting to them. I find it odd that right after I got a new cc with chip with a new Member Since date printed on it, and I use the card, I get an alert saying I'm using it for the 1st time after months of non activity.
It could also be an alert based on using your newly issued Optima Card that you recently received.

Well, that's what I'm saying, because it came after I used that newly issued Optima. Question, just is, why would that trigger such an alert.

Re: Interesting AMEX Optima Development - Does This Mean AMEX Still Backdates?

sjt — Mon, 07 Sep 2015 20:08:22 GMT

It could be the settings from MyFico that triggered the alert. I would contact MyFico and inquire about the alert you received.