topic Re: Looks like Amex is adding some features including freezing a card.... in Credit Cards

Looks like Amex is adding some features including freezing a card....

Physh1 — Tue, 07 Aug 2018 03:54:40 GMT

Just got an email from Amex about 4 new options added to my accounts...2 I'm no so jazzed about but...

Real time alerts & card freezing were the ones that caught my eye.

Anyone else get this email?

Re: Looks like Amex is adding some features including freezing a card....

Anonymous — Tue, 07 Aug 2018 04:18:43 GMT

Yep, me too. Freezing is a welcome option. Hopefully I will never have a reason to freeze, but I'm glad it's there.

Re: Looks like Amex is adding some features including freezing a card....

Anonymous — Tue, 07 Aug 2018 17:04:27 GMT

I've been able to freeze Discover for years. Too little too late from Amex as usual.

Also, it only freezes the Account for 7 Days then it automatically Unfreezes!

Chase is still kicking their a$$ every day of the year.

Re: Looks like Amex is adding some features including freezing a card....

Manonfire — Wed, 08 Aug 2018 15:17:27 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I've been able to freeze Discover for years. Too little too late from Amex as usual.
Also, it only freezes the Account for 7 Days then it automatically Unfreezes!

Chase is still kicking their a$$ every day of the year.

While i agree...Chase has yet to offer the card freeze option.

Re: Looks like Amex is adding some features including freezing a card....

AverageJoesCredit — Wed, 08 Aug 2018 18:23:24 GMT

Realistically you only need to freeze the card until whatever problem you are having ie fraud can be braught to the attention of Amex, 7 days seems plenty to me.

Re: Looks like Amex is adding some features including freezing a card....

Anonymous — Wed, 08 Aug 2018 23:53:41 GMT

I would certainly agree with your statement, Average Joe, but I wonder why Amex doesn't allow you to select how long you want to freeze the card such as 7 days, 1 month, 1 year, etc. or just default to frozen until you unfreeze it. And of course the answer is you can't use it while it's frozen and Amex won't make any money. So they have chosen Profit over user convenience. But yes it is true that any freeze is better than none.

I have a couple of cards I only use for online purchases and I keep them frozen so in case the number is hacked, so it won't be a problem. And everybody seems to be getting hacked these days.

Re: Looks like Amex is adding some features including freezing a card....

Anonymous — Sat, 11 Aug 2018 02:17:42 GMT

@AverageJoesCredit wrote:
Realistically you only need to freeze the card until whatever problem you are having ie fraud can be braught to the attention of Amex, 7 days seems plenty to me.

While true in most instances, it would be neat of you could lock/unlock your card as needed. So that there was no possible way for someone else to use it.

Re: Looks like Amex is adding some features including freezing a card....

Anonymous — Sun, 19 Aug 2018 14:38:48 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Too little too late from Amex as usual.

How is adding a feature at any point 'too little too late'? Unless you had a need for it in the past what difference does it make when they add a freeze feature?

Re: Looks like Amex is adding some features including freezing a card....

wasCB14 — Sun, 19 Aug 2018 15:26:32 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I would certainly agree with your statement, Average Joe, but I wonder why Amex doesn't allow you to select how long you want to freeze the card such as 7 days, 1 month, 1 year, etc. or just default to frozen until you unfreeze it.

In what circumstances would it be useful to opt for a one-week or one-month freeze?

If I've lost a card and think I might find it (when at home), I can't know how long it will take me to find it.

If I've lost it mid-travel or doubt I can find it again, I want a replacement card number and new card. A freeze won't do much.

Re: Looks like Amex is adding some features including freezing a card....

Anonymous — Sun, 19 Aug 2018 15:40:36 GMT

@Physh1 wrote:
Just got an email from Amex about 4 new options added to my accounts...2 I'm no so jazzed about but...

Real time alerts & card freezing were the ones that caught my eye.

Anyone else get this email?

No, just you....... (Why would you think that this was a targetted email?)

Re: Looks like Amex is adding some features including freezing a card....

Felony_Phil — Sun, 19 Aug 2018 16:07:19 GMT

I carry 3 cards that have a lock feature. The others stay at the house for online purchases. I've had my wallet taken before and it's was not a very pleasant experience mostly because 5 hours had passed by time I realized it was gone. I generally only make 2 purchases a day, lunch and fuel, so unlocking isn't a big inconvenience to me.

Re: Looks like Amex is adding some features including freezing a card....

Anonymous — Sun, 19 Aug 2018 16:17:01 GMT

A 7 day freeze is useful if your card is lost or stolen, but for those of us who sock drawer their cards and don't want them to be usable for an arbitrary period of time (even months), being able to freeze the card indefinitely would be a Nice Thing To Have(tm).

I wish all cards offered this feature. Then they can be kept frozen until ready for use, and it would prevent fraud.

Re: Looks like Amex is adding some features including freezing a card....

Anonymous — Sun, 19 Aug 2018 16:19:25 GMT

Personally, I just don't see any advantage to using AMEX anymore even though I still have 3 of their cards. Why did it take them years to add a freeze capability after everyone else? I also find the website to be clumsy and non-intuitive. Takes 30 clicks just to claim cashback which is often unavailable. Read the story about how they lost Costco...that says it all.

Re: Looks like Amex is adding some features including freezing a card....

wasCB14 — Sun, 19 Aug 2018 16:23:36 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Personally, I just don't see any advantage to using AMEX anymore even though I still have 3 of their cards. Why did it take them years to add a freeze capability after everyone else? I also find the website to be clumsy and non-intuitive. Takes 30 clicks just to claim cashback which is often unavailable. Read the story about how they lost Costco...that says it all.

They've since won the rest of Hilton...and the Amazon business card...and defended their Starwood relationship pretty well when it could have been much worse.

Losing Costco was bad, but it's not been all defeats.

Re: Looks like Amex is adding some features including freezing a card....

Anonymous — Sun, 19 Aug 2018 16:40:57 GMT

I use my Chase Amazon card, very successfully thank you. Also it seems that many branded cards are issued by multiple banks.
Anyway, it seems like we have several Amex supporters here, so that's fine, to each his own, not interested in a flame war. I just feel that the elite status that Amex has held for 50 years is no longer justified. Thanks to all for your comments good luck to all and I hope your FICO score reaches 900!

Re: Looks like Amex is adding some features including freezing a card....

Anonymous — Sun, 19 Aug 2018 17:46:05 GMT

I just got an email from BofA about a service with their app, that when activated it helps reduce chances of your card being declined while traveling. That also seems like a neat feature, but I generally call them and set a Travel notice. While some people like mobile banking, I feel over using it in this manner can have negative outcomes. Especially abroad, where encryption may not be what it is at home.