topic Amex advice needed in Credit Cards

Amex advice needed

Anonymous — Thu, 07 May 2009 17:58:13 GMT

Back in March I product-changed my Optima to Blue. Last year, I paid a $35 AF on the Optima. I did the product change prior to the AF being assessed this year.

Yesterday, I noticed a $49 credit on my Blue account... "Adjust Membership Fee".

Since there is no AF for Blue, I'm assuming they're issuing a credit for the Optima AF. But the amount is different than last year, so I am not entirely sure. And again, I was not charged an AF this year.

I'm uncomfortable with a credit that I'm not owed, but at the same time do not want to call Amex unless I absolutely have to. I'd rather not give them a reason to look any more closely at me than they already do.

So.. question: Would you ignore the credit and let them catch their own mistake? Or would you call and show them what a great (ha) customer you are by pointing out that you're not owed that $49.

Makes me nervous.

Re: Amex advice needed

Anonymous — Thu, 07 May 2009 18:29:19 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Back in March I product-changed my Optima to Blue.    Last year, I paid a $35 AF on the Optima. I did the product change prior to the AF being assessed this year.

Yesterday, I noticed a $49 credit on my Blue account... "Adjust Membership Fee".

Since there is no AF for Blue, I'm assuming they're issuing a credit for the Optima AF.    But the amount is different than last year, so I am not entirely sure.   And again, I was not charged an AF this year.

I'm uncomfortable with a credit that I'm not owed, but at the same time do not want to call Amex unless I absolutely have to.    I'd rather not give them a reason to look any more closely at me than they already do.

So.. question:   Would you ignore the credit and let them catch their own mistake?   Or would you call and show them what a great (ha) customer you are by pointing out that you're not owed that $49.

Makes me nervous.

Seems like a no-brainer to me

Re: Amex advice needed

Red1Blue — Thu, 07 May 2009 18:41:08 GMT

It is credit for the AF from Optima. My advice dont call Amex. You'll get into head ache and might close your card or do FR like they wanted to do for me. I told them to close all my cards.

Re: Amex advice needed

KingAdrock — Thu, 07 May 2009 19:03:48 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:

So.. question: Would you ignore the credit and let them catch their own mistake? Or would you call and show them what a great (ha) customer you are by pointing out that you're not owed that $49.

Despite the fact you'd be doing them a favor, they will likely still give you the runaround. So the question is whether wasting your time on hold and getting a headache is worth it. Amex will likely find the mistake eventually, and they certainly won't even notice your honesty much less reward you in any way for it.

Re: Amex advice needed

score_building — Thu, 07 May 2009 22:38:38 GMT

mjgray wrote:

...So.. question: Would you ignore the credit and let them catch their own mistake? Or would you call and show them what a great (ha) customer you are by pointing out that you're not owed that $49.

Makes me nervous.

i'd say you should be more nervous about calling them. don't call. they'll work it out eventually. perhaps they know something you don't -it isn't entirely clear that you are not owed this cr. i'm afraid to call about this could only invite scrutiny.

why call and then possibly log in to your acct just to find a CLD? sadly they have a track record now of this type of underhanded AA, in response to a simple call to cs. i know from first hand experience: when i watched a cld happen to me in real time online as i was talking to a rep. who needs that crap?

not worth taking the chance imo. a 49 cr is less than a farthing to amex. at best they would merely be underwhelmed by your honesty, no brownie points for recovering 49 from their bailout money for them unfortunately. now if it were 1,490,000 then maybe your detective work could garner a small amout of gratitude from them.

Re: Amex advice needed

clocktick — Thu, 07 May 2009 22:49:55 GMT

I'd call but I guess I'm in the minority.

Re: Amex advice needed

haulingthescoreup — Thu, 07 May 2009 23:04:37 GMT

I'd call too. Or maybe e-mail. Very neutral, very polite, very short. Print out your statements until it's resolved, noting the ongoing error if they don't fix it right away. I'd hate to be arguing with some CSR three years from now if it resurfaced.

And I'd PIF weekly in the meantime. It would be a PITA if they decided to remove it on your statement date, and your balance suddenly wound up $49 higher (at the correct level) than it had been showing. In the meantime, if you want to PIF, I guess you'll have to pay from your online bank account and push the payment through, as it would be for more than the displayed balance.

I * think * AmEx doesn't let you pay from their site more than the balance that they display, but I'm sure I will be corrected if I'm wrong.

Re: Amex advice needed

score_building — Fri, 08 May 2009 00:00:14 GMT

imo you have more to lose than to gain by calling. if it is an error it is incumbent upon amex to resolve it (now or in the future) the responsibilty lies 100% with amex. it could be that they credited it incorrectly initially and are simply making an adjustment. you already have proof how they credited it on your statement if it ever became an issue.

if it proves to be a mistake (which they will no doubt have to review your acct to figure out) they will be sure to make an adjustment in short order. they'll do this without you shining the light on your account for them by calling now before they have a chance to resolve it organically.

i'd leave my overdeveloped sense of responsibilty at home on this one. whatever you decide to do, gl!

Re: Amex advice needed

GomerPyle — Fri, 08 May 2009 01:15:25 GMT

Would you call if the amount was less than the $35 owed? I certainly would. Therefore,. IMHO you should call to at least find out what is going on. This is a test. Life is full of them. Keep your honor. It is far more valuable than any $$$ or CL. Be better than AMEX and in the long run you will be honored for doing what is right.

Re: Amex advice needed

Itsmeagain — Fri, 08 May 2009 01:50:24 GMT

I agree with Gomer . . . . don't compromise your values for a CCC . . . they aren't worth it.

Re: Amex advice needed

Watchmann — Fri, 08 May 2009 05:00:21 GMT

Many years ago when I was living in Australia I always made my card payments at the local AMEX office, which is one of the advantages of having an AMEX card. I think it was for $2,400 or thereabouts. Usually it took about 3 days before it was credited to my AMEX account. It was posted to my account ok but the check seemed to have gotten lost and it never cleared through my bank. I did not go running back to AMEX to see what happened, and about 3 months later the check went through my bank. In my view once you have fulfilled your requirement with a firm it is up to them to bill you properly or credit your payment. And in this environment I would stay off the phone with AMEX. Let them work the situation out. In a month or so you will probably see a correction on your account. If you start asking questions now you will probably end up with problems later. Keep quiet. Let common sense rule this situation.

Message Edited by Watchmann on 05-08-2009 12:00 AM

Re: Amex advice needed

score_building — Fri, 08 May 2009 05:06:40 GMT

imo, it's a bit pretentious to imply a discussion of honor and values is related to a general recommendation to stay off the phone with amex period, but to each his own.

Re: Amex advice needed

Itsmeagain — Fri, 08 May 2009 06:24:32 GMT

@score_building wrote:
imo, it's a bit pretentious to imply a discussion of honor and values is related to a general recommendation to stay off the phone with amex period, but to each his own.

And I find it ironic that the discussion can be about anything BUT honor. After all, "Honor isn't about making the right choices. It's about dealing with the consequences." ~Midori Koto

Re: Amex advice needed

score_building — Fri, 08 May 2009 06:45:43 GMT

@Itsmeagain wrote:
@score_building wrote:
imo, it's a bit pretentious to imply a discussion of honor and values is related to a general recommendation to stay off the phone with amex period, but to each his own.

And I find it ironic that the discussion can be about anything BUT honor. After all, "Honor isn't about making the right choices. It's about dealing with the consequences." ~Midori Koto

ironic? you seem to believe staying off the phone with amex is dishonorable itsme, if that works for you great. but it is calling, for almost any reason these days, that can have the most negative consequences

the point is to not contact amex while thery're in bi polar mode, not to keep their money itsmeagain, get over it. no one is saying steal or be dishonest, if there was an error it will be resolved without a lofty moral relativistic intervention. you're completely missing the decisive point.

Re: Amex advice needed

Itsmeagain — Fri, 08 May 2009 06:52:16 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I'm uncomfortable with a credit that I'm not owed, but at the same time do not want to call Amex unless I absolutely have to. I'd rather not give them a reason to look any more closely at me than they already do.

The OP is not comfortable with keeping something that was not freely given. He received it as a mistake. Is that not the bane of an honorable man? His concern is for the consequences of his decision.

Re: Amex advice needed

score_building — Fri, 08 May 2009 06:59:00 GMT

no one is saying to keep anything- just not to call right now. ultimately the choice to call now or not is his. the question was never if he should keep what's not his but rather if he should call now or hang tight to see if it resolves organically as it most likely will.

Re: Amex advice needed

Itsmeagain — Fri, 08 May 2009 07:17:13 GMT

Okay, so maybe I am "pretentious" to insert honor into a discussion about credit. Perhaps I have "missed the decisive point". But I will NOT "get over it". In my house, we still believe and practice "Death before Dishonor".

And your belief that it is OK to just wait and see what happens is not how we would handle the situation. What if it is never corrected? How long do you wait? 1 month?, 2 months?, a year? Soon, the need to resolve the issue will wither and die. And along with that death will be some small portion of your honor. I don't subscribe to character building by avoiding potentially painfull issues. But if you can live with the concequences, go for it.

Re: Amex advice needed

score_building — Fri, 08 May 2009 07:41:10 GMT

@Itsmeagain wrote:
In my house, we still believe and practice "Death before Dishonor".

i say more power to you, nothing wrong with that.

where is the dishonor in deciding it is not incumbent upon the customer to go chasing after the (in this case bi polar) issuer b4 they have a chance to correct a mistake if one exists?

maybe you can unveil for us how that fits into the overarching "death before dishonor' framework you've set up regarding contacting an issuer immediately vs. first allowing them to resolve a potential discrepancy in its natural course of review.

FTR most bank errors that benefit the customer are caught (without death OR dishonor, at least of or by the customer) and are resolved in relatively short order FWIW.

Re: Amex advice needed

score_building — Fri, 08 May 2009 08:08:15 GMT

@Itsmeagain wrote:
to character building by avoiding potentially painfull issues. But if you can live with the concequences, go for it.
character building? painful issues? whatever works for you. i am not going to attack your integrity simply because you feel your 'house rules' are the focus of the the thread topic and non family members are somehow 'dishonorable' for staying focused on the amex advice requested: to call or not to call, that was the question.

Re: Amex advice needed

Itsmeagain — Fri, 08 May 2009 10:54:12 GMT

@score_building wrote:
to call or not to call, that was the question.

Question asked, question answered . . . . . several times.