topic Re: Ambiguous Amex Email in Credit Cards

Ambiguous Amex Email

Credit12Fico — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 23:49:46 GMT

"We recently approved a transaction on your account. However, it is important that you make a payment on your account soon to continue to enjoy uninterrupted use of your Card."

I received this ambiguous email message from Amex relating to my platinum charge card with pay over time disabled after I made a 5K purchase. I searched and there are two other threads who describe receiving the message, but I did not figure out from those two threads what exactly this message requires me to do and what the consequences are for ignoring the message? I've never been harrased before by any other bank in the middle of a cycle for a "payment".

I did not intend on paying anything until just before statement closing which is end of february. Is Amex telling me my account is frozen? Will further charges go through without payment. Will I invite a financial review?

Re: Ambiguous Amex Email

FinStar — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 01:21:51 GMT

Harassment or a courteous reminder?🤔

How often do you make such transactions per month on your Platinum Card? Did you voluntarily disable the POT feature or was this suspended by AENB?

Bottom line, do not ignore the messages/reminders and PIF as soon as practical. Otherwise, you can risk AENB placing a hard limit on your card.

Re: Ambiguous Amex Email

JustJay119 — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 02:45:51 GMT

I have also received this email claiming that I am close to my POT limit. It also says that future transaction may be declined. I have gone over my POT limit by about $300 without issues and I believe I could keep going. Also I pay in full so it doesn't bother me. Next month i'll keep spending without mid cycle payments to see what happens.

Re: Ambiguous Amex Email

K-in-Boston — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 02:51:16 GMT

I wouldn't say that's ambiguous, it just means that you have hit your current internal spending limit for NPSL - the limit isn't preset, but everyone does have a limit somewhere. Amex is not telling you that your account is frozen nor does it mean you are about be hit with a Financial Review. It means exactly what they stated: further charges may or may not be approved until a payment has been made to bring your current balance down. You've not experienced this from other card issuers because you had a credit limit issued and made known to you with them.

Re: Ambiguous Amex Email

SouthJamaica — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 03:56:00 GMT

@Credit12Fico wrote:
"We recently approved a transaction on your account. However, it is important that you make a payment on your account soon to continue to enjoy uninterrupted use of your Card."

I received this ambiguous email message from Amex relating to my platinum charge card with pay over time disabled after I made a 5K purchase. I searched and there are two other threads who describe receiving the message, but I did not figure out from those two threads what exactly this message requires me to do and what the consequences are for ignoring the message? I've never been harrased before by any other bank in the middle of a cycle for a "payment".

I did not intend on paying anything until just before statement closing which is end of february. Is Amex telling me my account is frozen? Will further charges go through without payment. Will I invite a financial review?

No they're not telling you that the account will be frozen, and they're not telling you that there will be a financial review, but they are telling you that further charges may not be approved. They like to keep you guessing.

Personally I find that kind of uncertainty abhorrent, and this is one of the reasons I don't have any Amex charge cards.

Re: Ambiguous Amex Email

Anonymous — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 06:04:23 GMT

I have received this message from Amex before. It just means you are close to your internal soft limit. Generally Amex will average out your last three months of spending and you will have a soft internal limit based on that average. If you get close to it, they will start sending you these messages. It just means your future transactions may be declined, if you don't make a payment soon.

Re: Ambiguous Amex Email

Credit12Fico — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 15:13:25 GMT

@FinStar wrote:
Harassment or a courteous reminder?🤔

How often do you make such transactions per month on your Platinum Card? Did you voluntarily disable the POT feature or was this suspended by AENB?

Bottom line, do not ignore the messages/reminders and PIF as soon as practical. Otherwise, you can risk AENB placing a hard limit on your card.

Harassment . I don't want to hear from them unless I've done something wrong. They shouldn't have approved the charge if they were going to ask me to pay it off immediately. I would have put it on another card so i would not have to pay it off.

Re: Ambiguous Amex Email

Credit12Fico — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 15:12:34 GMT

@K-in-Boston wrote:
I wouldn't say that's ambiguous,

"However, it is important that you make a payment on your account soon to continue to enjoy uninterrupted use of your Card."

That's fairly ambiguous to me. They could have put a dollar amount of remaining spend before they "interrupt" my use of the card.

Re: Ambiguous Amex Email

bigseegar — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 15:30:03 GMT

Looks like you've found out that your "internal NPSL" "Limit" is only $5,000.

With that said they aren't "harrassing you for a payment" as you said. They are simply telling you that you have reached your internal max spending limit on the card and that for any other charges in this billing cycle to be approved (if you so wish) that you'd need to pay down that $5,000 amount (again if you so wish). Otherwise just don't use the card and pay on the due date.

Re: Ambiguous Amex Email

K-in-Boston — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 15:37:17 GMT

@Credit12Fico wrote:
Harassment . I don't want to hear from them unless I've done something wrong. They shouldn't have approved the charge if they were going to ask me to pay it off immediately. I would have put it on another card so i would not have to pay it off.

They are not asking you to pay it immediately. You are not required to pay it until the due date on your next statement where this charge appears. You are only required to make a payment if you wish to continue making additional charges.

@Credit12Fico wrote:
@K-in-Boston wrote:
I wouldn't say that's ambiguous,
"However, it is important that you make a payment on your account soon to continue to enjoy uninterrupted use of your Card."

That's fairly ambiguous to me. They could have put a dollar amount of remaining spend before they "interrupt" my use of the card.

Amex doesn't disclose spending limits like this. Also, you may have pending charges or credits they could not account for at the time of the automated email and the spending limit is dynamic so by the time you read the email your internal limit may have changed. Your spending limit is ambiguous (that is the point of NPSL; if it were not ambiguous they would just issue a credit limit as they do on revolving products or when a hard limit has been placed on charge cards).

@bigseegar wrote:
Looks like you've found out that your "internal NPSL" "Limit" is only $5,000.

Or $5,000 plus the balance of all other unpaid transactions, pending transactions, fees, or holds.

Re: Ambiguous Amex Email

SouthJamaica — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 18:42:22 GMT

@Credit12Fico wrote:
@K-in-Boston wrote:
I wouldn't say that's ambiguous,
"However, it is important that you make a payment on your account soon to continue to enjoy uninterrupted use of your Card."

That's fairly ambiguous to me. They could have put a dollar amount of remaining spend before they "interrupt" my use of the card.

It's completely ambiguous.

It's even dishonest. If, e.g., your balance is 5000, and your soft internal spending limit with them is 6000, and you were to pay them 6000 today, that would not mean that you can enjoy "uninterrupted use of your Card"... What if you made a $9000 charge? From what Amex's defenders in this thread are saying, that $9000 charge would be declined.

Re: Ambiguous Amex Email

K-in-Boston — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 19:02:15 GMT

The statement is simply that if there is not a payment made to bring the current balance down, charging privileges may be interrupted. To avoid a possible interruption for future charges, they just need the balance brought down. This would not be any different than having a message from another lender who has issued you a revolving credit card stating that you have reached your credit limit and will not be able to make additional charges until you have available credit again. Nowhere has a promise of increased spending ability been made as a result of payment, and there is no dishonesty there.

Just because someone chooses not to reply to every Amex thread with "NPSL bad. Amex bad." doesn't make one an "Amex defender." Stating facts based on the cardholder agreements, prior experiences, and shared knowledge helps everyone to better understand credit products and make informed lending decisions.

Re: Ambiguous Amex Email

SouthJamaica — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 20:07:28 GMT

@K-in-Boston wrote:
The statement is simply that if there is not a payment made to bring the current balance down, charging privileges may be interrupted. To avoid a possible interruption for future charges, they just need the balance brought down. This would not be any different than having a message from another lender who has issued you a revolving credit card stating that you have reached your credit limit and will not be able to make additional charges until you have available credit again. Nowhere has a promise of increased spending ability been made as a result of payment, and there is no dishonesty there.

Just because someone chooses not to reply to every Amex thread with "NPSL bad. Amex bad." doesn't make one an "Amex defender." Stating facts based on the cardholder agreements, prior experiences, and shared knowledge helps everyone to better understand credit products and make informed lending decisions.

I didn't say there was a promise of increased spending ability. I was addressing the actual statement Amex made : "...it is important that you make a payment on your account soon to continue to enjoy uninterrupted use of your Card." Which is simply not so. Because even if the OP paid the account down to zero instantly, he or she would not be assured of the ability to "enjoy uninterrupted use". Amex will interrupt one's use of the NPSL cards whenever if feels like it, in accordance with its secret, shifting, internal formulae.

Re: Ambiguous Amex Email

FinStar — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 21:40:18 GMT

@Credit12Fico wrote:
@FinStar wrote:
Harassment or a courteous reminder?🤔

How often do you make such transactions per month on your Platinum Card? Did you voluntarily disable the POT feature or was this suspended by AENB?

Bottom line, do not ignore the messages/reminders and PIF as soon as practical. Otherwise, you can risk AENB placing a hard limit on your card.

Harassment . I don't want to hear from them unless I've done something wrong. They shouldn't have approved the charge if they were going to ask me to pay it off immediately. I would have put it on another card so i would not have to pay it off.

Well, their cards their rules, right? Of course, you can choose to ignore it but it's simply an auto-generated email (or text) to help you avoid the inconvenience of having future charges declined (or hard limit be placed). So, if you don't want to play in their sandbox or receive the constant reminders, you may have to elect using a different CC 🤷‍♂️

Re: Ambiguous Amex Email

FinStar — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 21:55:55 GMT

@SouthJamaica wrote:
@K-in-Boston wrote:
The statement is simply that if there is not a payment made to bring the current balance down, charging privileges may be interrupted. To avoid a possible interruption for future charges, they just need the balance brought down. This would not be any different than having a message from another lender who has issued you a revolving credit card stating that you have reached your credit limit and will not be able to make additional charges until you have available credit again. Nowhere has a promise of increased spending ability been made as a result of payment, and there is no dishonesty there.

Just because someone chooses not to reply to every Amex thread with "NPSL bad. Amex bad." doesn't make one an "Amex defender." Stating facts based on the cardholder agreements, prior experiences, and shared knowledge helps everyone to better understand credit products and make informed lending decisions.
I didn't say there was a promise of increased spending ability. I was addressing the actual statement Amex made : "...it is important that you make a payment on your account soon to continue to enjoy uninterrupted use of your Card." Which is simply not so. Because even if the OP paid the account down to zero instantly, he or she would not be assured of the ability to "enjoy uninterrupted use". Amex will interrupt one's use of the NPSL cards whenever if feels like it, in accordance with its secret, shifting, internal formulae.

That's actually a very inaccurate statement since you're generalizing your past experience with everyone. Unless you work directly for AENB and/or are part of a group that develops the algorithms or the AI dynamic technology, it just screams sour grapes from the 'incident' you experienced that led you to cancel your Gold Card. Charge Cards (or some lenders for that matter) are not for everyone and not every product will be a good fit for all.

There are millions of charge cards (any flavor) in use worldwide, and I bet, the great majority have encountered no issues that the OP experienced (not in the past 25 years IME). I enjoy having the flexibility of using charge cards the way they're intended and I've encountered no interruptions. This even goes for similar processing and payment methodologies used by Diners Club/Carte Blanche charge cards when they were in active circulation.

Re: Ambiguous Amex Email

wasCB14 — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 22:00:13 GMT

@FinStar wrote:
@Credit12Fico wrote:
@FinStar wrote:
Harassment or a courteous reminder?🤔

How often do you make such transactions per month on your Platinum Card? Did you voluntarily disable the POT feature or was this suspended by AENB?

Bottom line, do not ignore the messages/reminders and PIF as soon as practical. Otherwise, you can risk AENB placing a hard limit on your card.

Harassment . I don't want to hear from them unless I've done something wrong. They shouldn't have approved the charge if they were going to ask me to pay it off immediately. I would have put it on another card so i would not have to pay it off.

Well, their cards their rules, right? Of course, you can choose to ignore it but it's simply an auto-generated email (or text) to help you avoid the inconvenience of having future charges declined (or hard limit be placed). So, if you don't want to play in their sandbox or receive the constant reminders, you may have to elect using a different CC 🤷‍♂️

Are they actually forcing OP to make an early payment (as in, before the due date) to avoid account closure? Or just saying OP can't make further charges without making a payment? The two are not the same.

Re: Ambiguous Amex Email

tparks5961 — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 22:20:02 GMT

So yeah..

Everyone who opens a charge account will have a NPSL.. They will assign your account with a Hard limit and in the past Ive called to speak with underwriting. They have given me the actual number of my hard limit in the past.

When I first opened the account, my hard limit was $2,500.00.. If you want to speed up the time frame in which your limit will increase, you can prepay on your account. So, If I wanted to make a $10,000.00 purchase, I would call customer support and pay this amount so that it's available to spend.

It was pretty annoying and at times I called it a glorified pre paid credit card. With normal usage, your limit will gradually increase.. but it is a very frustrating process. Id say if you get that notice, pay on the account.. because you are real close to them declining all of your transactoins. Sometimes this notice is delayed, so when the system catches up and your transactions move from pending, your account will be frozen until you make a payment.

The quickest way to get rid of the uncertainty with AMEX is to call them and tell them you want a voluntary financial review. That way you will get all of the spend that you want without waiting for their algorithm to figure it out.

Re: Ambiguous Amex Email

FinStar — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 22:38:00 GMT

@wasCB14 wrote:
@FinStar wrote:
@Credit12Fico wrote:
@FinStar wrote:
Harassment or a courteous reminder?🤔

How often do you make such transactions per month on your Platinum Card? Did you voluntarily disable the POT feature or was this suspended by AENB?

Bottom line, do not ignore the messages/reminders and PIF as soon as practical. Otherwise, you can risk AENB placing a hard limit on your card.

Harassment . I don't want to hear from them unless I've done something wrong. They shouldn't have approved the charge if they were going to ask me to pay it off immediately. I would have put it on another card so i would not have to pay it off.

Well, their cards their rules, right? Of course, you can choose to ignore it but it's simply an auto-generated email (or text) to help you avoid the inconvenience of having future charges declined (or hard limit be placed). So, if you don't want to play in their sandbox or receive the constant reminders, you may have to elect using a different CC 🤷‍♂️
Are they actually forcing OP to make an early payment (as in, before the due date) to avoid account closure? Or just saying OP can't make further charges without making a payment? The two are not the same.

It's the second one -- definitely not an account closure.

The email/text reminders are basically letting the individual know that they're close to their internal [dynamic] limit for that particular card. Once a dynamic usage/payment pattern is established over time in addition to other internal criteria, then this won't be much of an issue going forward.

We simply don't know enough as to how the OP uses their card, how long they've had the card, their average spend, payment amounts, frequency, income, and any other internal data that AmEx relies on for their specific profile to make any determination on their particular NPSL situation.

Re: Ambiguous Amex Email

SmileNWave — Thu, 10 Feb 2022 04:06:31 GMT

I've had this on my Gold. It came as a result of continued spending while carrying a balance. To them, it just looks like you're digging yourself further and further into debt.

Re: Ambiguous Amex Email

SouthJamaica — Thu, 10 Feb 2022 06:34:46 GMT

@FinStar wrote:
@SouthJamaica wrote:
@K-in-Boston wrote:
The statement is simply that if there is not a payment made to bring the current balance down, charging privileges may be interrupted. To avoid a possible interruption for future charges, they just need the balance brought down. This would not be any different than having a message from another lender who has issued you a revolving credit card stating that you have reached your credit limit and will not be able to make additional charges until you have available credit again. Nowhere has a promise of increased spending ability been made as a result of payment, and there is no dishonesty there.

Just because someone chooses not to reply to every Amex thread with "NPSL bad. Amex bad." doesn't make one an "Amex defender." Stating facts based on the cardholder agreements, prior experiences, and shared knowledge helps everyone to better understand credit products and make informed lending decisions.
I didn't say there was a promise of increased spending ability. I was addressing the actual statement Amex made : "...it is important that you make a payment on your account soon to continue to enjoy uninterrupted use of your Card." Which is simply not so. Because even if the OP paid the account down to zero instantly, he or she would not be assured of the ability to "enjoy uninterrupted use". Amex will interrupt one's use of the NPSL cards whenever if feels like it, in accordance with its secret, shifting, internal formulae.

That's actually a very inaccurate statement since you're generalizing your past experience with everyone. Unless you work directly for AENB and/or are part of a group that develops the algorithms or the AI dynamic technology, it just screams sour grapes from the 'incident' you experienced that led you to cancel your Gold Card. Charge Cards (or some lenders for that matter) are not for everyone and not every product will be a good fit for all.

There are millions of charge cards (any flavor) in use worldwide, and I bet, the great majority have encountered no issues that the OP experienced (not in the past 25 years IME). I enjoy having the flexibility of using charge cards the way they're intended and I've encountered no interruptions. This even goes for similar processing and payment methodologies used by Diners Club/Carte Blanche charge cards when they were in active circulation.

Yes and you say that every single time someone posts on this forum that they have encountered the exact same issue.