topic Re: Amex Zync card arrived in Credit Cards

Amex Zync card arrived

Gibran — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 21:55:22 GMT

My zync card arrived in the mail today just in time for a trip I have coming up this weekend I used the 'check my spending' link and put in a test amount of $500, which I may or may not be spending on my trip over the weekend, I wanted to see if my charge would be approved and the result said my $500 charges would be approved. Has anyone run across using that link and their amount was approved but then when they attempted to use their card their charge was declined?

Just trying to get a gauge on the accuracy of the link

Re: Amex Zync card arrived

ngerasimatos — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 22:31:03 GMT

Never heard of such a link, I dont really see the purpose of it.

Re: Amex Zync card arrived

Gibran — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 22:44:47 GMT

The link is 'Check Your Spending Ability' and it will allow you to put in an amount you may plan to spend and it will let you know if the amount would be approved or declined, from what I've read it takes into account various factors. I guess it would be the same as if you called amex and wanted to do a test charge. I've read on a few threads where some people with amex charge cards tried charging a purchase and were declined, even with no past dues and accounts in good standing.

Re: Amex Zync card arrived

ngerasimatos — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 22:45:37 GMT

Weird. Doesn't the Zync have no preset limit? Why could a card with no limit have a transaction declined?

Re: Amex Zync card arrived

Gibran — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 23:07:29 GMT

Correct it does have a no pre set limit, I've read a few threads on here where some people went to charge a purchase and their card was declined. From what I've read on here even with a no pre set limit, depending how much someone is trying to charge it can still be declined. I'm not worried, I won't be going crazy with my card anyway, I'll use it that way it should be used and make sure to PIF every month

Re: Amex Zync card arrived

haulingthescoreup — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 23:24:12 GMT

Sounds like a useful thing to have.

"No pre-set limit" does not equal "charge as much as you like." It just means that, like other charge cards, this one doesn't report a CL. You start out with a fairly conservative internal limit, then as you show that you're not a flaming lunatic, the limit increases.

In other words, if you get a green card in the mail, it doesn't mean that you can go out and plastic a new Maserati.

Hope your trip goes well, Gibran!

Re: Amex Zync card arrived

ngerasimatos — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 23:25:45 GMT

and they never advise you of this "internal" CL?

Re: Amex Zync card arrived

Uniqua — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 23:51:42 GMT

@haulingthescoreup wrote:
Sounds like a useful thing to have.

"No pre-set limit" does not equal "charge as much as you like." It just means that, like other charge cards, this one doesn't report a CL. You start out with a fairly conservative internal limit, then as you show that you're not a flaming lunatic, the limit increases.

In other words, if you get a green card in the mail, it doesn't mean that you can go out and plastic a new Maserati.

Hope your trip goes well, Gibran!

Yes, that does sound like a nice little tool to have. That's something I would definitely use. I'm curious, though, do they offer a tool where you put in the name, city and state of an establishment where you intend to shop and they'll let you know if your CC will be closed out or CLD'd for shopping there? And if so, does it inform you that you should not shop at particular establishments (i.e., WalMart) on Sunday between the hours of noon and 4 p.m. because it would flag your account for automatic FR; or better yet, if five people just recently forclosed on their homes next to that particular WalMart, you'll be cancelled immediately? Just curious. LOL.

Re: Amex Zync card arrived

haulingthescoreup — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 00:35:30 GMT

Oh, I know, I hear you, and I know that it has happened. I've just not seen any evidence that it has happened since this hit the national news.

I know that I've used mine in various tacky places, and nothing has happened. (yet) Maybe they're the one bank on the planet that learned from negative feedback?

At any rate, we do have a useful accumulation of evidence that new charge card holders start out with an internal, unnamed CL, and that with time, it increases.

It sort of reminds me of when a daughter brings home a new BF, who looks kinda OK, but no telling what he'll try to pull in the next 6 months. I keep a close eye on the BF in this stage.

Re: Amex Zync card arrived

ct850 — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 05:46:31 GMT

My Zync just arrived today as well I wanted to use that "Check Your Spending" link but I have heard that multiple tries can make it return all "no"s so I am waiting for something bigger like an airline ticket to use it

A pretty piece of plastic, and I had to call Amex already to set up online access and am already impressed. But I hear things might change on that front

Re: Amex Zync card arrived

Gibran — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 12:46:10 GMT

Congrats on the new card...The link is definitely something I wouldn't just keep entering dollar amounts, I put in an amount because of a upcoming trip, already used it to book my air/hotel/car rental, booked it through amex travel so I could get the 2x rewards points although I wish I hadn't since I didn't find out until afterwards that my hotel stay will be ineligible for me to get my starwood points since it was pre-paid through amex. I'm going to talk to the clerk when I get to my hotel and see if I can add my spg number at check-in.

I already had online access established since I used to have a amex corporate card with my job so I was able to link my new card with my online account...Congrats again

Re: Amex Zync card arrived

Anonymous — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 18:09:27 GMT

How long did it take them to send you the card after you got approved?

Re: Amex Zync card arrived

Gibran — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 18:16:55 GMT

I was approved on 06/04, my card arrived 06/10..Used it to book my hotel and car rental

Re: Amex Zync card arrived

Mark_in_Pasadena — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 23:06:15 GMT

@Uniqua wrote:

@haulingthescoreup wrote:
Sounds like a useful thing to have.

"No pre-set limit" does not equal "charge as much as you like." It just means that, like other charge cards, this one doesn't report a CL. You start out with a fairly conservative internal limit, then as you show that you're not a flaming lunatic, the limit increases.

In other words, if you get a green card in the mail, it doesn't mean that you can go out and plastic a new Maserati.

Hope your trip goes well, Gibran!

Yes, that does sound like a nice little tool to have. That's something I would definitely use. I'm curious, though, do they offer a tool where you put in the name, city and state of an establishment where you intend to shop and they'll let you know if your CC will be closed out or CLD'd for shopping there? And if so, does it inform you that you should not shop at particular establishments (i.e., WalMart) on Sunday between the hours of noon and 4 p.m. because it would flag your account for automatic FR; or better yet, if five people just recently forclosed on their homes next to that particular WalMart, you'll be cancelled immediately? Just curious. LOL.

Haha...

"No Preset Spending Limit" = "We won't tell you what the limit is, though we always internally know what it is".

AMEX definitely keeps tabs on where you shop. The other day I was about to run out of gas and got off the 10 Freeway on Crenshaw Blvd in Los Angeles. I put in my AMEX Blue card at the pump at the Shell gas station and 5 seconds later, before I start the pump, I get a call on my cell phone asking if I was in possession of my AMEX card & checking if I had just purchased gas. I told the lady CSR, "yes I've just started pumping gas, my tank isn't full yet, and no, it wasn't stolen, thanks for asking!" I guess they couldn't figure out why I had purchased gas in a questionable/high-crime part of the city, when I usually pump in a prime area & had to make sure my card wasn't stolen. Apparently their computer geo-location algorithm hasn't been programmed to recognize that this is the closest gas station from the 10 FWY & people might run out of gas unexpectedly.

Now, I have no idea how bonkers they would've gone if i had driven a couple of miles south to the Walmart on Crenshaw (one of the only Walmarts in the actual City of L.A.) and bought something there: