topic Re: Amex :-/... in Credit Cards

Amex :-/...

smc733 — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 23:42:54 GMT

Application CANCELLED AGAIN!!!!!

You'll recieve a form in the mail to fill out! I'm sick of this, people with FICO scores much lower than mine are getting both Blue and especially Zync. Why do they hate me?

Either way,

Discover Student Card it is...

Re: Amex :-/...

Anonymous — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 00:07:35 GMT

IIRC, you applied for the blue right? Maybe if you applied for Zync you would have been approved. Anyways, sorry to hear the bad news. =/

Re: Amex :-/...

smc733 — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 00:08:44 GMT

Hard to say, they did the same thing twice when I tried for Zync, I think they hate me. Perhaps the fact that my employer is in a different state than my home?

Re: Amex :-/...

smc733 — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 01:02:34 GMT

Requesting 4506t, again. Got so frustrated I hung up without talking to the rep.

Will go for Discover instead. Then perhaps chase. I have no room in my wallet for a card, that someone on the boards has said, "suffers from PMS".

Re: Amex :-/...

Watchmann — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 02:57:53 GMT

AMEX does not just rely on FICO score, they have their own underwriting standards. It would seem there is something in your background that troubles them and trips you up. Any ideas what that might be? Many people live in a state different from where they work, don't think that is an issue.

Re: Amex :-/...

smc733 — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 02:56:12 GMT

The only thing I can think of is the employer/state issue. My student loan balances are nothing abnormal, I do have a few inquiries, but most over 6 months.

Re: Amex :-/...

ArisGreek — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 02:58:54 GMT

AMEX just has PMS...I can't even get a measly $400 CLI from them and I have phenomenal credit and a good salary. Just baffles me.

Re: Amex :-/...

Anonymous — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 03:05:49 GMT

When you say your account is cancelled, do you mean denied?

sorry I'm a bit slow

Re: Amex :-/...

smc733 — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 03:18:01 GMT

When they say cancelled, it means they have to "verify info for further processing".

Generally, approved, but (insert middle finger here). My problem is this is my first year with income! They've gotten 5 inquiries off of me, that's it, they're done.

Re: Amex :-/...

Anonymous — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 04:52:04 GMT

Aren't you a full time college student? Stop worrying about credit. Go out on dates. Go watch your school's team play hoops...something

You said your making 15k year and then going around stating 150k HHI (which I really hope your not putting on applications) and your wondering why Amex is asking for forms? You have 36k of installement debt plus at least 3 revovling credit lines and your making 15k income per year and don't understand why your not getting prime cards with the highlest limits? 15k doesn't even cover the bare minimum yearly income for some credit cards. Honestly, I found Discover to be a lot more picky on new apps than Amex. Good luck with that.

Re: Amex :-/...

Anonymous — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 05:14:35 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Aren't you a full time college student? Stop worrying about credit. Go out on dates. Go watch your school's team play hoops...something

You said your making 15k year and then going around stating 150k HHI (which I really hope your not putting on applications) and your wondering why Amex is asking for forms? You have 36k of installement debt plus at least 3 revovling credit lines and your making 15k income per year and don't understand why your not getting prime cards with the highlest limits? 15k doesn't even cover the bare minimum yearly income for some credit cards. Honestly, I found Discover to be a lot more picky on new apps than Amex. Good luck with that.

Discover is a lot pickier than AMEX IMO.

Re: Amex :-/...

Anonymous — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 08:14:48 GMT

@smc733 wrote:
Application CANCELLED AGAIN!!!!!

You'll recieve a form in the mail to fill out! I'm sick of this, people with FICO scores much lower than mine are getting both Blue and especially Zync. Why do they hate me?

Either way,
Discover Student Card it is...

Amex doesn't base their approvals on FICO scores. They use their own internal scoring system, and I believe income is one of their major factors. You applied 6 months ago with 15K as your income, now you're claiming 150K HHI. Thats probably why you're flagged now.

You've got two prime cards with Citi and BOA with 4,700 in credit. I'd sit tight for a while.

Re: Amex :-/...

smc733 — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 14:09:41 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Aren't you a full time college student? Stop worrying about credit. Go out on dates. Go watch your school's team play hoops...something

You said your making 15k year and then going around stating 150k HHI (which I really hope your not putting on applications) and your wondering why Amex is asking for forms? You have 36k of installement debt plus at least 3 revovling credit lines and your making 15k income per year and don't understand why your not getting prime cards with the highlest limits? 15k doesn't even cover the bare minimum yearly income for some credit cards. Honestly, I found Discover to be a lot more picky on new apps than Amex. Good luck with that.

Discover has a student card, though, which issues lower limits. I'm not interested in higher limits at all. I don't want anything larger than $2,500 on each card, I just want a third card, primarily a non Visa/MC so that all my cards can age through college as my Student Loans will make it harder to obtain other credit as it is when I graduate, but I will certainly be needing credit.

Also, for income I listed $11,200, quite shy of what I actually end up making. That's just the estimate I had put down on my first two cards in April, which I've used on all apps, but overtime pushed me to ~$16k/yr. Other companies, such as BofA/Citi, asked me during CLI requests for total HHI in addition to income, so in that scenario, 152-15 = 137 is the number I provide them with.

Anyway, the goal is to wait till April and go for the final card, Discover Student More, which will age nicely right into a Discover More card. By then, I'll only have 3 inquiries in the last 6 months, spread out on the reports (they Hard TU and soft EQ/EX). I'm also an AU on my father's 8 year old Discover card, whether or not that factors in remains to be seen.

Also, to the post above mine which I didn't see, I called to ask them, and they had me list HHI as other income. This was what they told me on two separate occasions. They flagged my Zync app for 4506-T when I listed just my income, same deal. I'm convinced it has to do with my employer being several states from my home address.

TU: Amex(JAN)/Bankofamericadebitcard(OCT) (Merill Lynch)

EX: Amex(JAN)/PSECU (DEC)

EQ: AMEX(JAN)

Re: Amex :-/...

JagerBombs89 — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 18:54:56 GMT

I just got approved for the Blue Cash and I put MY income vs HHI as I didn't want to deal with tax forms and what not... I think utilization might have a big factor as well...?

Re: Amex :-/...

Anonymous — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 19:58:15 GMT

I don't think they should even ask for HHI on applications... just YOUR income. Unless you are putting whoever you live with on the account as well... should be a seperate option for individual income + HHI.

Re: Amex :-/...

smc733 — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 21:10:40 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I don't think they should even ask for HHI on applications... just YOUR income. Unless you are putting whoever you live with on the account as well... should be a seperate option for individual income + HHI.

I agree with this. I mean, if they say to put it, who wouldn't as to not take advantage of it, right? Either way, under income I listed my own personal income with a legitimate number (which I'd be happy to show them W2s, paystubs, etc, just that this is my first year filing for a tax return).

Anyway, I called them today, and they said it is because the state of my employer is over 100 miles from my home address??? Whatever, I am done with Amex for now, I'll seek out a good third card elsewhere.

Does anyone else have any suggestions as to what may be a good third card.

I'm thinking Discover Student More

-or-

Chase +1 MasterCard (if this can be converted after graduation, I don't want a card I can't replace)

If not, I think my FICO scores are in a fair range for the Chase Freedom?

EDIT: Forget the Chase +1. 17.24% APR? That's excessive, even if I'm not going to carry a balance.

Re: Amex :-/...

haulingthescoreup — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 21:25:06 GMT

@smc733 wrote:

EDIT: Forget the Chase +1. 17.24% APR? That's excessive, even if I'm not going to carry a balance.

Your decision, of course, but if this is a rewards card, it's to be expected that it has a high APR. My Chase Freedom card is at 19.24%.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Although I do understand that people worry that one day they might have to carry a balance, and therefore they want a low APR, I don't think that every single card needs to have a low rate.

Other people object to high-APR cards on principle.

To me, this is like dumping a BF or GF because s/he speaks French with a terrible accent. Since I don't need to speak French with them, I don't care about their accent.

Re: Amex :-/...

Anonymous — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 21:33:22 GMT

@smc733 wrote:

@Anonymous wrote:
I don't think they should even ask for HHI on applications... just YOUR income. Unless you are putting whoever you live with on the account as well... should be a seperate option for individual income + HHI.

I agree with this. I mean, if they say to put it, who wouldn't as to not take advantage of it, right? Either way, under income I listed my own personal income with a legitimate number (which I'd be happy to show them W2s, paystubs, etc, just that this is my first year filing for a tax return).

Anyway, I called them today, and they said it is because the state of my employer is over 100 miles from my home address??? Whatever, I am done with Amex for now, I'll seek out a good third card elsewhere.

Does anyone else have any suggestions as to what may be a good third card.

I'm thinking Discover Student More
-or-
Chase +1 MasterCard (if this can be converted after graduation, I don't want a card I can't replace)
If not, I think my FICO scores are in a fair range for the Chase Freedom?

EDIT: Forget the Chase +1. 17.24% APR? That's excessive, even if I'm not going to carry a balance.

Overall... I might just focus on the cards you currently have and let some time elapse. Use that Cash Rewards card you have as much as possible.

Re: Amex :-/...

smc733 — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 21:46:39 GMT

So HTSU, do you think otherwise it is good (I don't envision ever carrying a balance)? I have two Visas, so I suppose a MasterCard would be nice to have.

And Cyan, I think you are right, I'm going to let these age until I only have 1 or 2 inquiries in the last 6 months, then jump at either the Chase or the Discover.

Re: Amex :-/...

ibmrad7 — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 21:52:45 GMT

@smc733 wrote:

Also, to the post above mine which I didn't see, I called to ask them, and they had me list HHI as other income. This was what they told me on two separate occasions. They flagged my Zync app for 4506-T when I listed just my income, same deal. I'm convinced it has to do with my employer being several states from my home address.

TU: Amex(JAN)/Bankofamericadebitcard(OCT) (Merill Lynch)
EX: Amex(JAN)/PSECU (DEC)
EQ: AMEX(JAN)

I dont think so... My employer is on the West Coast and I am working on the East Coast since day 1 and I have been with the same employer for more than 3 years.