topic Amex "Pre-Approved For You," Then Not ... (?) in Credit Cards

Amex "Pre-Approved For You," Then Not ... (?)

OnWayUpinTexas — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 22:44:36 GMT

After reading a post from a few weeks back (I think by Hauling), every time I log in to check my Amex Zync account (which is everyday), I click on the gray box at the far right that says "Additional Cards" (not the drop down menu, but the box itself), which takes me to another screen with a series of blue boxes across the top. The box on the far right of that screen is always the last to populate with any text, and most of the time it says "Refer Friends and Earn Points," or something like that, when it fills in.

BUT, on two occasions before, the blue box has said "Pre-Approved for You." When I click on that button, it takes me to a screen that says I'm pre-approved for the Green Card and Platinum Card (don't know why not Gold?). Yet, when I try to apply for one of the cards (I want to replace Zync with Green to get the real Membership Rewards program), I get an "our systems are not responding" message. Happened twice now, about three weeks apart. The next time I logon and try it (even a little later the same day), the "Pre-Approved For You" box is gone and the "Refer Friends and Earn Points" box is back.

Anyone experienced anything similar? So far, I'm too lazy to call Amex and ask them "am I really pre-approved or not!?!," which I will eventually break down and do.

The paranoid side of me says that Amex is softing me each time I hit the "Pre-Approved" button, and then deciding "oh, we don't want to pre-approve him after all" based on my report, hence the "our systems are not responding screen" ...

Re: Amex "Pre-Approved For You," Then Not ... (?)

Walt_K — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 22:36:36 GMT

I don't check it every day, but yesterday was the first time I noticed any preapproval offers. I have the Premier Rewards Gold Card. I've had the card since October and never seen a preapproval offer before, but again, I don't check frequently, so I don't know if this is really the first time it appeared. I was preapproved for Zync, Green, Platinum, and the Hilton HHonors Surpass card. Today, it's back to the Refer Friends and Earn Points message.

Re: Amex "Pre-Approved For You," Then Not ... (?)

Anonymous — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 22:43:03 GMT

I'm going to check this every time I log in from now on.

Re: Amex "Pre-Approved For You," Then Not ... (?)

Anonymous — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 23:26:06 GMT

I check regularly too, and it has happened to me 3 times. Once it just offered me Platinum. One time Platinum, Blue Cash, and Gold. And most recently Gold. Was hopeful at first too...but when it wouldn't let me apply, and later went away I figured it just an error. Never called, I hate being an active participant in my rejection. :-P

Re: Amex "Pre-Approved For You," Then Not ... (?)

OnWayUpinTexas — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 23:28:33 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I check regularly too, and it has happened to me 3 times. Once it just offered me Platinum. One time Platinum, Blue Cash, and Gold. And most recently Gold. Was hopeful at first too...but when it wouldn't let me apply, and later went away I figured it just an error. Never called, I hate being an active participant in my rejection. :-P

+1 to that ...

Glad to know I'm not the only one Amex is toying with. Probably genuinely a "system error."

Re: Amex "Pre-Approved For You," Then Not ... (?)

Anonymous — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 23:56:48 GMT

I get preapproval offers from Am Ex (i.e., "approved for you") if I go to their web site and wait 60 seconds before even logging in. I don't think they mean anything except that I am preapproved to apply (and either get accepted or rejected.) If it was an offer specific to me as a cardholder, I would think I would have to identify myself first. And the screen I see is the same one the OP does.

Re: Amex "Pre-Approved For You," Then Not ... (?)

Gibran — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 00:12:10 GMT

I'm right there with the rest of you, it's happened to me also. Said I was pre-approved for Platinum and Gold, then went back and it was gone. I'm glad to see I wasn't the only one.

Re: Amex "Pre-Approved For You," Then Not ... (?)

Ron1 — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 00:24:24 GMT

In several times, I was pre-approval from Zync (already have), Rewards Gold, Rewards Green and Platinum (upgraded). I checked back the following days and it was disappeared. It might have been system glitches. I also checked their business cards and I didn't get any pre-approval. They always offered me Business Rewards Gold, Rewards Green, The Plum Card and the Business Platinum Card. I think the pre-approval doesn't mean anything. They still hard pull for final approval. I don't think pre-approval makes it easier to get. I never got any pre-approval from them.

Ron.

Re: Amex "Pre-Approved For You," Then Not ... (?)

Anonymous — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 10:19:38 GMT

it happens to me all the time too.

Re: Amex "Pre-Approved For You," Then Not ... (?)

Anonymous — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 17:36:47 GMT

It's happened to me a few times in the last few weeks. Its offered Green and Platinum and I don't need or want another charge card other than my Zync so I ignored it. I have my goal set on the Costco Amex.

Re: Amex "Pre-Approved For You," Then Not ... (?)

Anonymous — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 03:29:30 GMT

Notice that they know what card I have, but I'm not logged in? See the Login button at the top right? They know who you are, don't be silly. They know everything about you!

Same thing I see when logged in by the way. I used to see the Gold card, haven't seen it in a while. You've registered your computer with them. That's why when you try to log in from a different computer than you normally do, they start asking you security questions about what school you went to and who your first girlfriend was.

Re: Amex "Pre-Approved For You," Then Not ... (?)

OnWayUpinTexas — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 05:16:43 GMT

Shadow, I know exactly what you mean ... I've noticed the same things. The site asks me to "explore the benefits of my [Zync] card," or something like that, even before I sign in. Smart and sophisticated ...

Re: Amex "Pre-Approved For You," Then Not ... (?)

Anonymous — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 00:22:26 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:

Notice that they know what card I have, but I'm not logged in? See the Login button at the top right? They know who you are, don't be silly. They know everything about you!

Same thing I see when logged in by the way. I used to see the Gold card, haven't seen it in a while. You've registered your computer with them. That's why when you try to log in from a different computer than you normally do, they start asking you security questions about what school you went to and who your first girlfriend was.

Clean out your history, temporary files, and cookies will remove all information stored on your computer. Then go back to the page and you will see your card is not listed.

Re: Amex "Pre-Approved For You," Then Not ... (?)

Anonymous — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 05:38:30 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:

Clean out your history, temporary files, and cookies will remove all information stored on your computer. Then go back to the page and you will see your card is not listed.

Nah. I rather prefer my favorite sites loading up quickly and remembering who I am. Cookies have their benefits.

I was just pointing out that the pre-approvals are not random. They know who you are, because when you tell them "remember who I am", they're loading you up with cookies. Some sites even track your IP address. Amex seems to be a bit lax on caring where you log in from compared to other banking websites. When I log into my bank's website from work, I have to promise to give them my first born before they let me see my account balance.

Re: Amex "Pre-Approved For You," Then Not ... (?)

Anonymous — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 22:52:36 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:

Clean out your history, temporary files, and cookies will remove all information stored on your computer. Then go back to the page and you will see your card is not listed.

Nah. I rather prefer my favorite sites loading up quickly and remembering who I am. Cookies have their benefits.

I was just pointing out that the pre-approvals are not random. They know who you are, because when you tell them "remember who I am", they're loading you up with cookies. Some sites even track your IP address. Amex seems to be a bit lax on caring where you log in from compared to other banking websites. When I log into my bank's website from work, I have to promise to give them my first born before they let me see my account balance.

While every one feels differently about cookies, the truth is it has no bearing on your favorites and how fast they load. What cookies do is track the things you do and store your information.

How fast your pages load and your favorites is based on the speed of your computer and internet connection.

Re: Amex "Pre-Approved For You," Then Not ... (?)

Anonymous — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 02:19:55 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:

@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:

Clean out your history, temporary files, and cookies will remove all information stored on your computer. Then go back to the page and you will see your card is not listed.

Nah. I rather prefer my favorite sites loading up quickly and remembering who I am. Cookies have their benefits.

I was just pointing out that the pre-approvals are not random. They know who you are, because when you tell them "remember who I am", they're loading you up with cookies. Some sites even track your IP address. Amex seems to be a bit lax on caring where you log in from compared to other banking websites. When I log into my bank's website from work, I have to promise to give them my first born before they let me see my account balance.

While every one feels differently about cookies, the truth is it has no bearing on your favorites and how fast they load. What cookies do is track the things you do and store your information.

How fast your pages load and your favorites is based on the speed of your computer and internet connection.

Sorry, wasn't being specific. Your temp internet files are going to speed up your favorite sites loading speeds, because you don't have to load up each image every time. The cookies are how they recognize you. And the history...well, not sure why you told me to get rid of that, it's just a log of where I've been.

If I did everything you'd suggested, I would not be a happy camper. Luckily, I know what all that stuff does, and prefer to keep it all. That's just me though. Some people like to clean out everything every time they close their browser. On my own computer that nobody else touches, I have no need to continually ditch all that stuff. Amex already knows more about me than my girlfriend. I'm still debating which one I like more.

Re: Amex "Pre-Approved For You," Then Not ... (?)

OnWayUpinTexas — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 02:46:13 GMT

Re: Amex "Pre-Approved For You," Then Not ... (?)

MAstudent07 — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 15:02:48 GMT

Hi all, the same experience has happened to me too. Every now and then, I do get the "pre- approved" cards title on the blue tab. I have the Zync card, and in the few times it shows me the cards available for "me", it is always the Platinum charge card. No thanks!

Re: Amex "Pre-Approved For You," Then Not ... (?)

larinoriani — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 01:40:56 GMT

It happened to me once in December and hasn't happened again. I think I was pr-approved for the Gold, Zync and other I can't remember. I have Blue Cash. I actually thought it was a system glitch since I've only had the card since November....

Re: Amex "Pre-Approved For You," Then Not ... (?)

scottwagnon — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 04:51:34 GMT

this happened to me today. i logged on and was pre approved for the platinum and gold delta skymiles credit card; then logged back in an hour later to not find these pre approvals. meanwhile, for almost a month now, i have been preapproved consistenly for the platinum, green, and zync charge card.