topic Re: Ok, folks... welcome me to the AMEX family! in Credit Cards

Ok, folks... welcome me to the AMEX family!

Anonymous — Wed, 18 May 2011 20:14:55 GMT

As I posted in another thread, I received an offer to apply for an Amex Green. I had an Amex back in my (very irresponsible) youth, and 20 years ago it wound up as an unpaid CO. I never expected to be able to get another card with them. But, a couple of posters here pointed out that the backdating would be worth an attempt, and even if I were indeed blacklisted, they would notice this first and not pull my report. So, even though I'm in garden mode, the prospect of 20 years worth of backdating made it worth pulling the trigger. I just did, and I was approved!!!!! Got the "Congratulations" email, and was told that I should have my card in 7-10 days. What a step up from First Premier and Orchard!!!!!

I intend to treat this card like a fragile Faberge egg. I DON'T want to mess this up again. I'm finally at a point in my life where I truly value my credit rating and will make certain to protect it.

Now, with the backdating taken into account, how does this factor into the gardening metaphor? Planting a fully mature oak tree or something???

I feel indescribably lucky! WOO, HOO!!!!!

Re: Ok, folks... welcome me to the AMEX family!

mmduluth — Wed, 18 May 2011 20:15:53 GMT

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Re: Ok, folks... welcome me to the AMEX family!

Walt_K — Wed, 18 May 2011 20:38:21 GMT

Hopefully it will automatically backdate to your previous account, but if it doesn't you might not want to press it since if I understand you correctly, that account is still an unpaid charge off.

Re: Ok, folks... welcome me to the AMEX family!

UFGuy2006 — Wed, 18 May 2011 20:39:21 GMT

@Walt_K wrote:
Hopefully it will automatically backdate to your previous account, but if it doesn't you might not want to press it since if I understand you correctly, that account is still an unpaid charge off.

+1!!

Re: Ok, folks... welcome me to the AMEX family!

Anonymous — Wed, 18 May 2011 20:42:49 GMT

@Walt_K wrote:
Hopefully it will automatically backdate to your previous account, but if it doesn't you might not want to press it since if I understand you correctly, that account is still an unpaid charge off.

Agreed... completely. I'm really hoping for the backdating since my old account popped up on my Experian report this March. I have no idea why, but it's showing as paid/never late. So, I'm crossing my fingers. Even if it doesn't, it's a prime card and I'll gladly take it and treat it very, very well.

Re: Ok, folks... welcome me to the AMEX family!

daytrade5 — Wed, 18 May 2011 21:00:22 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@Walt_K wrote:
Hopefully it will automatically backdate to your previous account, but if it doesn't you might not want to press it since if I understand you correctly, that account is still an unpaid charge off.
Agreed... completely. I'm really hoping for the backdating since my old account popped up on my Experian report this March. I have no idea why, but it's showing as paid/never late. So, I'm crossing my fingers. Even if it doesn't, it's a prime card and I'll gladly take it and treat it very, very well.

Here it comes........ Welcome to the Amex family! Congrats!

Re: Ok, folks... welcome me to the AMEX family!

Anonymous — Wed, 18 May 2011 21:03:14 GMT

Good to know you've learned from your past.

That will make this card just that much sweeter for you!

Congratulations!

Re: Ok, folks... welcome me to the AMEX family!

Hopelives2 — Wed, 18 May 2011 21:12:51 GMT

GRATS!!! (entirely envious, btw)

One question;

While you DID have multiple negative items on your credit, NONE of them included a BK, right?

And the negaitve items you've been removing for past several months.

The reason I ask is for guidance as my scores, as well as many others, are similar to yours but we have BKs on our CR.

Re: Ok, folks... welcome me to the AMEX family!

Anonymous — Wed, 18 May 2011 21:29:51 GMT

@Hopelives2 wrote:
GRATS!!! (entirely envious, btw)

One question;

While you DID have multiple negative items on your credit, NONE of them included a BK, right?

And the negaitve items you've been removing for past several months.

The reason I ask is for guidance as my scores, as well as many others, are similar to yours but we have BKs on our CR.

I've never had a BK, ever. Any remaining baddies are 6 - 7 years old and are ready to age off.

Frankly, I'm still in shock. I wasn't really expecting an approval, but I wanted to see once and for all if I was on the blacklist. I heard that if I was, I wouldn't even incur an inquiry, so there wasn't much to lose.

Re: Ok, folks... welcome me to the AMEX family!

Hopelives2 — Wed, 18 May 2011 21:33:59 GMT

I've been following your pathway to great credit and my BK is the one thing that distinguishes us:

my score is higher but I have a bk

Me thinketh AMEX will not approve me for another 9 years or so

Grats again!

Re: Ok, folks... welcome me to the AMEX family!

Anonymous — Wed, 18 May 2011 21:42:38 GMT

Congratulations!!!!

Welcome to the AmEx Family, I Love my backdated Blue Cash (1991)

Re: Ok, folks... welcome me to the AMEX family!

Anonymous — Wed, 18 May 2011 23:56:47 GMT

Wow! Congrats. I'm glad to see that you went for it. I was just thinking that I'd pop in here to see if you decided to apply and am thrilled to learn of your success. 20 years of backdating is like gold!

Re: Ok, folks... welcome me to the AMEX family!

Anonymous — Thu, 19 May 2011 00:17:32 GMT

So, wait, they didn't pull your report? I had an AMEX in '86 that I closed, does that mean they won't pull my report?

Re: Ok, folks... welcome me to the AMEX family!

DI — Thu, 19 May 2011 00:39:20 GMT

Welcome! Member since 8/09.

Re: Ok, folks... welcome me to the AMEX family!

Anonymous — Thu, 19 May 2011 00:51:12 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
So, wait, they didn't pull your report? I had an AMEX in '86 that I closed, does that mean they won't pull my report?

They did pull my report; I just looked, and I have a hard inq from AMEX from today on Experian. Well worth it. Also, since my previous AMEX account is showing on my Experian report, I'm hopeful that the backdating -- back to '87!!! -- will take place. Crossing my fingers...

Re: Ok, folks... welcome me to the AMEX family!

Anonymous — Thu, 19 May 2011 00:58:42 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Wow! Congrats. I'm glad to see that you went for it. I was just thinking that I'd pop in here to see if you decided to apply and am thrilled to learn of your success. 20 years of backdating is like gold!

That was my thought. I just couldn't think of a good reason NOT to try. Worst case, they pull my report and decline my app -- worth the try. Or, they decline me without pulling my report -- no inq, so no harm, no foul. With an approval, I have the chance of getting a card with an amazing degree of backdating. And, even if they don't backdate, it's still a prime card and a foot in the door. I balanced this all out and decided that it was well worth pulling the trigger. I'm so glad that I did.

Re: Ok, folks... welcome me to the AMEX family!

sandman2435 — Thu, 19 May 2011 01:42:38 GMT

Amex will approve you with a BK as long as its at least 7 years and you have never included them in your BK..and you have no baddies or collections...may want to try for a Zync charge card(Have to pay in full every month)

Re: Ok, folks... welcome me to the AMEX family!

Hopelives2 — Thu, 19 May 2011 02:25:27 GMT

@sandman2435 wrote:
Amex will approve you with a BK as long as its at least 7 years

I filed in 2/2010, discharge in 5/2010; NO credit cards included in it (all were PIF) and my corporate AMEX was always PIF.

I'll be just graduating from med school in 2017 and have no income at that point; just mounting student loan debt and residency. Oh well.

Re: Ok, folks... welcome me to the AMEX family!

Anonymous — Thu, 19 May 2011 13:32:38 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Good to know you've learned from your past.

That will make this card just that much sweeter for you!

Congratulations!

Yes, absolutely. I've worked too hard to regain my creditworthiness to ever want to mess it up again.

The original unpleasantness with Amex was my fault -- young and foolish. Bad credit habits led to accounts being closed, and as a result, I wound up stuck in "subprimeland" for many years, mostly because I didn't understand how to get out. No one explained util to me. I acquired some subprime cards in an attempt to start over, kept a clean payment history on them, but kept getting turned down for prime cards and I couldn't understand why. Now I realize that most of it had to do with being under my CLs, but too close to them. I had no idea; I thought that if you were under your limits -- even if at 90% -- but paying on time, you were good. Unfortunately, with small limit cards, it's very easy have high util without spending all that much. So, I got frustrated, had a couple of life emergencies that caused me to get behind (two hurricanes), etc, and I got discouraged and allowed my credit to get sloppy. I got serious about getting my credit life back in order last year, found these forums, did the necessary work to rebuild (clean up errors on reports, be scrupulous about payments, pay off outstanding balances, wait for legit baddies to age off, etc...) and now I'm finally, FINALLY, taking my very first steps out of subprimeland!!! I am so very happy that I found these forums, as the information I found here has been life changing! Thanks, everyone!

Re: Ok, folks... welcome me to the AMEX family!

CS800 — Thu, 19 May 2011 13:51:20 GMT

Congrats !!

Like you i am slowly working ym way up there in the prime lands.

Back in my prime days (early 2000's) I had an Optima Platinum frfom AMEX with a CL of $2000.

Since I was not using it, I closed it from some bad advice and my own ignorance of credit. So once my scores are in the high 600's, I was thinking of apping for an AMEX. I was always in good standard with AMEX and PIF everytime I used it.

Backdating for me is 2001 but this can still help me since my subprime cards were all opened in 2008.