topic Re: AMEX Backdating question in Credit Cards

AMEX Backdating question

IWOL — Thu, 27 Jun 2013 23:48:43 GMT

I recently had an AMEX backdated to my member since date of 2009. Will it show on my report as if it was opened in Jan of 2009 or March 2009? It was backdated to my corporate platinum card which was opened in 3/2009.

When I log into my new account it just shows memebr since date of 2009...so wasnt sure how that works in terms of month reported.

Re: AMEX Backdating question

flan — Thu, 27 Jun 2013 23:52:48 GMT

The month that account was opened in. Not the original account. Yes, that means your second card can appear to be older than the original.

Re: AMEX Backdating question

pizzadude — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 03:55:25 GMT

+1. Month opened plus year from your member since date.

Re: AMEX Backdating question

armbenderc — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 05:00:50 GMT

Got to love Amex.

Re: AMEX Backdating question

Anonymous — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 12:15:49 GMT

month you openned the account + member start year

ideally if you openned your account in January it would have the most benefit, if you openned it in December it'll have the least amount of benefit. Although if you backdated quite a while it's still nice no matter which month the account was openned. I openned an account in December, and a new one in January and got a nice 12 months backdating.

Re: AMEX Backdating question

Anonymous — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 12:25:43 GMT

+1

That's what I did: apped for my first AMEX in December 2012, I want to ap for the platinum business revolver in jan 2014 for max back dating

Re: AMEX Backdating question

OhioCPA — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 14:34:58 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
+1

That's what I did: apped for my first AMEX in December 2012, I want to ap for the platinum business revolver in jan 2014 for max back dating

No need to wait since business accounts don't report on personal credit reports unless there is negative information.

Re: AMEX Backdating question

Anonymous — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 15:08:52 GMT

How does backdating actually look on a credit report? I just backdated my husband's Amex to when he was an AU on my Amex. Will the 'open date' of his 2 Amex's actually change on the credit report? Regarding the information on the report for the time between the backdate and when he actually opened the card(s), will there just be 'no data' or 'unknown' (as opposed to 'OK') listed under each month?

Re: AMEX Backdating question

takeshi74 — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 15:13:48 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
How does backdating actually look on a credit report?

No idea with your situation. My BCP opened in March this year originally reported as opened on my member since date (1998) -- no need to change it.

@Anonymous wrote:
Regarding the information on the report for the time between the backdate and when he actually opened the card(s), will there just be 'no data' or 'unknown' (as opposed to 'OK') listed under each month?

I only have OK's beginning when the BCP was opened.

Re: AMEX Backdating question

Open123 — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 15:20:43 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
How does backdating actually look on a credit report? I just backdated my husband's Amex to when he was an AU on my Amex. Will the 'open date' of his 2 Amex's actually change on the credit report? Regarding the information on the report for the time between the backdate and when he actually opened the card(s), will there just be 'no data' or 'unknown' (as opposed to 'OK') listed under each month?

If you've "successfully" backdated (where your husban'd online account shows "member since AU date,") then it should; but, I've seen some cases where people have had to contact them for a manual update for existing cards. This process is hit or miss, at best. Hopefully, they'll update automatically.

On your second question, on the few reports I've seen, it has been "ok" on EQ, but "no data" on Ex and TU; however, I'm not sure if the few I've seen is enough of a sample size to make sweeping generalizations.

Re: AMEX Backdating question

Anonymous — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 16:29:59 GMT

Awesome - thanks. It does list the new "member since" date on his account online now. And the new cards should be here today. Hopefully that will show up on his credit report as it should. How long does the new date normally take to get reported? Would it just get reported the next time Amex reports his closing statement info (so mid-Julyish)?

Re: AMEX Backdating question

pizzadude — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 18:54:03 GMT

On your credits reports a backdated AMEX will have a date opened of MM/YYYY, where MM is the month the card was opened and YYYY is the year of the member since date.

Re: AMEX Backdating question

Open123 — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 23:33:11 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Awesome - thanks. It does list the new "member since" date on his account online now. And the new cards should be here today. Hopefully that will show up on his credit report as it should. How long does the new date normally take to get reported? Would it just get reported the next time Amex reports his closing statement info (so mid-Julyish)?

Either that, or by the next cycle, mid-August. Depends on where his account is for their reporting cut-off time.

Hopefully, it'll be automatically updated. If it hasn't by mid August, then it isn't going to. Then, you basically need to contact their credit reporting dept, where you'll receive one of two responses.

1. The orginal membership date will apply only to "new" applications only, and will not reflect the AU's existing accounts before the change.

2. You successfully reach the "right" person, who will manually update the CRAs.

There are no assurances you'll be successful, but it's worth a try. In either case, the way I'd approach it is to phrase it along the lines "requesting the information contained in your husband's CRA to reflect his membership date accurately."

Under no circumstances, use the words "backdate" or "change" or "alter."

Good luck!

*Edited* - PS - Depending on how assertive you'd like to get, you can always send a written request to "update with accurate information for membership date as mandated by the FCRA." However, if you value your relationship with Amex, this would be a "last" resort, and the backdate had better be worth it, otherwise just apply for some new sign-up bonuses for Jan.