topic Re: Amex froze my account yet again! in Credit Cards

Amex froze my account yet again!

Anonymous — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:53:15 GMT

What is with these guys? They are seriously starting to wear my patience thin.

I called them to let them know that I was going to a gun show and may make a large purchase yesterday. I was then informed that they can not verify my identity. Apparently they weren't satisfied with my home phone number or my tax returns, so they called my desk at work. This was Sunday, so I wasn't there. I was then informed that the voice on my voicemail didn't sound like me. Since work was on the way home from the gun show I stopped in and let them call me at my desk. Then they agreed I was me and let me spend.

I swore that I would remain loyal to whoever the first prime lender was that would extend credit to me, so I still have some sort of love for Amex. However, these tricks are starting to seriously annoy me. Why didn't they call me instead of instantly declining or something?

Re: Amex froze my account yet again!

Red1Blue — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:59:44 GMT

Hi Fretless, it is time for you to make change to another card. Get your self a nice Citi or Chase card. I am so releived that I got a good card from Citi. My Amex cards are going to enjoy warmth of my sock drawers.

Re: Amex froze my account yet again!

Anonymous — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:59:57 GMT

that's ridiculous.

Re: Amex froze my account yet again!

MidnightVoice — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:01:36 GMT

FretlessMayhem wrote:

I called them to let them know that I was going to a gun show and may make a large purchase yesterday.

They were afraid you were gunning for them

Re: Amex froze my account yet again!

ficonovice — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:04:58 GMT

That's brutal. That's why even though I want one more prime card, I've been sitting on all of the AMEX offers they've been sending me. Green, Gold and now Blue Sky.....

Looks like I'll be choosing between Chase and Discover..

Re: Amex froze my account yet again!

Anonymous — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:05:10 GMT

@MidnightVoice wrote:

@Anonymous wrote:

I called them to let them know that I was going to a gun show and may make a large purchase yesterday.

They were afraid you were gunning for them

Uggghhhhhhh.

Re: Amex froze my account yet again!

Anonymous — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:05:25 GMT

Fretless, sometimes it's the merchant. If a particular merchant runs a number of transactions that are fraudulent, whether they are aware or not, the CCC may get leary of particular transactions with that merchant.

Maybe it's how the merchant ran your credit card? Was it a swipe? Or did they take your CC info and run the charges "back at their office?"

I'm not trying to defend the CCC, but I do recognize that not all merchants practice their due diligence.

Re: Amex froze my account yet again!

Anonymous — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:12:02 GMT

It was at TMobile where I was purchasing a new phone.

Concord, I have both Chase and Citi. Citi gave me 6k and 0 APR on BTs for 15 months. I gladly transfered all outstanding balances to it. It sits in the sock drawer until util comes down.

I carry Chase as my backup. I have the Freedom card with a 15k balance. I like the rewards of the Freedom card.

However, I am trying to run all charges through my Green so it doesn't hurt my util. This is twice my accounts have been locked without my knowledge just on a whim. If they do it again I'm done with them.

Re: Amex froze my account yet again!

Red1Blue — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:16:35 GMT

Fretless, it is time to let it go. I know it is hard. Amex is telling you some thing. They did same thing for me when I applied for Delta Skymiles Applicaiton. Read some of my old posts. In essence they were telling me in a graceful way, we dont want you. It was hard for me to swallow. I let it go. That is why both my Amex cards in the sock drawer now.

Re: Amex froze my account yet again!

Red1Blue — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:28:51 GMT

Fretless, if you want another card, why dont you apply for National City. They just approved it for me last night online. I am sure you would get approved. Why dont you go for a card like that and put Amex away from your mind? I have wasted so many sleepless nights frying my brain thinking about Delta App and how they treated me. I am trying to get Citi Chairman Card. Once I get that Amex is going away from my wallet.

Re: Amex froze my account yet again!

Anonymous — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:31:42 GMT

Hiya Concord. I have 3 Amex cards. I can't help it, for some reason I still want to have an Amex in my wallet. I dig the rewards and CS, not to mention not hurting util.

I tried National City some number of months ago and they declined me. I believe they pulled TU, which mine is like 20-30 points lower than the other 2 due to a collection from last November.

I'm hoping Amex will credit my balance or give me points or something. I demand satisfaction.

Re: Amex froze my account yet again!

Red1Blue — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:33:22 GMT

Good Luck with Amex.

Re: Amex froze my account yet again!

MidnightVoice — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:33:42 GMT

concorduser wrote:
Fretless, if you want another card, why dont you apply for National City. They just approved it for me last night online. I am sure you would get approved. Why dont you go for a card like that and put Amex away from your mind? I have wasted so many sleepless nights frying my brain thinking about Delta App and how they treated me. I am trying to get Citi Chairman Card. Once I get that Amex is going away from my wallet.

And another $500 per year annual fee. And I would have to take a cut in status on my Hilton account

Re: Amex froze my account yet again!

Anonymous — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 21:33:25 GMT

Hi Fretless,

Though I do agree with some points of the forum posters. I've read alot of thread having to do with AMEX:

1. Even thought they offer cards to pay over time, secretly they don't like it. So I always PIF.

2. If utilization is over 15% and thats just speculating, they don't like high usage that can't be paid and I've read no more than 2 or 3 months.

3. They do offer great customer service, but at the same time they are employees for the company so they will follow firm policies. Note: AMEX never should have offered these cards POT if they weren't ready to deal with the bookkeeping. Just my opinion.

I think they are a great company but they don't give there customers the real rules upfront and most seem to learn when out in public. "That is embarrassing".

It my understanding to follow a few unwritten rules for AMEX; PIF and low utilization even if it means multiple payments during the 20 day grace period.

03/24/08 TU 653 EQ 628 EX 673

Re: Amex froze my account yet again!

MidnightVoice — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 22:39:55 GMT

will309 wrote:

I think they are a great company but they don't give there customers the real rules upfront and most seem to learn when out in public. "That is embarrassing".

I never use mine in public

Re: Amex froze my account yet again!

haulingthescoreup — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 22:44:51 GMT

@MidnightVoice wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:

I think they are a great company but they don't give there customers the real rules upfront and most seem to learn when out in public. "That is embarrassing".
I never use mine in public

I am old (aged) enough to remember the ads for American Express encouraging their use at restaurants at big important business meals, in case you had gone over your CL on your non-AmEx cards. No wait, they were running those again just last year...

I have now called three times warning them that I was getting ready to use my Gold card. Each time, they sounded gently amazed that I would think that I had to do such a thing.

Re: Amex froze my account yet again!

Anonymous — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 00:05:52 GMT

haulingthescoreup wrote:

I am old (aged) enough to remember the ads for American Express encouraging their use at restaurants at big important business meals, in case you had gone over your CL on your non-AmEx cards. No wait, they were running those again just last year...

I have now called three times warning them that I was getting ready to use my Gold card. Each time, they sounded gently amazed that I would think that I had to do such a thing.

Interesting, in 4 years, I've warned them only once...when I made a $6K purchase...usually, I don't warn them if the purchase in less than $2-$3K...

Re: Amex froze my account yet again!

Anonymous — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 00:08:31 GMT

Pj1369 wrote:

haulingthescoreup wrote:

I am old (aged) enough to remember the ads for American Express encouraging their use at restaurants at big important business meals, in case you had gone over your CL on your non-AmEx cards. No wait, they were running those again just last year...

I have now called three times warning them that I was getting ready to use my Gold card. Each time, they sounded gently amazed that I would think that I had to do such a thing.

Interesting, in 4 years, I've warned them only once...when I made a $6K purchase...usually, I don't warn them if the purchase in less than $2-$3K...

When I went out of town on vacation a couple of weeks ago, I called them to let them know I'd be traveling and planned to use the card on the road. They asked where I was going and which dates I would be there, and seemed happy that I called to let them know.

Had no trouble whatsoever using the card in four different states over the course of seven days.

Re: Amex froze my account yet again!

Anonymous — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 00:10:45 GMT

I am vowing now, to never get an Amex, because I am too lazy and too short tempered to deal with everything I read here.

Not that I could get one in the near future anyways lol

Re: Amex froze my account yet again!

haulingthescoreup — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 00:13:16 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:

Interesting, in 4 years, I've warned them only once...when I made a $6K purchase...usually, I don't warn them if the purchase in less than $2-$3K...

I figure it's overkill on my part, but I did finally get the last CSR to tell me that as long as they saw charges popping up within a 200 or so mile radius of my home, I'd be OK. It's just that since I have no idea what my Secret Mysterious Invisible charge card limit is, I don't know when I'll go over.