topic Re: Amex shows me what I bought?? in Credit Cards

Amex shows me what I bought??

ilovelisa — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 10:55:58 GMT

I just had a transaction from Staples post on my card. When I click on the details, it shows the date, time, address, but also says at the bottom: command mini hooks, and papermate erasers. So, from Staples at least, Amex knows exactly what you bought.

Re: Amex shows me what I bought??

ezdoesit — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 11:25:55 GMT

@ilovelisa wrote:
I just had a transaction from Staples post on my card. When I click on the details, it shows the date, time, address, but also says at the bottom: command mini hooks, and papermate erasers. So, from Staples at least, Amex knows exactly what you bought.

That is pretty interesting and get people in trouble who are into MS. Good for Amex.

Re: Amex shows me what I bought??

ilovelisa — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 11:32:13 GMT

I did also use my card online to reload my Starbucks card, and at the bottom of that one it says "GIFT CARD"

Re: Amex shows me what I bought??

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 13:13:20 GMT

I think most places now give a detailed breakdown of the charges. I noticed Amex shows rest charges and has a separate tip amount, so if I'm cheap or over tip the waiter/waitress they know that also.

I think at most stores they know when its a gift card. I know places like cvs spell it out in plain letters. Make sure you never buy a book such as "how to file for bankruptcy" on the card.

Re: Amex shows me what I bought??

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 13:52:27 GMT

@purebulldogs500 wrote:
I think most places now give a detailed breakdown of the charges.

I think at most stores they know when its a gift card. I know places like cvs spell it out in plain letters. Make sure you never buy a book such as "how to file for bankruptcy" on the card.

Only if the store does enhanced reporting, and most still don't. (And I've never seen any detail on all my CVS gift charges.)

And for Amex, yesterday bought $2000 + fees of gift cards at a local supermarket.

DOING BUSINESS AS	STOP & SHOP
MERCHANT ADDRESS	XXXX
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION	568397 GROCERY STORE
REFERENCE NUMBER	XXXX
CATEGORY	MERCHANDISE & SUPPLIES - GROCERIES

GROCERY STORE

Is all that shows on my Amex statement

Re: Amex shows me what I bought??

trumpet-205 — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 14:04:19 GMT

@purebulldogs500 wrote:
I think most places now give a detailed breakdown of the charges.

Only if a store uses Level 3 data reporting. Staples is one of those store. Not a lot of them reports Level 3 data.

Re: Amex shows me what I bought??

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 14:15:01 GMT

@trumpet-205 wrote:
@purebulldogs500 wrote:
I think most places now give a detailed breakdown of the charges.
Only if a store uses Level 3 data reporting. Staples is one of those store. Not a lot of them reports Level 3 data.

Do you know if that is corporate wide? Looking at the Visa site, https://www.visa.com/supplierlocator/search/index.jsp

when I look at Staples in my area, most show no enhanced reporting, a few Level 2, and another few:

Level II
Level III Line Item
Level III Summary

so either the info isn't up to date, or some stores provide it and others don't (and maybe that multiple entry means some registers in a store do!)

Re: Amex shows me what I bought??

Closingracer99 — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 14:29:25 GMT

I don't think Staples near me shows me that at all

Re: Amex shows me what I bought??

Mish0817 — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 14:45:14 GMT

Staples reports this way for all cards, I have a MC from work and my staples charges are always itemized

Re: Amex shows me what I bought??

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 14:54:28 GMT

Do you use several staples stores?

Re: Amex shows me what I bought??

trumpet-205 — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 15:01:15 GMT

For Staples, this is a corportate wide policy. I believe Office Depot and Office Max also participate in Level 3 data reporting.

Chase for example, do look over these additional data and cracks down on those who MS on Ink card.

Re: Amex shows me what I bought??

Open123 — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 15:26:07 GMT

In my area, the Staples I've frequented all report Level 3, along with a few other Merchants now.

Most restaurants still won't show the tip amount, but some do. Interestingly enough, Morton's used to show the tip amount, but no longer do so. I would think it would be a disadvantage to the wait staff to show the tip amounts.

Re: Amex shows me what I bought??

barbaralee — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 16:23:13 GMT

I am not sure I would be happy with being able to see what I purchase in detail. What if I shopped at Adam and Eve??? Do I really want the Discover Rep to know what all I was purchasing there??

Re: Amex shows me what I bought??

ezdoesit — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 16:47:33 GMT

@barbaralee wrote:
I am not sure I would be happy with being able to see what I purchase in detail. What if I shopped at Adam and Eve??? Do I really want the Discover Rep to know what all I was purchasing there??

I don't think they would look at you individul puchases unless there was a problem that you brought to their attention. If you did the rep would just say "How yooouuu dooinnn".

Re: Amex shows me what I bought??

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 16:56:21 GMT

@purebulldogs500 wrote:
Make sure you never buy a book such as "how to file for bankruptcy" on the card.

This would be funny if it weren't probably true. At the very least, I bet they'd FR you.

Re: Amex shows me what I bought??

phillyguy12 — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 17:06:38 GMT

+1 only level 3 merchants do so. Benefit to merchant it clears at a lower rate but usually only required for fed contracts or for companies using advance purchasing systems and or pcards

Re: Amex shows me what I bought??

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 17:39:41 GMT

@phillyguy12 wrote:
+1 only level 3 merchants do so. Benefit to merchant it clears at a lower rate but usually only required for fed contracts or for companies using advance purchasing systems and or pcards

As mass storage becomes cheaper and cheaper, and data mining technology continues to improve, I'm sure more and more stores will jump aboard for that benefit. For CC companies, that kind of granular data is literally very valuable from a marketing perspective (ie, to sell off to third parties).

Re: Amex shows me what I bought??

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 19:42:44 GMT

For a while before I got on a good diet I was eating fast food especially when busy, was almost expecting a fr since it prob looked like I would drop from a heart attack any minute.

Re: Amex shows me what I bought??

ilovelisa — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 23:06:01 GMT

Wow, I had no idea that there were different levels of reporting that can show or not show individual items. Besides the purchase of gift cards, I think that it is just weird to show the CCC exactly what you bought.

Re: Amex shows me what I bought??

Open123 — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 23:11:13 GMT

The past year, I've noticed more and more Merchants in my area adopting Level 3 reporting. For instance, my last purchases with Macy's, Nordstroms and Nieman Marcus all listed in detail each item I had purchased.