AMEX address verification

Anonymous · ‎10-04-2016

Friends, I have been in a months-long saga trying to get an app through AMEX's very zealous fraud department. I'll give you my situation and I am asking for your help and guidance here. Please read all the way through.

A little over two months ago I got some nerve and apped for the PRG and got the 30-day reply. A couple of weeks went by and I got the letter about address verification in the mail. I poked around on this forum and figured it wasn't necessarily a bad sign and decided I should follow up.

So I followed the instructions, went to my bank, and got a letter from the lead teller on bank letterhead providing (or so I thought) every piece of info that they needed. I mailed it back to them. Two more weeks go by, I think "gee, maybe they denied it". I get the letter in the mail and it bends easily. I figure it is a denial.

It is a second letter stating that the letter I sent was insufficient and pretty much telling me to do it again. By this time I had picked up another hard inquiry for something unrelated, and am less confident about my shortage of revolving credit, and had a change of heart about a $195 AF for a card that issues no revolving credit. So I ripped up the second letter and apped for the green card instead. Meanwhile I take a look my Experian report, where my zip code is listed as a zip+4 all run together (the online application does not allow you to enter a zip code of more than 5 digits) and although it makes no practical difference, I think that my app is getting flagged by some automated process because of the zip code inconsistency.

So I call using a number in the backdoor #'s thread (I'm not quite sure if I actually got past the frontline CSR) - they looked at my green card app from their screen and sure enough it was flagged for address verification. I told the lady to go ahead and kill my PRG application, which she did. I explained my situation and she said that I could fax them the letter from the bank and that they would have access to it in 24 to 48 hours.

So I went back to the bank, re-did the verification letter, faxed it to the number she gave me and threw on a copy of my driver's license for good measure. The lead teller had never heard of such a thing and I thanked her for her time. Just today, I checked the app status online. It went from "In Progress" to "Cancelled." I feel another verification letter is on the way.

I am sick of going through the house of mirrors to try to get this card and am on the verge of giving up on amex. What should I do? Thoughts and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

austinguy907 · ‎10-04-2016

DNA sample? First born? Right arm? All of your utility bills? DL? Birth certificate?

I would double check all of your reports for the correct name/address and correct them if needed. Maybe send them a copy of your CR showing all of the info highlighting your Address and the Inquiry from AMEX.

Have you had this issue with anyone else? Is it a duplex/triplex/quadplex? I'm wondering if someone else in the same address might have something going on with them as well. Maybe a close name spelling to someone else or a typo on the app.

Anonymous · ‎10-04-2016

No, I've never had to do anything like this. Single family residence. Dead end street. I've opened checking accounts online, no problem.

And the thing is, it IS my correct address, just in its complete form that nobody ever uses (the Zip code plus four EX: 66467-2144). It's not even written that way on my driver's license. The app online won't allow you to type more than a 5-digit zip code. The rep told me that that wouldn't be the issue, but I don't know what else it would be. My TU and EQ CR just have the 5-digit code listed.

I'll bet that if I can get Experian to shorten my zip code on my report (if they can do that), and I wait a few months and re-app, it will go right through. I am convinced that it's an automated process that selects apps to go through verification process.

austinguy907 · ‎10-04-2016

It's definitely a strange issue. They do tend to pull EX over others to open. So, if the oddball 9 digit zip code is on EX that might explain it but, really as long as name, add, dob, ssn match it shouldn't kick back a denial.

Anonymous · ‎10-04-2016

I feel like I just need the right phone number-- a backdoor to the fraud department or somebody who can do address verification over the phone. Does anybody have that?

The reps I've talked have not been super helpful...

Anonymous · ‎10-04-2016

Contact Experian they'll fix it while you're on the phone. Then send a copy to AMEX.

Anonymous · ‎10-05-2016

Testimony that there is, in fact, a much better phone number:

https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/55sqw1/issues_with_amex_application_solved_by_talking/

Of course this guy was an existing customer, and a platinum card holder as well.

I might try one more number to see if they'll let me talk to somebody who knows a thing or two.

But I'm thinking the better route might be to let this app die, call experian and try to get them to change my zip code format, then re-app in a few months.