PLEASE HELP. AMERICAN EXPRESS APPLICATION

[biff-henderson]

If it helps, I stalked the AMEX prequal page for a couple months before I was offered anything but the Platinum. Eventually after I started seeing ads for Amex products on every webpage I viewed I got the BCP on the prequal page. I waited a little longer until my Exp score hit the 690's before I app'd for the BCP. Was approved for the min $1K.  I was just happy to be in the door. Finally got a CLI after 7 months, but only up to $2K. Was bummed, but then they started hitting me with the ads again.

Checked the prequal page and saw a few more cards, and pulled the trigger on the Hilton Surpass -- which is what I actually wanted. Made sure it didn't say "expanding your membership is easy". Was approved for $8K. Not huge, but good enough for me to start. Plus I have derogs that won't drop off for 4 more years, so I understand.

Be patient, and get in where you can fit in. I should admit after I got it,  I beat that BCE to death. I pushed as much spend to it as I could that was in category. Saved some cash on their offers as well using an app that auto added them. I think they noticed. Currently doing the same on the Hilton to get that sweet sweet SUB. Patience grasshopper. 

B.

[GypSea_Surfing]

Wow! Nice. Thank you. Your input and time are greatly appreciated. What does "expanding your membership is easy" mean? You said that you made sure that the offer did not say "expanding your membership is easy". What does that mean or how does that relate to an offer? Thanks again. Have a great day.

[Anonymous]

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@GypSea_Surfing wrote:

Wow! Nice. Thank you. Your input and time are greatly appreciated. What does "expanding your membership is easy" mean? You said that you made sure that the offer did not say "expanding your membership is easy". What does that mean or how does that relate to an offer? Thanks again. Have a great day.

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The expanding your membership quote is what you see if you're not pre approved. If you see that message, you can still apply for the new card. Maybe you'll get it, maybe you won't. So seeing a pre approval is what you're really hoping to see instead.

[MCM1]

The best way to get into the Amex ecosystem is a process.......open an Amex savings account.  Then wait until the first statement so you know you are in their system fully.  Then use the new preapproval option and start with the Delta Gold.  That is usually the easiest amex to get.  I have know several that had been denied over and over again, then they opened the savings account and tried again - APPROVED.  Worth a try. 

[GypSea_Surfing]

Great idea on the savings account trick. That should work for my brother who thinks he is on the blacklist because he got his AMEX Serve prepaid card canceled for having a couple of merchants refund a couple of purchases onto the AMEX Serve even though he originally bought the items with a Credit One card that he had canceled and was afraid that he would get his refund checks in the mail from them. He had previously asked AMEX Customer Service if getting a refund onto the Serve card was okay even though he did not use it for the original purchase but then all of a sudden he got his AMEX Serve account shut down for violating the terms and conditions. Now he can not even get approved for an AMEX Serve prepaid card anymore let alone an AMEX regular credit card or charge card. So maybe if he can get a savings account and then after I get my AMEX Gold card I might be able to put him on as an authorized signer as another foot in the door for him. Any thoughts? Beuller? Beuller? Beuller?

[Anonymous]

@GypSea_Surfing  I think it's worth a try to open a Credit One Bank Amex card. Then keep that card for at least one year. Then try the Amex prequalification tool. I realize this may sound like a bizarre strategy, but it just might work. I believe American Express knows who's using their co-branded cards.

[GypSea_Surfing]

At first, I thought that it was a type-o but I Googled it and there is an AMEX Credit One card which makes sense after I think about it because it is just the payment gateway for the Credit One cards just like VISA and MC. I might give it a try but I just don't like their $100 per year fee. And also I am trying to keep my count down of cards because I also want to get a Chase card and they have that strict 5/24 rule. I have an account at Chase and will be trying them soon. If I get denied there then I will go for cards that I really don't want like the Credit One cards. I am giving the AMEX prequalify tools a couple more days then going to see if they offer me the AMEX Platinum card again which I will pull the trigger on this time if they do. Thank you for your input and time as well. Greatly appreciated as always.

[coldfusion]

Stay away from Credit One. 

They're a borderline predatory lender whose target demographic is someone who is an early stage rebuilder e.g. someone who for example just had a BK7 discharged or is just starting to try to get re-established after a series of chargeoffs.  Based on your current FICO score you more closely align with a near-prime cardholder that would be a prototypical Synchrony or Comenity cardholder,  and as your AMEX prequalifer (and BCE denial) indicated you're aren't quite at, but are at the cusp of being seriously considered for cards issued by American Express. 

Stay the course, have a little patience, and good things will come.

[OmarGB9]

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@coldfusion wrote:

Stay away from Credit One. 

They're a borderline predatory lender whose target demographic is someone who is an early stage rebuilder e.g. someone who for example just had a BK7 discharged or is just starting to try to get re-established after a series of chargeoffs.  Based on your current FICO score you more closely align with a near-prime cardholder that would be a prototypical Synchrony or Comenity cardholder,  and as your AMEX prequalifer (and BCE denial) indicated you're aren't quite at, but are at the cusp of being seriously considered for cards issued by American Express. 

Stay the course, have a little patience, and good things will come.

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Agree with this 100%.

Also, the Credit One Amex does no good as far as building rapport with AENB (Amex bank that issues the Platinum/Gold/Green charge cards). The Credit One Amex merely utilizes the Amex payment network, like V/MC as you said. That said, don't get it (or any other cards, for that matter) if you have no need or desire for it. Just be patient, work with what you have, and let your profile age and score grow.

[FinStar]

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@GypSea_Surfing wrote:

Great idea on the savings account trick. That should work for my brother who thinks he is on the blacklist because he got his AMEX Serve prepaid card canceled for having a couple of merchants refund a couple of purchases onto the AMEX Serve even though he originally bought the items with a Credit One card that he had canceled and was afraid that he would get his refund checks in the mail from them. He had previously asked AMEX Customer Service if getting a refund onto the Serve card was okay even though he did not use it for the original purchase but then all of a sudden he got his AMEX Serve account shut down for violating the terms and conditions. Now he can not even get approved for an AMEX Serve prepaid card anymore let alone an AMEX regular credit card or charge card. So maybe if he can get a savings account and then after I get my AMEX Gold card I might be able to put him on as an authorized signer as another foot in the door for him. Any thoughts? Beuller? Beuller? Beuller?

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Just FYI, the AmEx savings account trick or hack is not 100% reliable nor guaranteed. No point in funneling cash if plenty of DPs have shown that these 2 AmEx divisions are walled-off.

Save the cash, just use the pre-approved tool or method until the profile becomes desirable for AmEx to eventually open its doors. Also, adding your brother to any of your AmEx cards has no bearing on any future approvals for him. AmEx relies on primary account data and information, so basically his credit profile, score, income, etc.