Question About Amex

[Anonymous]

So I've read online several places that if you call or live chat with Amex, they may be willing to make an exception and give someone with no/limited credit history an Amex Everyday with a very low limit. I can't remember where I saw this, but wherever it was was saying that his family had a huge history with Amex (Good history) and he called and explained, and said that he wanted to start his history with them instead of another company and they issued an Everyday with between a $500-$1000 limit. 

Building on this, my grandmother has been with Amex since the 70s and has the Platinum and several other cards, my mom and dad have been members since the 80s with Amex, also with Platinums. Do you think it might be a good idea to call up Amex and see if they can do anything?

[Anonymous]

Have you ever tried tonprequal on your own or do you have any reason to think you can’t get an Amex?

[Anonymous]

My credit is very new. I've had a Discover It for Students for about 2 months (>5% util and obv no missed payments) and I make around $12k a year but my credit file is probably too thin to even qualify for one, right? I think I tried to prequal last month with no success. 

[Anonymous]

I have read it takes 6 months of credit history to generate a FICO score.  You may have to wait until that point JMO.

[Anonymous]

Op—Previous poster is correct. If your Disco is the first/only credit you have, give it anothe four months of reporting to generate FICO scores. As long as you’ve been responsible, no missed/late payments, no excessive utilization, I believe you’ll start seeing prequals with Amex. They have so many products and in the past 18 months that I’ve been following the forums here have shown willingness to approve young/thin files. If you apply at that time and are denied and recon, you could bring up familial Amex relationships. I can’t say it’ll help, but I don’t see how it could hurt. Again though, give it another four months or so to generate your FICO scores and I believe you’ll be good as long as you’re over 21. If you’re under 21, you still won’t show prequals, but depending on your scores you may/should still be fine.

[Anonymous]

So why not ask your parents or your grandmother to add you as an authorized user on one of their cards?  They don't have to give you an actual card, but just add you as a user so you could have some of their history.

[Anonymous]

If I'm not mistaken, Amex doesn't report the history of the card before you were added. Correct me if I'm wrong

Also, I want my own card, and my grandmother (The one with the best history) wouldn't do that as she's very protective over stuff like that.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

If I'm not mistaken, Amex doesn't report the history of the card before you were added. Correct me if I'm wrong

Also, I want my own card, and my grandmother (The one with the best history) wouldn't do that as she's very protective over stuff like that.

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I'm not referring to Amex reporting history to the credit reporting agencies.  I'm saying that just by adding you to one of their cards you will then be able to get approved for your own card.  The reason you don't get pre-approvals on Amex's website is because the Credit CARD Act (2009) prohibits lenders from giving pre-approvals for anyone under 21.  But that doesn't mean you wouldn't be approved if you make a cold app.

[Anonymous]

I understand now. I'll talk with my parents to see if they'd be willing to add me.

[Anonymous]

Adding you as an authorized user gives you an "in" and also allows you to generate a FICO score sooner.  For example, I added my 17 yr old daughter as an authorized user on my Amex PRG (I also gave her a card but she's never used it).  She will be at college by the time she turns 18, but she's already generating FICO scores so she could apply for her own card at 18 if she wants to.