The Definitive Amex 3X CLI Guide

[Curious_George2]

I kinda think Amex might have tweaked a few details of their CLI process. I had a slightly odd experience last week (more on that below) and then today a member here reported getting a 7-10 day message that resulted in an approval with notification via phone. That's not how this has typically gone. 

Here's my experience. I thought Amex had IV on file for me because I submitted a 4506-T about a year ago and a rep told me my income shows as verified on their end. So last week I requested a jumbo CLI on my Delta Gold, which was at $30k. To my surprise, I got the 7-10 day message. I didn't really think they would give me the $100k I requested, but I thought they would counter or give a lower amount. 

I was stunned by the apparent rejection, so I just logged off without thinking to try the browser back button tactic. 

A few minutes later, I remembered the back button thing, so I logged back on and submitted a smaller request -- $60k if I recall correctly. Got another 7-10 day message. Used the back button, lowered my request by $5k or $10k. Repeated that process until finally I got approved for $35k, which is a $5k increase. At no point in that process did I see an IV request screen. 

About six hours later, I received a bunch of duplicate emails from Amex, telling me I needed to submit IV on Form 4506-C (not a typo, it's the IRS's new version of the IV form) for my CLI requests. Today I got those same notices via snail mail. I will, of course, disregard them. 

Along the way I called the CLI department to ask if they ever received my tax transcripts from the IRS last year. Turns out they did not. They blamed COVID, and said a bunch of requests from 2020 went unanswered, like mine. So that explains why I was limited to a $5k increase, but their website handled it differently than it has for me in the past. 

Not sure what to make of all this. I initially assumed my experience was just a fluke, but seeing another report where the 7-10 day message didn't mean outright denial, plus my lack of any instant IV requests, plus the new version of the 4506 form, makes me wonder if they changed something under the hood. 

[JL276]

So I applied for an increase after 62 days just to be sure and was denied due to asking too early. I was confused because I thought new cards were 61 days after approval. I called and the rep I was transferred to just read to me what was on the denial letter and said that means I asked too soon, they want me to wait. This is my only AMEX card. I had one like 5 years ago but closed it after 3 years just because I felt I had too many cards. Any thoughts? Opened Feb 1, 2021 and requested April 4, 2021 only reason was amount of time too soon. @AllZero  @M_Smart007 

[AllZero]

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@JL276 wrote:

So I applied for an increase after 62 days just to be sure and was denied due to asking too early. I was confused because I thought new cards were 61 days after approval. I called and the rep I was transferred to just read to me what was on the denial letter and said that means I asked too soon, they want me to wait. This is my only AMEX card. I had one like 5 years ago but closed it after 3 years just because I felt I had too many cards. Any thoughts? Opened Feb 1, 2021 and requested April 4, 2021 only reason was amount of time too soon. @AllZero  @M_Smart007 

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Per second paragraph of this message, I'm guessing wait another 61 days?

https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Credit-Card-Applications/The-Definitive-Amex-3X-CLI-Guide/m-p/18110...

[JL276]

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@AllZero wrote:

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@JL276 wrote:

So I applied for an increase after 62 days just to be sure and was denied due to asking too early. I was confused because I thought new cards were 61 days after approval. I called and the rep I was transferred to just read to me what was on the denial letter and said that means I asked too soon, they want me to wait. This is my only AMEX card. I had one like 5 years ago but closed it after 3 years just because I felt I had too many cards. Any thoughts? Opened Feb 1, 2021 and requested April 4, 2021 only reason was amount of time too soon. @AllZero  @M_Smart007 

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Per second paragraph of this message, I'm guessing wait another 61 days?

https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Credit-Card-Applications/The-Definitive-Amex-3X-CLI-Guide/m-p/18110...

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Okay, I figured I'd just wait a bit more and see what happens. Just thought it was interesting that the "too soon" response was given when it was not actually too soon according to what I've read on the boards. Maybe they just meant too soon for me lol Thanks! 

[AllZero]

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@JL276 wrote:

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@AllZero wrote:

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@JL276 wrote:

So I applied for an increase after 62 days just to be sure and was denied due to asking too early. I was confused because I thought new cards were 61 days after approval. I called and the rep I was transferred to just read to me what was on the denial letter and said that means I asked too soon, they want me to wait. This is my only AMEX card. I had one like 5 years ago but closed it after 3 years just because I felt I had too many cards. Any thoughts? Opened Feb 1, 2021 and requested April 4, 2021 only reason was amount of time too soon. @AllZero  @M_Smart007 

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Per second paragraph of this message, I'm guessing wait another 61 days?

https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Credit-Card-Applications/The-Definitive-Amex-3X-CLI-Guide/m-p/18110...

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Okay, I figured I'd just wait a bit more and see what happens. Just thought it was interesting that the "too soon" response was given when it was not actually too soon according to what I've read on the boards. Maybe they just meant too soon for me lol Thanks! 

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Hopefully, once you get more time in, you'll get your 3x CLI.

[CaptJOB]

Got denied by Chase(again) so I went running back to AmEx as I was up for my 6 month review. Got 5K on my Delta Gold bringing it to 35k. Still haven't had to submit 4506

Delta Gold-35k

BCE-1k(closing after next statement replacing with EDP or Brilliant)

BCP-13.7k

Bonvoy Business -10k

[Anonymous]

after reading through a few hundred pages, i still dont get a few things:

1) how come nobody ever talks about overall credit exposure with amex in relation to stated income? thats a critical piece for any bank. do we know of a certain acceptable ratio or limit? i dont think its simply <$25k+ to prevent POI on any given card. it should be much more complex than that. ive seen some people mention "its different for everybody and depends on your overall credit profile". thats too general.

for example. if income was at 100k and you already have a total of 80k across all their cards personal/biz w/ one CC being at 10k, amex would not be giving you a 3x CL (30k) on that one card because the total CL would be 100k CL on a 100k income. I have never seen this except for instant approval mistakes where the banks would freeze your accounts and shut you down for credit risk even after approval. i have seen this with chase, bofa, and USB. the 60% rule is used for amex/citi/bofa, 50% for chase, 25% for barclays. discover is very low.

but i would like to see more DPs on this. do people on this board have anything close to 80%-100% CL to income ratio?

it would help if people provided DPs which included CL ratio to income.

2) any DPs related to FR being triggered after CLI? especially after reading about exploiting the browser BACK button by requesting a monster CLI anchor number then subsequently reducing the request by $1k each time during the same session, i would be very cautious of this. has anyone seen adverse action from this? no way amex doesnt flag your account. but i would like to hear more.

3) what exactly are the parameters for requesting CLI again right after denial? does the redo/backout trick only work when POI is requested? but when its the 7-10 message then its a hard denial which requires a 91 day wait?

- CLI approved - wait 181 days to try for another CLI

- CLI denied - wait 91 days to try again (unless you tried too soon then wait the required time period)

4) do we have successful DPs of CLI even with all CRs locked/frozen? on-demand SP by amex would not work on locked CRs except for the data collected from pre-scheduled monthly pulls done by every FI to provide their FAKO scores to their consumers. i assume amex uses the old collected data instead of a real-time SP for CLI? im wondering if a frozen CR still works for CLI.

i hope you guys can provide some insight. thank you.

[Anonymous]

Just a quick DP regarding a denied Amex CLI. I opened my Amex BCP back in December and I just applied for a 3X CLI. They started me with only a $1k line, I’m guessing because I had a few baddies back in 2017. Either way, I got my foot in the door and have been putting a large spend on the card and PIF each month. I’m averaging a $2500-3500 spend each month, paying it off multiple times per month. I got denied a CLI, so I called for recon. The rep told me that they have a new procedure in place, they will not give a CLI on new accounts until the account is 1 year old. Is this for real? Anyone else have this issue? My Fico 8 scores are all in the 720-740 range and my last baddie was a 30 day over 4 years ago. 

[RSX]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Just a quick DP regarding a denied Amex CLI. I opened my Amex BCP back in December and I just applied for a 3X CLI. They started me with only a $1k line, I’m guessing because I had a few baddies back in 2017. Either way, I got my foot in the door and have been putting a large spend on the card and PIF each month. I’m averaging a $2500-3500 spend each month, paying it off multiple times per month. I got denied a CLI, so I called for recon. The rep told me that they have a new procedure in place, they will not give a CLI on new accounts until the account is 1 year old. Is this for real? Anyone else have this issue? My Fico 8 scores are all in the 720-740 range and my last baddie was a 30 day over 4 years ago. 

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this might be a new rule (and some other banks already have this one)

but i would call back one more time - see if you get a different answer

[BetterMoves]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I got denied a CLI, so I called for recon. The rep told me that they have a new procedure in place, they will not give a CLI on new accounts until the account is 1 year old. Is this for real? Anyone else have this issue?

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I requested a CLI on my BCP at 65 days, was denied for the same reason as you. An AmEx rep told me to try again in 6 months to a year, but when I recently called again just to clarify/comfirm that info, I specifically asked to speak with the team that handles CLIs (was told it is 'Account Services', which just seems like a catch-all to me). That rep looked at my account, assured me it is not a year, and actually gave me a specific date when I would be okay to try again -- which happened to be the same as the 61+91 day process.

So I don't know. Maybe they are changing some things; I'll see next month.