AMEX Blacklist question

[Fico_2020]

Greetings:

I used to have an AMEX Optima in 1996-1999. It had about $3K when i burned it. It was charged off. No bankruptcy. I havent applied for any AMEX card since then i.e. about 22 years now. When i check for a pre-qualified card on AMEX site, it does not give me any. My credit is good now around 700. I was wondering if there is a way to find if i was at any point in the blacklist or removed from the blacklist. Where do i stand with AMEX now. Is applying for an AMEX card the only option to check this?

[FinStar]

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@Fico_2020 wrote:

Greetings:

I used to have an AMEX Optima in 1996-1999. It had about $3K when i burned it. It was charged off. No bankruptcy. I havent applied for any AMEX card since then i.e. about 22 years now. When i check for a pre-qualified card on AMEX site, it does not give me any. My credit is good now around 700. I was wondering if there is a way to find if i was at any point in the blacklist or removed from the blacklist. Where do i stand with AMEX now. Is applying for an AMEX card the only option to check this?

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Hello @Fico_2020, welcome to the forums.

Yes, applying is the only way to know for sure. If you're still on their internal blacklist there will not be a HP and will automatically yield the reason for the past negative experience. If a HP is performed, then it would likely mean you're no longer on the naughty list.

[pizzadude]

I agree, you'll likely need to apply to find out.  And if it ends up that you are blacklisted you might be able to get back in with them by paying off the balance. 

[bigseegar]

Exactly what FinStar said. That's really the only way to find out and how I found out that after 19 years of being Blacklisted I was back in. If you're still Blacklisted they won't even proceed and there will be no HP. I now have 6 Amex cards including Platinum, Gold and Green and they even went back to my original Member Date of 1984 and that's on all the cards. Proof that AX may forgive but they never forget lol.

[Fico_2020]

Thanks a lot for the response. I will probably be applying to verify this in about 6 months when my credit score will hopefully move close to 750.. Currently it is about 720.

[W261w261]

As long as your score has been 720 for the past couple of months and you don't have a recent CO or unpaid anything, aside from the Blacklist issue, you should be good to apply now. The charge cards are a little easier than the revolvers I think. Lots of ink out there related to scores needed for various Amex cards. 

[practical1]

@Fico_2020 

Welcome ... and join the club.  AMEX never forgets -- as as others have noted.   Given enough time, they will forgive.

I was clobbered in the Crash of '87 -- AMEX was burned in the propwash and included in my Chaper 7 filing, to the tune of around $80K.  For me, it took about 30 years to become rehabililitated.  You apply, get rejected (no HP), apply again and again-- until you succeed.  With a 720 FICO or more and 20+ years behind you, the odds will be in your favor.

I now have 5 AMEX cards (all since 2017) and a combined revolving limit of 90K across them -- a far cry from the 175K I had in the 1980's but I'm happy to be back aboard.  Each of my cards still say "Member since 1980...."

You should be fine and return to "the fold," soon, I'm sure.

Best of luck!

[BetterMoves]

Welcome, Fico_2020 -

I defaulted on two Amex charge cards (BK7) in 1991. Starting many years later, I would check every now and then to see if I was still on the blacklist, and in 2020 I did have some pre-approved offers. I applied for the Blue Cash Preferred and was approved AFTER they got my tax return transcript...so we patched things up after "only" 29 years.

To me the pre-approval was an indication, but like the others have said, you shouldn't get a hard inquiry if you are still on the blacklist. As long as you are comfortable with the score, utilization and all that stuff, you should give it a try.

[JustJay119]

I think you are good to go now. I burned Amex in 2017. And after a couple good will letters and being put as an authorized user on my wife's platinum, I was approved with only a 670 for Gold and Hilton surpass. I think you are able to take the jump now. If no approval, perhaps a recon can help. They even kept my original member date.

[Fico_2020]

One detail i forgot to mention. From around 2007-2013, i was an authorized user through my job on one of the AMEX business card. I changed job after 2013. Not sure if AMEX ran my credit profile at that time using my SS??