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that's great ocheosa! i'm delighted to hear that you too had a good result with this opportunity w/ amex for increased age. it is always so nice when someone returns to a thread to share results, can we say huge fringe benefit!!
as far as i know amex (and maybe macy's- i think i've heard some say, but not sure) are the only ones that offer this age (from old accounts) for revival on new accounts. hope this put you a bit closer to your goal for PF membership for next year, (was denied this year for products, so i'll probably reapp next year). sounds like things are just coming together for you all around bad times are unpleasant but not lasting!
after tu and eq were updated showing the amex accts. with the older date i noticed that ex hadn't updated, so i online disputed the acct w/ ex citing acct. opened date, since it was still showing the newer date. amex replied to the ex dispute with the older date in short order.
@score_building wrote:that's great ocheosa! i'm delighted to hear that you too had a good result with this opportunity w/ amex for increased age. it is always so nice when someone returns to a thread to share results, can we say huge fringe benefit!! HUGE BENEFIT!!! WHOO HOO!! Called the CB dept during lunch and she said all credit bureaus will update in 30-60 days. If it has not changed file a dispute and the open dates will be quickly confirmed. I sure hope others see this thread and call in as well. Again, I sincerely thank you. I really need the help for avg age.
as far as i know amex (and maybe macy's- i think i've heard some say, but not sure) are the only ones that offer this age (from old accounts) for revival on new accounts. hope this put you a bit closer to your goal for PF membership for next year, (was denied this year for products, so i'll probably reapp next year). sounds like things are just coming together for you all around bad times are unpleasant but not lasting! Macy's and Providian blacklisted me but I think I will be okay without them !! I'm going to wait a full 2yrs (let all inqs fall off, and new accts season) and then pull the trigger. I do have a savings account and will more than likely take advantage of their CD rates to atleast build a relationship.
after tu and eq were updated showing the amex accts. with the older date i noticed that ex hadn't updated, so i online disputed the acct w/ ex citing acct. opened date, since it was still showing the newer date. amex replied to the ex dispute with the older date in short order. How long did it take? I had a problem earlier this year with my blue not reporting to EX (it would seem EX and Amex don't speak the same language - or maybe much too busy lurking in the consumers files leaving no time for prompt updates!)
@Miner wrote:
So my reasons for getting this card has failed. I'm thinking that there has to be something that I can do, but I'll have to think on this for awhile.
Miner, Call back and have customer service find your account using your SS#. This is what I did yesterday evening and it worked! If you get a foreigner, hang up and call back.
I decided to wait until I had actually used my card and the balance reported to the account online before calling again since some CCCs treat using the card differently then just calling into activate the card. I've called back every day at a different time this week. I've given them my SSN and the old account number and so far none has found the old account. I'm not giving up yet, but I'd like some more information.
What time (and time zone) did you call when you were successful in getting them to find your old account? I have a theory that some shifts are better trained since their work hours are more desirable to get. And my experience on the phones seems to indicate that even the American sounding reps are still in India as their American Accent sometimes slipped.
@Miner wrote:What time (and time zone) did you call when you were successful in getting them to find your old account? I have a theory that some shifts are better trained since their work hours are more desirable to get. And my experience on the phones seems to indicate that even the American sounding reps are still in India as their American Accent sometimes slipped.
It was probably 1:00AM (EST) when I called the first time (India). I called back between 1:30-2:00AM (EST) and got the American lady. I called the credit bureau dept at 12:00noon same day. My account summary page updated the following day in the evening. Just after I received the sending out a new card email.
My account was from 1987 under my married name and they still found it. So I am sure they will find yours!
The word of the day "perseverance".
Hello Everyone,
Unfortunately, I have not had ocheosa's luck. I had an AMEX Optima card from 1987 until 1998, and would love to get my two current AMEX accounts backdated to 1987 (they currently show 2000 as the start date).
I've called AMEX CS multiple (so far, six) times (at different times of the day, and most of the time, gotten a rep in the US). I have the account number, and they can locate that, but they say there is no identifying information linking it back to me or when it was opened. They can't find the old account by my SSN.
The old AMEX account still shows on my Experian credit report, so I've spoken to the Credit Reporting dept as well. I've given them the scrambled account number, but (because they haven't been reporting it for the last 7 years) they have no record of it.
I'm going to do a 'Hail Mary' and send a letter to AMEX with a copy of the EX credit report as proof of the existence of an AMEX account in my name with a Start Date of 1987. Hopefully they can use that to either locate the information themselves, or as proof that I did have the account... but I'm not too hopeful.
Miner, hope you have better luck than me.
Wish me luck! I'll post a followup when I hear back.
@Anonymous wrote:
I'm going to do a 'Hail Mary' and send a letter to AMEX with a copy of the EX credit report as proof of the existence of an AMEX account in my name with a Start Date of 1987. Hopefully they can use that to either locate the information themselves, or as proof that I did have the account... but I'm not too hopeful.
Miner, hope you have better luck than me.
Wish me luck! I'll post a followup when I hear back.
I do not understand why it works for some and not others. If they had my account, why the heck could they not find yours?? I thought for a moment maybe it was because I had a green charge card (vs a revolver), but so did the OP. Could certain files have been deleted for some reason? Let's wait and see what happens when OP calls again and once they receive your documentation. AMEX is definitely a strange duck...
Good luck!
@Anonymous wrote:
...
I'm going to do a 'Hail Mary' and send a letter to AMEX with a copy of the EX credit report as proof of the existence of an AMEX account in my name with a Start Date of 1987. Hopefully they can use that to either locate the information themselves, or as proof that I did have the account... but I'm not too hopeful.
Miner, hope you have better luck than me.
Wish me luck! I'll post a followup when I hear back.
Just a quick update. I've sent my letter to AMEX (with a copy of a current EX report showing the two old AMEX TLs opened in 1987) today. I hope to hear something back within 30 days.