AMEX question

[vanillabean]

Then I'm missing something.

Today I received my card on my wife's Amex account. Her card says 85 and mine says 10.

I activated it, and my online account didn't change its member since year.

I called Amex, and the customer service person told me he doesn't see an option to backdate my card to the year her card has.

I wonder what the magic word is?

[stan_the_man]

@my-own-fico --

Did you already have a relationship with Amex before your wife added you as an AU?

[vanillabean]

Yes,  my own account is from last year.

[stan_the_man]

I'd call up customer service -- have your wife ready to talk to them when you call -- and explain the situation. Worst case is that you make the call and nothing happens.

I don't know what the exact process is for backdating, but I do know that backdating the member since date on cards requires front-line reps to call up a different department while you're on hold (that was about three minutes when I called for my wife).

Good luck.

[vanillabean]

Thanks. Yes, I pretty much did just that in yesterday's call. Within reason and common courtesy of course, lol. The customer service person would have liked to backdate me if he saw an option to do so.

So I took a step back, and the thought popped up that maybe they don't backdate for AU cards if you already have a card of your own.

Calling the customer service number of my own account, also yesterday, quickly yielded a difference. As I'm AU on my wife's account (and perhaps also because she's AU on mine, since the beginning), a quick check by the customer service person with her supervisor made possible her submitting a request for backdating my member since year to that of my wife.

I'm cautiously optimistic and will not pursue the matter any further. If not backdated, that's fine. If I am, we have a shared credit experience that officially dates back to the early years of our marriage. There's a lot to be said for that feeling.

We are very happy with our two Amex accounts. We have treated them well, and they have treated us well. With or without backdating, yesterday's two calls reflected top-notch customer service, so our impression of Amex remains favorable.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous-own-fico wrote:

Thanks. Yes, I pretty much did just that in yesterday's call. Within reason and common courtesy of course, lol. The customer service person would have liked to backdate me if he saw an option to do so.

So I took a step back, and the thought popped up that maybe they don't backdate for AU cards if you already have a card of your own.

Calling the customer service number of my own account, also yesterday, quickly yielded a difference. As I'm AU on my wife's account (and perhaps also because she's AU on mine, since the beginning), a quick check by the customer service person with her supervisor made possible her submitting a request for backdating my member since year to that of my wife.

I'm cautiously optimistic and will not pursue the matter any further. If not backdated, that's fine. If I am, we have a shared credit experience that officially dates back to the early years of our marriage. There's a lot to be said for that feeling.

We are very happy with our two Amex accounts. We have treated them well, and they have treated us well. With or without backdating, yesterday's two calls reflected top-notch customer service, so our impression of Amex remains favorable.

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So you were added to your wifes account after you opened your own account up this year?

[vanillabean]

Yes, I was added to her account this year, but my own account is from earlier.