Adding self as an additional Gold Card on an Amex Plat?

[Anonymous]

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@Brian_Earl_Spilner wrote:

And what loophole could be taken advantage of if there's no benefit

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One that has not been thought of yet. Maybe there is one, maybe there isn't.

But to Amex, seeing a cardholder with themselves as an AU doesn't look crazy to them.

[Anonymous]

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@simplynoir wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@K-in-Boston wrote:

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@simplynoir wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@simplynoir wrote:

I seriously don't understand why AMEX would be concerned with adding yourself as an authorized user on your own account. In the end the primary - which again is yourself - is responsible for all charges so it makes no difference which card is getting the spend it's all going to the same bill. I can imagine a scenario like the OP's where they just want to give a card to friend/family that cannot otherwise get one themselves. Others to separate expenses whether it be personal/business and so on. Honestly, depending on how long the OP's mom will be staying in the US he can probably just add her without a SSN and cancel the card once she goes back home

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They have their own rules in place what an AU can and cannot do. Plus there are credit reporting issues with being an AU. 

But if they can address those scenarios without causing issues with credit reporting and internal AU rules, it would be fine. It looks as if they've done that. Also, they would have to look out for any backdoor loopholes someone finds that can be exploited for fraudulent purposes. 

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Like what? I'm honestly asking here

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I would assume this is referencing the frequent bonuses that Amex offers for adding authorized users.

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I don't know if a lot of people would try to add themselves as AU, but if they didn't guard against it, that would be a problem.

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I feel like I'm talking circles with you. You're not answering my question aside from "this is harder to answer" because perhaps you don't have an answer

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When you provide the general public access to do certain things themselves via a website, etc., you have to ensure that it cannot be easily hacked. There are situations that people don't think of. Why didn't they think of checking for self referrals? The SSN number of the person referring would match the person they referred.

As for authorized users, the only two things I can think of without putting too much brain power into it is an issue with limited functions of an authorized user. Can I have a separate login as an authorized user? Or a different account number? I'm not sure how Amex works with account numbers. What if I add another authorized user after adding myself? Is there a way I can exploit that? If, as an authorized user that has equal function as a regular cardholder, I remove myself (my original account) and keep the AU account. What could happen if its allowed?

The second is credit reporting. Do I show up as an authorized user to my own account? They probably have this covered as it is fairly obvious this could cause a credit report problem. 

[budugu]

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@Loquat wrote:

@buduguI know what you're describing hasn't been the experience of others who have chimed in but I have indeed did exactly what you're speaking of....and it was encouraged by Amex.

I applied for and was approved for my Bonvoy Brilliant card when they launched it. It was being sent snail mail...I called and asked if it would be expedited and they said nope, once the system sends it snail mail that's where it is.

The rep suggested that I add myself as an authorized user and she could send me a new card via overnight shipping. I gave her my SSN as she needed it for the AU card even though I'm primary.

Card came via overnight and to this day I still have both cards and only one reports.

So what you want to do can be done...even at the suggestion of Amex. And this isn't the first time they've offered to do such so it wasn't like I got a rep that was a one-off.

On new applications, not even Amex reps can send a replacement card within a certain period of time because their system won't allow for it but they'll be more than happy to add you as an AU on your own card and then try to sell you on adding even more folks.

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Thanks loquat. Did not realize this thread will spawn this long. I was just worried that the new authorized user card would show up as a new account (5 /24 fears and all) . My wife is an au on my plat and it is on her report. Nothing nefarious!

[Loquat]

@budugu No worries. We learn most of the time in this hobby through asking. I know others want to make an issue out of it but there is nothing wrong with it and there's nothing to be gained.

I've never been offered a bonus for adding an authorized user...just asked just about any time I had to call or chat. Secondly, even adding yourself as an authorized user doesn't create a second account on your profile...if it did folks would be doing this all day long on cards that had $30k limits just to drastically reduce their overall utilization and taking the small decrease in FICO score for the new account wouldn't matter if you were able to do this.

Lastly, Amex offers...in the not-so-distant past you could add the same Amex offers to more than one card/account. That is not the case anymore. If I look at both of my Bonvoy Brilliant cards and take an offer on one it automatically removes it from the list on the other. So somehow in Amex's system they still have both cards tied to me as individual (both my primary and myself as the AU).

So again, there's not really anything that can be gained here which is why I'm sure Amex allows it and many folks haven't had a need to abuse it. Other than getting a newly approved card faster than snail mail, I can't think of one instance where having both has benefit me in any capacity.

[Anonymous]

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@K-in-Boston wrote:

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@simplynoir wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

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Like what? I'm honestly asking here

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I would assume this is referencing the frequent bonuses that Amex offers for adding authorized users.

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I think so as well @K-in-Boston 

Thanks @Loquat for answering that for everyone. 

I think its safe to say we can bury the horse now.