Amex Cardmember Pre-approvals/Prequalified Offers

[Anonymous]

---

@jesseh wrote:

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

@Anonymous wrote:

I would call the reconsideration line for that one, for sure, if you're interested in the card. Don't let them send you to the New Accounts team, but ask specifically for the Credit Bureau team. Those are the analysts that can reverse a denial.  I can dig through my notes to find the number if you need it, but it's somewhere on the boards. 

---

This is good information. I called recon back in april about an app and ended up with the New Accounts team which got me no where. Would you mind posting that number just for reference?

---

Good information indeed, didn't know that either!

The number I have on file for the Credit Bureau Unit is 800-874-2717

---

According to the Backdoor numbers thread, you need a current credit report because they will ask for the account number on the report which differs from the card number. Does this still hold true?

[Anonymous]

I clicked apply on the SPG last night and it said I was pre approved. Applied and was instantly approved

[jesseh]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

@jesseh wrote:

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

@Anonymous wrote:

I would call the reconsideration line for that one, for sure, if you're interested in the card. Don't let them send you to the New Accounts team, but ask specifically for the Credit Bureau team. Those are the analysts that can reverse a denial.  I can dig through my notes to find the number if you need it, but it's somewhere on the boards. 

---

This is good information. I called recon back in april about an app and ended up with the New Accounts team which got me no where. Would you mind posting that number just for reference?

---

Good information indeed, didn't know that either!

The number I have on file for the Credit Bureau Unit is 800-874-2717

---

According to the Backdoor numbers thread, you need a current credit report because they will ask for the account number on the report which differs from the card number. Does this still hold true?

---

Wouldn't know, no harm in calling.. My experience is that only amex cards have a different account no on the reports, my wc/visa cards have the same account no on the report.

[drboxing]

I've tried clicking on pre-Qualified credit offers, then I'll put my info in. It'll ask me to log-in to my AMEX account but will show nothing about preapproval offers or prequalified offers. I just shows my card (Delta Skymiles Gold) then AmexBCE and Amex Platinum (new welcome offer). But nothing showing preapproval or prequalified. Maybe you have to have your initial card for a while

[Anonymous]

Yeah did the same thing to me. If I clicked the prequalified link it showed those same 3 cards. Once I clicked apply on the spg card it brought me to another screen that said I was pre approved.

[Anonymous]

---

@drboxing wrote:
I've tried clicking on pre-Qualified credit offers, then I'll put my info in. It'll ask me to log-in to my AMEX account but will show nothing about preapproval offers or prequalified offers. I just shows my card (Delta Skymiles Gold) then AmexBCE and Amex Platinum (new welcome offer). But nothing showing preapproval or prequalified. Maybe you have to have your initial card for a while

---

You have to click on the card you want to app for to see if its ore-approved. Ring and UncleB both screenshot examples of what it will look like (on the first page). 

[Anonymous]

I didn't have to give any number other than authenticate to one of my current AmEx cards, but I will also say that I have absolutely no shame when I call those numbers and I flirt with reckless abandon with any person that answers the phone.  "You have such a lovely speaking voice, you should be one of those actors on TV..." or some other line gets me past pretty much every one of those stupid rules.

YMMV depending on how shameless you can be.

[Anonymous]

I am fairly suspicious as to how reliable these pre-approvals are. 

I have been rebuilding for about a year now (started around 500 ficos after destroying my credit around 7 years ago, and no CCs at the time)

I have ficos all around 660, 1 collection, about 12 new accounts within the last year between 10-20 INQs depending on the report, AAoA 6 months, and just finally got approved for an amex (BCE) about 2 months ago with a $500 SL. 

I have clicked on about 5 different cards with the described method and every single one says I am pre-approved. I cant imagine that is right. 

For now i wont actually app for any since I am giving all of my accounts some time to age and taking a break from any new accounts. But I have a feeling these pre-approvals are similar to discovers, as in not very reliable.

I cant imagine I am pre-approved for all of these AMEX cards. 

[Anonymous]

Well from personal experience I will tell you that the pre-approvals are definitely not approvals of any kind.  I confirmed this with both Apply by Phone and the Credit Bureau Team, the actual credit analysts at AmEx.  

Now I was in a very similar situation as you when I got my first American Express. I had no idea what was going on either, and I was like whoa my credit must have improved dramatically overnight and nothing could be further from the truth.  I'm not sure what your exact FICO is, but you may very well be pre-approved for one of the cards.   And it will let you apply for one and get one.  And then another, and another and another.  They will all be soft pulls for the rest of the day and you can in fact end up with five American Express cards.  I know this for a fact, because if you check my signature down below I have them all still.  

Pro tip: Do not actually do this.  It will be tempting to get as many as you can while you can but I wish I could go back and redo it all over again and do it the right way (get the "best" card first and then worry about the others, for example -- more on that in a bit).  

So I was approved for the Everyday Blue, I think. And then the Everyday Cash. And then the Premiere Rewards Gold and then in some completely bizarre departure from reality, I went on to get the Amex Platinum and Business Rewards.  And then finally it stopped me when I went for the Delta Gold.   

Caveat -- before applying to any of the Amex cards, make sure you fully understand the bonuses.  I missed out on *so* many membership rewards points that I can never get now because I didn't grasp the concept of Minimum Spend.

Hope this helps.

[cmm89]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

Well from personal experience I will tell you that the pre-approvals are definitely not approvals of any kind.  I confirmed this with both Apply by Phone and the Credit Bureau Team, the actual credit analysts at AmEx.  

Now I was in a very similar situation as you when I got my first American Express. I had no idea what was going on either, and I was like whoa my credit must have improved dramatically overnight and nothing could be further from the truth.  I'm not sure what your exact FICO is, but you may very well be pre-approved for one of the cards.   And it will let you apply for one and get one.  And then another, and another and another.  They will all be soft pulls for the rest of the day and you can in fact end up with five American Express cards.  I know this for a fact, because if you check my signature down below I have them all still.  

Pro tip: Do not actually do this.  It will be tempting to get as many as you can while you can but I wish I could go back and redo it all over again and do it the right way (get the "best" card first and then worry about the others, for example -- more on that in a bit).  

So I was approved for the Everyday Blue, I think. And then the Everyday Cash. And then the Premiere Rewards Gold and then in some completely bizarre departure from reality, I went on to get the Amex Platinum and Business Rewards.  And then finally it stopped me when I went for the Delta Gold.   

Caveat -- before applying to any of the Amex cards, make sure you fully understand the bonuses.  I missed out on *so* many membership rewards points that I can never get now because I didn't grasp the concept of Minimum Spend.

Hope this helps.

---

It is certainly not a pre-approval. I finally got approved for the PRG yesterday while traveling, but I saw the "Congrats, C****, you're pre-approved... Get a decision in as little as 30 seconds..." last week. Tried it, BAM! instant denial. For some reason, they liked me yesterday?