Amex Confusion: Claims email sent to me is spoof

[Anonymous]

Hi.

Back story: High credit card UTI due to unforeseen events: DH job loss(lost 80K ish income) multiple surgeries for our youngest child, 2 other children in college.Savings depleted prior to using credit. Scores high 700s prior to UTI issues, clean files.

My income situation has since improved. Expect around 200k on 2019 taxes. Paying UTI down as quickly as possible while paying regular household bills. 98% to 67%.( my profile) DH is still around 87%.

Now for the question: prior to joining this forum I hadn't applied for any credit in over 2 years. I mistakenly applied for a few cards this year thinking it would help with the high UTI. Most of my lenders I have a long history with but was still worried about AA. One of the new cards was AMEX ( no prior history with them) They gave me a starter 1k limit with the "credit steps email" For the past 190 days I put Normal household charges on the card and paid off ( large payments several times a month) 7th statement cut and I didn't get the increase. After talking with 3 different Amex representatives 1 chat, 2 phone) they claim the email I was sent doesn't exist and they encourage me to apply for the increase on my own ( 7-10 day message, most likely denial). The representative I spoke with today opens a fraudulent email investigation ( spoof email) and has me forward him the email)

The email is clearly not spoof/fraudulent in my opinion it is like every other Amex email with my name, last five of card #. And, I received it the day I was approved for the account. Has anyone experienced this with Amex? Are they giving me the run around to not grant the increase? I'm highly aware they don't "Owe me" but at the same time I feel I was tricked into giving them swipe fees. Making them money. This email is the only reason. I didn't immediately close the card with a 1k limit.

Thank you.

[thornback]

What nonsense.  That email is certainly not spoof.  I recieved the same email when I opened my Amex last year.  The problem, it seems, is Amex customer service reps have NO CLUE that such a 'credit steps' type program exists within Amex.   I never received my auto-cli after the 5 statements either  (though others, as reported in this forum, have).  I never bothered to call about it - i assumed I did not get it because my DTI was too high (student loan debt and I was only working part time at the time).  I waited till my 9 month mark to request a CLI and was approved for a 2x ($500 to $1000).   Then 6 months later, requested another and was approved for 3x ($1K - $3K).  

There is no need for them to open a fraud email investigation -- plenty of people have received that credit steps email.  I would suggest speaking with a supervisor or underwriter about it. 

Also - you were not duped - -the program is real and has worked as described in the email for others -- you can search the forum and find plenty of folks that received their auto cli after the first 5 statements.   Just some people don't get it if they still don't qualify in amex's eyes.  Also -a 7-10 day pending message isn't necessarily a denial, so try to have a little faith and wait it out.  Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Call back during regular business hours and ask to speak with a supervisor; preferably one U.S. based.

This is what the "credit steps" email looks like.  If you read the fine print in the Terms & Conditions section you will see that it can take up to seven months to receive the 2X CLI i.e.180 days or 6 months from first payment, not date of approval or date of first transaction.  The number of statements cut so far doesn't matter.

[Anonymous]

tmr,

Thank you for your reply. I agree with you it's complete nonsense. I honestly have a headache after dealing with this.

I'm also sorry to hear you weren't granted the increase as well but congrats on having further success with future CLI's.

I'm aware 7-10 is a guarantee for denial but I was making an assumption based off several members here posting that it was. Another thing that was odd in my conversion with the 2nd representive is I directly asked if that means denial and he replied "Yes". I replied, " So you're telling me I was denied?" And, then he nervously said, it needed further review, wait the 7-10 days. So I felt he spilled beans he shouldn't have.

I will try to wait it out depending on their response tomorrow. The representative today told me they would have more information after I forward the email.

Thanks again

[Anonymous]

MaizeandBlue,

Thank you for your reply. That is exactly the email I received. And the one Amex is claiming is spoof and doesn't exist.

It may be very well that I jumped the gun too early. Although, other data points suggest otherwise.
1. There is a member in the Amex 3x CLI thread that claims their card graduated the Amex steps in 10/18/18 and they received their email of the 2X increase. They got their card the same time as I did.( same month and approx day)
2. The Amex chat representive told me that all that matters to Amex is that I'm over the 180 days. Although, this may be a bogus data point as he had no awareness of the credit step email.

I will call tomorrow as suggested and see what they come up with now?!!?

Thanks again.

[thornback]

There is a difference between an auto cli and a customer requested cli.   Amex can give an auto cli at their discretion -- but a requested cli, if approved, may only be initiated by the customer every 180 days  (if denied, you can request again after 90 days, I believe).  Being granted an auto cli has no bearing on when you may request a CLI.    So if you're given an auto CLI  on day 179,  you can still request a cli on day 180.   

I wish you the very best of luck during this call tomorrow.  Hopefully, you'll get a knowledgeable rep - if not, politely ask for a supervisor. 

[Anonymous]

tmr,

Yes, if they truly deny the CLI they encouraged me to apply for I will have to wait 90 days from the denial. To add the representative even commented he can't imagine a denial with my income. Yet, I just shrugged that off because I well aware there isn't much truth to that.

I appreciate the well wishes for tomorrow's phone call. I can only hope something positive might come out this frustrating situation and if not I will just have to move on. Trying to keep my focus on what I have accomplished so far in the last 6 months( lowering my UTI) but I'm indeed a stubborn lady.

You have been very positive and helpful, much appreciated. I will update after I make the call.

PS. Sorry for any typos, I use my phone and I see it has auto corrected a few words in my posts that I didn't catch.

[Anonymous]

---

@Anonymous wrote:
MaizeandBlue,

Thank you for your reply. That is exactly the email I received. And the one Amex is claiming is spoof and doesn't exist.

It may be very well that I jumped the gun too early. Although, other data points suggest otherwise.
1. There is a member in the Amex 3x CLI thread that claims their card graduated the Amex steps in 10/18/18 and they received their email of the 2X increase. They got their card the same time as I did.( same month and approx day)
2. The Amex chat representive told me that all that matters to Amex is that I'm over the 180 days. Although, this may be a bogus data point as he had no awareness of the credit step email.

I will call tomorrow as suggested and see what they come up with now?!!?

Thanks again.

---

What "other data points" are you referring to?

I don't rely on what many people here say unless they offer visual evidence; too often memory is unreliable. I opened a card on 8/26 and got a 2X CLI on 2/24...that's 182 days.  However, as I pointed in clause (2) of the Terms & Conditions of the email, it could take up to "the end of the sixth month after your first payment."  

[Anonymous]

Even though the OP has a Spoof email investigation open I have found that these large banks are a "right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing" kind of situation.  So while the investigation is happening the OP should wait for the Credit Steps CLI...it may still happen.

My experience with AMEX is patience is a necessity.  If they say it will take 7 to 10 business day then it will be done at 11:59:59 GMT on the 10th business day.  If Credit Steps increases occur 6 months after the first payment then it will be 11:59:59 GMT of the last day of the 6th month statement cycle that the payment was made.

I agree that you cannot confuse a Credit Steps customer CLI request granted for a Credit Steps increase.

As always - YEMV

[Anonymous]

I want to point out that you do not have to request the 2X CLI that occurs after 6 months in "credit steps' it occurs automatically.

Also, the CSR erred by telling you that your request is denied.  By law, a lender is required to send a Notice of Adverse Action (a denial is adverse action) by mail within 30 days but the normal practice is 7-10 days.  He/she should have just said that you would receive a letter in the mail.