I know I got caught up in it too when wanting another AMEX card, but SPs are a courtesy, not a guarantee. Hitting that apply should always assume they could HP.
AMEX wants you to have a bunch of their cards for those swipe fees. So courtesy SPs are their way of saying thank you for wanting more.
AMEX wants you to have a bunch of their cards for those swipe fees. So courtesy SPs are their way of saying thank you for wanting more.
@kdm31091 wrote:They're never going to tell you that it's a soft pull. Technically, anytime you apply for a new credit card, the bank has the right to do a HP. Amex is simply choosing to code as a SP for many existing members.
Rule of thumb is always expect a HP and be happy if it turns out otherwise.
I'm beginning to think that if enough people call in asking about it, hey'll fix it so that it becomes a HP. 
Wow OP, that's pretty low rate for the Gold! I din't think Charge cards offered that low of interst rate, is it a promo?
@Anonymous wrote:
I know I got caught up in it too when wanting another AMEX card, but SPs are a courtesy, not a guarantee. Hitting that apply should always assume they could HP.
AMEX wants you to have a bunch of their cards for those swipe fees. So courtesy SPs are their way of saying thank you for wanting more.
Intersting, the latest CSR I talked to almost seemed kind of shocked that I had 6 cards with them.
@Anonymous wrote:
Intersting, the latest CSR I talked to almost seemed kind of shocked that I had 6 cards with them.
sure hope you took the opportunity to tell the CSR, "But I Am Special"
I was approved for and received a Gold Card last week. It is my only personal Amex card, though I've had a corporate green card for a few months. I applied for it via the Corporate Advantage Program. There was a long delay (weeks) in it being approved, and I was quite surprised when it was approved. After getting the card, I decided to push my luck by applying for a BCP (also via CAP), on the theory that even if I got denied, it would only be a SP. I got the "we'll let you know soon" message, and two days later, got an update that the application was "cancelled," not "denied," "cancelled."
Anyone looking for CAP data points should be aware that there's more to the situation (I applied six times in five weeks and got a demand for tax transcripts, which I ignored and Amex apparently decided to drop ... it's a long and weird story), so this may not be representative of your typical CAP application.
I don't know what the difference is between "denied" and "cancelled" in Amex language, though the effect is the same as far as I can tell. At least no HP.
@Anonymous wrote:
Called in to speak to new card services as I logged into my Amex account and saw something I never saw before with the Amex gold, also thanks to all who have posted about a set apr! So that being said, I called in and asked about applying, the csr said thank you for being an Amex holder, read all the offers for the gold card, I asked if it is a hard pull or soft pull since I am a current card holder and also a high interest savings account holder, he replied with all new cards are a hard pull, I said it’s strange that I applied for the Amex bce, 2 days later I applied for Amex ed and it was a soft pull, he stated that once 30 days has passed aince you applied then new apps will be a hard pull, so seems that you can apply in 30 days and it will all be soft pulls with 1 hard pull but after that then new apps will be hard pull! So needless to say I did not apply for the gold as I don’t want a hp on my report as I’ve had 3 in the last 60 days since I got my other 2 Amex cards and bofa cash rewards card, I will wait 6 more months and then will definitely apply for the gold card
** there was no pre approval on my account when I logged in this morning but only the small set apr at 14.94%
Almost every time I've applied for a card with Amex it's been a soft pull, not a hard pull.
