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Amex FR Criteria:

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sandsanta
Contributor

Amex FR Criteria:

Reading the megathread over at FlyerTalk and looking at other boards, FR's have been conducted for the following criteria:

 

  • Drastic changes in Credit report: new accounts, lates, collections etc.
  • Your community demographic has a high rate of credit defaults / fraud / misc high risk.
  • Your spending habits have drastically changed.
  • You're spending 15-20k or more a month of business expenses on personal cards
  • You make large monthly purchases from the US Mint (considered a cash advance)
  • You have mutliple AU's on your accounts, of which only one has to spend more then you to trigger an FR
  • You've applied for multiple Amex accounts in a short period of time
  • You're a super-prime account holder charging 150k+ (concerns about money laundering)

Additionally, FR rates seem to increase during economic downturns. FR's were rampant in 2008-2009, quiet in 2010, and ramped up again in 2011. 

 

FR's have hit everyone including Centurion card owners, but they don't seem to be random.  

 

This actually makes me regret reopening Amex accounts.  I'd much rather have taken the hit getting a World MasterCard or another Visa Signature.

 

 

 

 


Message 1 of 18
17 REPLIES 17
clocktick
Valued Contributor

Re: Amex FR Criteria:

I'd really like to know the percentage of people who have undergone FR.  I bet it is tiny.

 

How would they know what you're spending on personal cards, or do you just mean Amex cards?  How do they know you have AUs on your cards, or do you just mean Amex cards?  Why do you regret opening the cards - do you enjoy using them?  Do they reward you?  Opening any credit card is subject to some sort of scrutiny if you mess with your balances or have erratic financial behavior, including account closures and CLDs (happened to my SO with Citi). 

 

 

11/30/08 TU 648 EX 672 EQ 656 SEPT 2014 TU 787 EX 789 EQ ???
Amex BCP $24.1K/Clear $8.5- Sallie Mae $27.5 -Cap One QS $7.5 - Chase Freedom $7.5/United $5k/CSP $20k/Ink- Citi DP $9.5/Dividend $13k/HHHx2 $15k/16.4/Reserve $4.5k Best Buy $1940 HD $1701- Discover IT $15k - Elan $8k GEMB Lowes $20k - Macy's $2k - Kohl's $800




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Message 2 of 18
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Amex FR Criteria:

And there are also anecdotal accounts of people being FR'd for a 35 dollar purchase. I personally hope I get FR'd by Amex. I've been trying but yet to succeed.

 

Message 3 of 18
sandsanta
Contributor

Re: Amex FR Criteria:

Everything I posted is in relation to your Amex account, although maxing out all your other credit cards and having them report it as such to the CRA's will get you noticed by Amex as well.  I'm not convinced that one 35$ charge was all it took for an FR and I think there may have been more to that story that we weren't told.  In reading quite a few of these threads dating back to 2009, pretty much all the FR's occured for a reason.  They may do statistically random FR's to validate the application process but that's not something I'd be concerned about.

 

I regret opening my card accounts because I was going to use them as primaries for travel, shopping, and billing because Amex has one of the best websites in the business but now I'll definitely be more conservative and move my monthly billing to Discover or Visa.  Not because I fear an FR, but because I don't want my billing interrupted during the investigation.  That puts me in a situation where I'll have an account that does nothing and won't get used, but oh well. 


Message 4 of 18
LS2982
Mega Contributor

Re: Amex FR Criteria:


@sandsanta wrote:

Reading the megathread over at FlyerTalk and looking at other boards, FR's have been conducted for the following criteria:

 

  • Drastic changes in Credit report: new accounts, lates, collections etc.
  • Your community demographic has a high rate of credit defaults / fraud / misc high risk.
  • Your spending habits have drastically changed.
  • You're spending 15-20k or more a month of business expenses on personal cards
  • You make large monthly purchases from the US Mint (considered a cash advance)
  • You have mutliple AU's on your accounts, of which only one has to spend more then you to trigger an FR
  • You've applied for multiple Amex accounts in a short period of time
  • You're a super-prime account holder charging 150k+ (concerns about money laundering)

Additionally, FR rates seem to increase during economic downturns. FR's were rampant in 2008-2009, quiet in 2010, and ramped up again in 2011. 

 

FR's have hit everyone including Centurion card owners, but they don't seem to be random.  

 

This actually makes me regret reopening Amex accounts.  I'd much rather have taken the hit getting a World MasterCard or another Visa Signature.

 

 

 

 





Totally unfair. Don't judge me because the idiots in the neigborhood can't handle their personal finances right.




EQ FICO 548 3/3/16
Message 5 of 18
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Amex FR Criteria:

Damn I need to move.....

Message 6 of 18
smc733
Valued Contributor

Re: Amex FR Criteria:

That is one of the reasons I've decided to make Discover my secondary card.  I just can't rely on Amex when I need them.  Sure, I'll keep the card if I want the purchase protection on any large purchase, but I feel like Discover/BoA are less likely to get skiddish, etc... so I can rely on them to be there when I need them.

BofA Cash Rewards VS - $25k | Citi Double Cash World MC - $18.9k | Amex BCE - $50k | Discover it - $50k | Chase Freedom Unlimited VS- $10k | Barclay Ring $5k |
Message 7 of 18
MakeItAMudLight
Frequent Contributor

Re: Amex FR Criteria:


@sandsanta wrote:

Reading the megathread over at FlyerTalk and looking at other boards, FR's have been conducted for the following criteria:

 

  • Drastic changes in Credit report: new accounts, lates, collections etc.
  • Your community demographic has a high rate of credit defaults / fraud / misc high risk.
  • Your spending habits have drastically changed.
  • You're spending 15-20k or more a month of business expenses on personal cards
  • You make large monthly purchases from the US Mint (considered a cash advance)
  • You have mutliple AU's on your accounts, of which only one has to spend more then you to trigger an FR
  • You've applied for multiple Amex accounts in a short period of time
  • You're a super-prime account holder charging 150k+ (concerns about money laundering)

Additionally, FR rates seem to increase during economic downturns. FR's were rampant in 2008-2009, quiet in 2010, and ramped up again in 2011. 

 

FR's have hit everyone including Centurion card owners, but they don't seem to be random.  

 

This actually makes me regret reopening Amex accounts.  I'd much rather have taken the hit getting a World MasterCard or another Visa Signature.

 

 

 

 


 I wonder if this will be an issue for me?   I recently got the Gold card and added my fiance as an AU.  She's been using the card for wedding planning stuff and has definitely used it more than me.  I was just doing this mainly so we could get the bonus member rewards points quickly based on my original offer.  She's also on my B of A Signature which she's used way more than me and this has never been an issue.

Message 8 of 18
RockinRay
Valued Contributor

Re: Amex FR Criteria:

I think everyone blows this way out of proportion!

 

You have the card, use it, pay it, and Amex will be your best buddy!

 

"Worry is like interest paid on money not yet due"!

 

Ray

Ray

** Every Card has a Job, and Every Card does its Job **
Message 9 of 18
scottwagnon
Valued Contributor

Re: Amex FR Criteria:


@sandsanta wrote:

 

  • You have mutliple AU's on your accounts, of which only one has to spend more then you to trigger an FR 


my AU spends alot more than me on my blue cash everyday.

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Message 10 of 18
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