Amex Just Lowered My CL Out of the Blue...uggh!

[Gladius]

My balance on my AE Everyday card has been $0 for going on about 10 months.  They even gave me an CLI about 3 months ago to $7000 (from $4000 I think).  I just made a $2500 purchase last week (which I intended on paying the balance off within the next 3 months).  So yesterday I got an e-mail message saying they DECREASED my CL to $3100!  I am like **bleep**!  Now I am only $600 from my limit!  I thought this only happens with "high usage" while you are teethering close to your limit?

[Anonymous]

Amex will CLD for all kinds of reasons. Give them a call and see what they say you have to do in order to have your limit restored. They generally will restore your limit in full if you can meet the conditions they ask for. 

[bourgogne]

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@Gladius wrote:

My balance on my AE Everyday card has been $0 for going on about 10 months.  They even gave me an CLI about 3 months ago to $7000 (from $4000 I think).  I just made a $2500 purchase last week (which I intended on paying the balance off within the next 3 months).  So yesterday I got an e-mail message saying they DECREASED my CL to $3100!  I am like **bleep**!  Now I am only $600 from my limit!  I thought this only happens with "high usage" while you are teethering close to your limit?

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sorry + what is your overall utilization across all your other consumer cards?  what exactly was the charge for?  how many other cards do you have with them?  how many inqs the past year?

[CreditInspired]

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@Gladius wrote:

My balance on my AE Everyday card has been $0 for going on about 10 months.  They even gave me an CLI about 3 months ago to $7000 (from $4000 I think).  I just made a $2500 purchase last week (which I intended on paying the balance off within the next 3 months).  So yesterday I got an e-mail message saying they DECREASED my CL to $3100!  I am like **bleep**!  Now I am only $600 from my limit!  I thought this only happens with "high usage" while you are teethering close to your limit?

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Uggg is right. I think since you hadn’t used the card in 10 months, and then out of the blue made a huge purchase, it spooked them. They never had an opportunity to see your charge and payment history on this card. The algorithm could have suspected breakout fraud. 

Give them a call and let them know you had planned to pay it off in 3 months. They more than likely will restore credit if you pay between $850 - $1,250.

Keep us in in the loop. I have my fingers crossed for you. 

[AverageJoesCredit]

Lol out of the Blue Sorry just to close too Amex that phrase. Something doesnt sit right. What other things are or have happened to your profile lately. I mean sure its possible non use then a big purchase did it but id like to think Amex would give its card holders opportunity to pay their charges. I know if they did it to me like that cold, id pay off the card and close it. If they want to card chase me after id close one by one lol. No one lender is see all be all.

But most times there are reasons for this that ususlly takes 5 pages in before more details are let be known. I hope you can get it restored and hopefully there werent other factors like high util, score drops, baddies added, etc.

[Anonymous]

Amex trying to be the new Barclays. 

[AverageJoesCredit]

Yikes, Sir Amex , dont make me pour out my coffee Homie😄

[UncleB]

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@Gladius wrote:

My balance on my AE Everyday card has been $0 for going on about 10 months.  They even gave me an CLI about 3 months ago to $7000 (from $4000 I think).  I just made a $2500 purchase last week (which I intended on paying the balance off within the next 3 months).  So yesterday I got an e-mail message saying they DECREASED my CL to $3100!  I am like **bleep**!  Now I am only $600 from my limit!  I thought this only happens with "high usage" while you are teethering close to your limit?

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I'm sorry to hear you got CLD'ed... how is your EX score?  Also, what does your overall utilization look like?

[HeavenOhio]

@Gladius, this doesn't fit the typical AMEX MO of reducing one's limit for paying down a balance too slowly. And it also doesn't fit the pattern of the more recent CLDs for low usage.

I've had a huge spike in my AMEX usage this month, and they seem downright pleased. They sent me a bonus offer to upgrade my card. And they just sent me an e-mail reminding me that I have a bunch of transactions eligible for Plan It.

Is there anything else going on? Do you have other AMEX cards? Any baddies (recent or older) on your credit report? How does your utilization look on other cards? If it's high, how long have these balances been high?

I'll echo the posts above. Call in, and you may see your limit restored. To restore limits that have been reduced due to large balances, AMEX usually requires a paydown by a certain date. To restore limits that have been reduced for low usage, AMEX hasn't required much other than a conversation.

If the large purchase is the issue, you might want to offer to put it on Plan It.

[Anonymous]

Another red flag here that this doesn't seem to be your typical Amex CLD for non-use or limited use is that the CLD was to a number less than 50% of the CL.  In ever case I've seen thus far for non/limited use we've seen limits cut in half.. $50k to $25k, $30k to $15k, etc.  The OP I would think would have experienced a CLD from $7000 to $3500 to fit this trend and because he didn't, I think it came due to another profile-related change or action.