Amex Recon Advice 7 years post bk

[Weights]

I know their higher interchange fees is the big reason why some merchants don't take them, but I 've heard from some business owners who used to take them, and received the same kind of treatment that I and some others here have received from them when trying to negotiate a better rate. Hence, they dumped them; not many of their customers paid with Amex anyways. 

To be clear as far as my experience with them, I would've been fine so long as I had received professional conduct from their end. It wasn't that they ultimately declined me which made me upset. It was the fact that they treated me like trash, despite that I was extremely polite and not in the least nasty throughout my entire dealing with them. I tell others of this so that they can decide for themselves whether they feel this is still a company that they wish to form a relationship with or not. 

[Revelate]

It's so rare that I have to talk to my lenders I don't really give it a second thought.  I also used to work in the customer service arms of some large companies and I know it's an utterly thankless job, and I line up all my ducks before calling as I try to take up as little of their time as possible.  Even my little Orchard card, I knew I was likely to only get a $100 CLI, so when the CSR came back with that I simply thanked them profusely.  I'll take what I can get, and I keep my expectations reasonable.

I don't know the specifics of your call Weights as I didn't hear it; however, Amex's policy with regards to recons is so well known on this forum I wouldn't even waste my time on it... unless there really was something inaccurate on my credit reports; however, I know that all my credit sins are mine and I'm not going to go begging any credit card issuer, especially Amex, for absolution.

I'm not certain what the business case is anyway with recons, unless it's to entice a customer with "see, we did you a favor with this approval!"  I know FICO doesn't tell the whole story, but observing the anecdotal reports of Chase's current recon policy leaves me just baffled... why bother to deny all these folks in the first place if you're just going to approve them after a series of phone calls?  It doesn't even appear to be consistent by CSR.  Wierd stuff in my book.

In any event, I think with Amex you know far more about where you stand than with any other lender at least from the descriptions and stories I've read on these forums.  You either clear the underwriting hurdle or you don't, and that's the end of the conversation.  Personally that's something I can respect in this day and age, but I'm admittedly old school on some things, and this doesn't jive with our current society.

[CreditScholar]

---

@Revelate wrote:

It's so rare that I have to talk to my lenders I don't really give it a second thought.  I also used to work in the customer service arms of some large companies and I know it's an utterly thankless job, and I line up all my ducks before calling as I try to take up as little of their time as possible.  Even my little Orchard card, I knew I was likely to only get a $100 CLI, so when the CSR came back with that I simply thanked them profusely.  I'll take what I can get, and I keep my expectations reasonable.

I don't know the specifics of your call Weights as I didn't hear it; however, Amex's policy with regards to recons is so well known on this forum I wouldn't even waste my time on it... unless there really was something inaccurate on my credit reports; however, I know that all my credit sins are mine and I'm not going to go begging any credit card issuer, especially Amex, for absolution.

I'm not certain what the business case is anyway with recons, unless it's to entice a customer with "see, we did you a favor with this approval!"  I know FICO doesn't tell the whole story, but observing the anecdotal reports of Chase's current recon policy leaves me just baffled... why bother to deny all these folks in the first place if you're just going to approve them after a series of phone calls?  It doesn't even appear to be consistent by CSR.  Wierd stuff in my book.

In any event, I think with Amex you know far more about where you stand than with any other lender at least from the descriptions and stories I've read on these forums.  You either clear the underwriting hurdle or you don't, and that's the end of the conversation.  Personally that's something I can respect in this day and age, but I'm admittedly old school on some things, and this doesn't jive with our current society.

---

+1. I'm also not a fan of recons, and think that there should be firmer underwriting requirements.

Regarding your BK, if you burned Amex previously your chances of getting back in with them is close to nil. They (along with a few other select lenders) have extremely long memories, and as such it won't matter if the BK falls off your credit reports. Amex has their own internal databases which will keep you blacklisted, even if your credit report appears clean.

[kimmiller112]

---

@Weights wrote:

I know their higher interchange fees is the big reason why some merchants don't take them, but I 've heard from some business owners who used to take them, and received the same kind of treatment that I and some others here have received from them when trying to negotiate a better rate. Hence, they dumped them; not many of their customers paid with Amex anyways. 

To be clear as far as my experience with them, I would've been fine so long as I had received professional conduct from their end. It wasn't that they ultimately declined me which made me upset. It was the fact that they treated me like trash, despite that I was extremely polite and not in the least nasty throughout my entire dealing with them. I tell others of this so that they can decide for themselves whether they feel this is still a company that they wish to form a relationship with or not. 

---

Just to respond to the first part, I own a business and accept Amex, but I am temped to stop, not because of the fees, but because of the number of people who threaten to dispute a charge.  I own a short term vacation rental company and had to refund 50% of the rate a guest paid because she said if I didn't she would dispute the charge because it rained most of her stay.  She said she didn't care what she had to say to do it but she was going to dispute the charge unless I gave her a partial refund.  Another guest wanted a $200 refund because the baby of another guest (who was not staying through my company) pooped in the property's pool and the pool had to close for 24 hours.  Both problems were beyond my control but yet I felt that I had to issue the refunds because it is impossible for a consumer to win a dispute.

[adavis425]

---

@kimmiller112 wrote:

---

@Weights wrote:

I know their higher interchange fees is the big reason why some merchants don't take them, but I 've heard from some business owners who used to take them, and received the same kind of treatment that I and some others here have received from them when trying to negotiate a better rate. Hence, they dumped them; not many of their customers paid with Amex anyways. 

To be clear as far as my experience with them, I would've been fine so long as I had received professional conduct from their end. It wasn't that they ultimately declined me which made me upset. It was the fact that they treated me like trash, despite that I was extremely polite and not in the least nasty throughout my entire dealing with them. I tell others of this so that they can decide for themselves whether they feel this is still a company that they wish to form a relationship with or not. 

---

Just to respond to the first part, I own a business and accept Amex, but I am temped to stop, not because of the fees, but because of the number of people who threaten to dispute a charge.  I own a short term vacation rental company and had to refund 50% of the rate a guest paid because she said if I didn't she would dispute the charge because it rained most of her stay.  She said she didn't care what she had to say to do it but she was going to dispute the charge unless I gave her a partial refund.  Another guest wanted a $200 refund because the baby of another guest (who was not staying through my company) pooped in the property's pool and the pool had to close for 24 hours.  Both problems were beyond my control but yet I felt that I had to issue the refunds because it is impossible for a consumer to win a dispute.

---

My mechanic stopped taking AMEX for this very reason. He performed work for a customer who turned out to be unemployed. The customer disputed the charge simply because he couldn't pay. Of course, AMEX is always behind the cardmember and reversed the charge. As soon as they did that, the mechanic dropped AMEX.

[sal2009]

So I called the executive offices and the woman who works there  told me it is their policy to not issue a card to an individual whom they cancelled an account with and that there are no exceptions.....I was able to obtain the account number and cash amount i owe.  

I asked if there was someone else or a supervisor that I could talk to and she said no.

I explained that I had very good credit now and would likely be a very profitable customer for them....she then gave an excuse about new regulations being why they couldn't offer me a card......bs...it sounded like she didn't understand it that well.

She hinted that I might be able to obtain a card if i paid that amount off even tho i listed in my bankruptcy.  She was friendly but cold and said no one would be able to change that policy.  

I then added that I was an AU on another account and she said it didn't matter.

So basically, it was like pay it off and get a card or don't and don't get a card....frankly, i don't see why i would pay it off since i suffered for 7 yrs in bankruptcy.  especially since their rewards product is not as good as chases.....their one good product is spg tho but i'm not going to pay off something i put in bankruptcy.

if anyone knows anyone I can email or speak to help, pm me...thanks.

[trumpet-205]

---

@sal2009 wrote:

So I called the executive offices and the woman who works there  told me it is their policy to not issue a card to an individual whom they cancelled an account with and that there are no exceptions.....I was able to obtain the account number and cash amount i owe.  

I asked if there was someone else or a supervisor that I could talk to and she said no.

I explained that I had very good credit now and would likely be a very profitable customer for them....she then gave an excuse about new regulations being why they couldn't offer me a card......bs...it sounded like she didn't understand it that well.

She hinted that I might be able to obtain a card if i paid that amount off even tho i listed in my bankruptcy.  She was friendly but cold and said no one would be able to change that policy.  

I then added that I was an AU on another account and she said it didn't matter.

So basically, it was like pay it off and get a card or don't and don't get a card....frankly, i don't see why i would pay it off since i suffered for 7 yrs in bankruptcy.  especially since their rewards product is not as good as chases.....their one good product is spg tho but i'm not going to pay off something i put in bankruptcy.

if anyone knows anyone I can email or speak to help, pm me...thanks.

---

If you want the card, you pay it off to improve your chance of getting the card. Regardless, I am a firm believer that if you owe something, you ought to pay it back. Fact is you owe AMEX money, even when BK discharged your obligation.

[Revelate]

---

@trumpet-205 wrote:

If you want the card, you pay it off to improve your chance of getting the card. Regardless, I am a firm believer that if you owe something, you ought to pay it back. Fact is you owe AMEX money, even when BK discharged your obligation.

---

Pretty much this.  Amex has the Oasis program to help former folks who "burned" them come back from out in the cold; however, I don't know if that's invitation only or if you pay the BK / CO amount, you're automatically enrolled.

I do know it's a valid Amex tradeline, and I do know people have gone from that back into regular Amex cards, so it's worthwhile doing some research on this forum (and possibly others) and seeing if it can be obtained.  Generally speaking though, you pay your debt and get a tradeline at half that amount.

[Weights]

Sally, just pm you some additional info which might help. 

[sjt]

One thing about Amex is the they are straight forward with their blacklist policy. You pay them off you are off the blacklist. Some may fall through the cracks but that is very rare.