Data point: earlier this month, I was offered a pop-up/log-in bonus ($250 for $2K spend) to upgrade from BCE to BCP (the only Amex card issued to me). The bonus was credited to my account the day or day after I met the spending threshold.
The BCE was a year old; I'd had an Amex in the past -- perhaps 15 years ago, which I closed. And I've opened 7 other card between 12-2017 and 10-2018.
I was about to write a post about this...
In the past month I’ve not only been denied the SUB on an app via pop-up, but I’ve also just been denied a SUB on an account that was already approved.
I’ve had a lot of Amex accounts in the last year and change...
4/17 BCE approved with bonus
8/17 EDP approved with bonus
8/17 PRG approved with bonus
8/17 Green approved with bonus
9/17 Hilton NAF approved with bonus
11/17 Hilton Surpass approved with bonus
11/17 Hilton NAF cancelled (3 months old)
12/17 Delta Gold approved with bonus
3/18 ED approved with bonus
6/18 ED cancelled (3 months old)
6/18 BCP approved with bonus
8/18 BCE cancelled (16 months old)
9/18 Green cancelled (13 months old)
11/18 Delta Gold Biz approved with bonus
11/18 Hilton Ascend cancelled (12 months old)
12/17 Hilton Biz no bonus pop up
And I just got off the phone with them and they just confirmed that my Delta Gold Biz card did indeed come with a SUB but they declined to honor it because of my history with SUBs and account cancellations. I’m guessing that last cancellation put me in no-bonus land.
Lesson: Don’t cancel accounts while working on minimum spend. They will refuse to honor a bonus even after you are approved to get one.
In the past month I’ve not only been denied the SUB on an app via pop-up, but I’ve also just been denied a SUB on an account that was already approved.
I’ve had a lot of Amex accounts in the last year and change...
4/17 BCE approved with bonus
8/17 EDP approved with bonus
8/17 PRG approved with bonus
8/17 Green approved with bonus
9/17 Hilton NAF approved with bonus
11/17 Hilton Surpass approved with bonus
11/17 Hilton NAF cancelled (3 months old)
12/17 Delta Gold approved with bonus
3/18 ED approved with bonus
6/18 ED cancelled (3 months old)
6/18 BCP approved with bonus
8/18 BCE cancelled (16 months old)
9/18 Green cancelled (13 months old)
11/18 Delta Gold Biz approved with bonus
11/18 Hilton Ascend cancelled (12 months old)
12/17 Hilton Biz no bonus pop up
And I just got off the phone with them and they just confirmed that my Delta Gold Biz card did indeed come with a SUB but they declined to honor it because of my history with SUBs and account cancellations. I’m guessing that last cancellation put me in no-bonus land.
Lesson: Don’t cancel accounts while working on minimum spend. They will refuse to honor a bonus even after you are approved to get one.
I took what they offered. I didn’t break any rules. No MS. And I still use the Gold, BCP, and ED long after getting the bonus on those. They get plenty of money from me.
I totally get being on the naughty list for new apps. I am pretty miffed about being denied an offer they approved me for though. Everything I did was in good faith. I don’t think it’s too much to expect the same from them.
I totally get being on the naughty list for new apps. I am pretty miffed about being denied an offer they approved me for though. Everything I did was in good faith. I don’t think it’s too much to expect the same from them.
@longtimelurker wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:It's definitey SUB chasing behavior based on thier criteria in the fine print, and as such they can take action against it.
By signing you agreed to it, that's where they get us.
Which is one reason why the pop up was a good idea. If a person knew they weren't getting the SUB, would they continue with the App?
I'm curious how this has affected applications process, or reduction in completed ones? If it resulted in too many canceled ones, they could have secretely done away with it so that a person continues unaware. Then realizes they're not eligibly until it's too late.
I don't know how much of a win for Amex it is for someone to sign up expecting, and then not getting, the bonus. It obviously annoys at least some of the impacted customers (e.g. this thread!) and will often result in calls, perhaps multiple, to the issuer, which all cost money as well. And a disgruntled user may cancel or SD the card, so the issuer gets no benefit after the AF (if any) and the min spend.
My guess is it is in their interest to be as accurate as possible, so people who proceed after being told that they won't get one are a) aware and b) believe it is still worthwhile. These could be "good" long-term users. One major issue is that once you put the pop-up, people understandably assume that its absence indicates that they will get the bonus, and experience shows otherwise. (OPs situation here is worse, as a CSR stated the account was going to get a bonus)
Agreed. If Amex denies someone a signup after they have applied and been approved when there was no pop-up and they had not previously held the card that is a terrible business practice. Not only do they risk losing a current customer they risk losing all future business with that customer and that customer likely telling others about Amex's business practice which could deter others from applying. For example, if Amex started routinely denying people (no indication they are doing this often but if they did) who were otherwise elgible and who did not receieve a popup a signup bonus then I can tell you I would strongly consider not apping with Amex because who wants to play games like that? I would likely go to a competitor and apply for their card and eventually I may move all my spend off amex cards if I become more invested in another point program. It most certainly is in Amex's best interest to be as clear as possible with customers. If I app with amex and they give me the popup before completing the app then while I may be a little annoyed I am not going to be angry because I didn't waste a pull or put spend on a card thinking I was getting a SUB that Amex had no intention of paying out. Also, amex should be careful with people just starting out and not needlessly screw them over, because while they may be small fish to amex now you never know how successful they may be down the road later on and I know if a credit card company or bank screws me over I have a very long memory about such things and won't give them the time of day when they come sniffing around later to sell me their products.
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