Amex "Pre-Approved For You," Then Not ... (?)

[OnWayUpinTexas]

After reading a post from a few weeks back (I think by Hauling), every time I log in to check my Amex Zync account (which is everyday), I click on the gray box at the far right that says "Additional Cards" (not the drop down menu, but the box itself), which takes me to another screen with a series of blue boxes across the top.  The box on the far right of that screen is always the last to populate with any text, and most of the time it says "Refer Friends and Earn Points," or something like that, when it fills in.

BUT, on two occasions before, the blue box has said "Pre-Approved for You."  When I click on that button, it takes me to a screen that says I'm pre-approved for the Green Card and Platinum Card (don't know why not Gold?).  Yet, when I try to apply for one of the cards (I want to replace Zync with Green to get the real Membership Rewards program), I get an "our systems are not responding" message.  Happened twice now, about three weeks apart.  The next time I logon and try it (even a little later the same day), the "Pre-Approved For You" box is gone and the "Refer Friends and Earn Points" box is back.

Anyone experienced anything similar?  So far, I'm too lazy to call Amex and ask them "am I really pre-approved or not!?!," which I will eventually break down and do.

The paranoid side of me says that Amex is softing me each time I hit the "Pre-Approved" button, and then deciding "oh, we don't want to pre-approve him after all" based on my report, hence the "our systems are not responding screen" ...

[Walt_K]

I don't check it every day, but yesterday was the first time I noticed any preapproval offers.  I have the Premier Rewards Gold Card.  I've had the card since October and never seen a preapproval offer before, but again, I don't check frequently, so I don't know if this is really the first time it appeared.  I was preapproved for Zync, Green, Platinum, and the Hilton HHonors Surpass card.  Today, it's back to the Refer Friends and Earn Points message. 

[Anonymous]

I'm going to check this every time I log in from now on.

[Anonymous]

I check regularly too, and it has happened to me 3 times.  Once it just offered me Platinum.  One time Platinum, Blue Cash, and Gold.  And most recently Gold.  Was hopeful at first too...but when it wouldn't let me apply, and later went away I figured it just an error.  Never called, I hate being an active participant in my rejection. :-P

[OnWayUpinTexas]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I check regularly too, and it has happened to me 3 times.  Once it just offered me Platinum.  One time Platinum, Blue Cash, and Gold.  And most recently Gold.  Was hopeful at first too...but when it wouldn't let me apply, and later went away I figured it just an error.  Never called, I hate being an active participant in my rejection. :-P

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+1 to that ...

Glad to know I'm not the only one Amex is toying with.  Probably genuinely a "system error."

[Anonymous]

I get preapproval offers from Am Ex (i.e., "approved for you") if I go to their web site and wait 60 seconds before even logging in.  I don't think they mean anything except that I am preapproved to apply (and either get accepted or rejected.)  If it was an offer specific to me as a cardholder, I would think I would have to identify myself first.  And the screen I see is the same one the OP does.

[Gibran]

I'm right there with the rest of you, it's happened to me also. Said I was pre-approved for Platinum and Gold, then went back and it was gone. I'm glad to see I wasn't the only one.

[Ron1]

In several times, I was pre-approval from Zync (already have),  Rewards Gold, Rewards Green and Platinum (upgraded). I checked back the following days and it was disappeared. It might have been system glitches. I also checked their business cards and I didn't get any pre-approval. They always offered me Business Rewards Gold, Rewards Green, The Plum Card and the Business Platinum Card. I think the pre-approval doesn't mean anything. They still hard pull for final approval. I don't think pre-approval makes it easier to get. I never got any pre-approval from them.

Ron.

[Anonymous]

it happens to me all the time too.

[mauwow0682]

It's happened to me a few times in the last few weeks. Its offered Green and Platinum and I don't need or want another charge card other than my Zync so I ignored it.  I have my goal set on the Costco Amex.