Backdating amex cards

[Anonymous]

@RoverC

Some have reported success. Really depends on if you get a CSR that's not looking carefully or just lazy- doesn't hurt to ask.

[Anonymous]

I just did it tonite. My new PRG was lost, but I received it today - Membership Date (MSD) was 2013...I had an Amex Green Card and Optima 1988 and filed BK 1998...I just mentioned to the rep I was a member and he replied, "Oh I can see back in 1988", then said my card should reflect that, but he will make the change on my new card...it was effortless...some have posted you need the orig card number, which I could not find, but not necessary. Congrats!

[Anonymous]

how does this help your fico score?

[OhioCPA]

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@Anonymous wrote:

how does this help your fico score?

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Welcome to the forum.

Backdating helps your FICO score by increasing your average age of account (AAoA). I had been strictly debit card and cash until about three years ago. When I started opening new credit cards my AAoA took a dive. By opening new Amex accounts that were backdated to 1986, my AAoA increased and my scores improved.

[ficoguy75]

So I just requested that they backdate my current Amex Blue to my old green card I had in college (1995). They came back and said they put the request in but he didn't know how it would be handled since that original acct was closed due to derogatory reasons. Should I be worried that this won't work or that my account will now be tarnished because it is linked?

[OptimalFICO]

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@ficoguy75 wrote:

So I just requested that they backdate my current Amex Blue to my old green card I had in college (1995). They came back and said they put the request in but he didn't know how it would be handled since that original acct was closed due to derogatory reasons. Should I be worried that this won't work or that my account will now be tarnished because it is linked?

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Many other forum members have reported success with getting newer accounts backdated to the opening dates of accounts closed due to derogatory reasons. From what I've read it's typically completed immediately so it sounds like the rep you spoke with may be inexperienced. If your request gets denied, consider calling back and trying again.

[wHiTeSoL]

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@OhioCPA wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

how does this help your fico score?

---

Welcome to the forum.

Backdating helps your FICO score by increasing your average age of account (AAoA). I had been strictly debit card and cash until about three years ago. When I started opening new credit cards my AAoA took a dive. By opening new Amex accounts that were backdated to 1986, my AAoA increased and my scores improved.

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I think it helps with much more than just AAoA. # of ontime payments isn't really a stat they keep however I'm sure +10 years of good ontime payments will raise your score exponentially.

[Revelate]

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@wHiTeSoL wrote:

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@OhioCPA wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

how does this help your fico score?

---

Welcome to the forum.

Backdating helps your FICO score by increasing your average age of account (AAoA). I had been strictly debit card and cash until about three years ago. When I started opening new credit cards my AAoA took a dive. By opening new Amex accounts that were backdated to 1986, my AAoA increased and my scores improved.

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I think it helps with much more than just AAoA. # of ontime payments isn't really a stat they keep however I'm sure +10 years of good ontime payments will raise your score exponentially.

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It does not: a backdated account does not get additional payment history.  As an example, my own Amex backdated tradeline has an open date of 1/12; however, it only has 9 payments reported to it from when I actually acquired the account in 1/13.

AAoA is affected because it calculates off the open date on a tradeline; however, no other element of the FICO algorithm does to my knowledge.

[xerostatus]

Interesting situation I'm inexplicably in:

I was recently approved for a BCE (9/2013).

Years ago, my sister put me on as an AU on her account.

Many years passed, and in fact i was still on as an AU on her account until earlier this year.

Due to a high balance being reported, we asked amex to take me off as AU so that the balance would no longer affect my overall utilization.

Now, the funny thing is: on all my reports, the old AMEX tradeline (the one i was AU) is showing "member since" or "date opened" as 8/1991.

I don't know how this is possible, since in 1991 I was 4 years old (my sister was 9) and we hadn't even yet moved to the united states yet. O_O

But I never delved deeper or ruffled any feather, since, its vastly driving up my AAoA and working to my benefit.

But now, since I just joined amex on my own accord, I'm actually considering whether I can backdate my current card to that 1991 date.

Risky? recommended? Am i being greedy?

I'd like some thoughts from anyone.

[Anonymous]

I say go for it. It's not like they are going to change the date on your older Amex if they realize it was an error. Simply say your MSD is incorrect, they'll either change it or say they can't find you.