Debate topic: is there really such a thing as being "in with Amex"?

[Anonymous]

Amex is another for profit company. If you're a profitable customer to them, you're in and they'll serve you for as long as you're profitable to them!

[pipeguy]

Currently I have one small limit old AmEx that I didn't close, backdated from 1978 and I have a BBVA "AINO" card with a 20K CL (AmEx in Name Only) aka AmEx network and I'd just as soon have the Visa Version - like my Fidelity converted to - I have a long history with AmEx from owning a business for 18 years - business died in the 2005-07 crash, as did my relationship with AmEx (found out that of many millions of dollars in business expenses and merchant swipes = what have you done for us lately?).

Only way I'd even consider having a "relationship" with AmEx today is if they paid ME an Annual Fee of $495 a year to carry their card and I may or may not let them "in" my wallet on that offer. 

[Anonymous]

I consider relationship banking more of a valid term than in with amex. You don't have the ID verification or POI unreadable fax hassles as a longtime member or customer.

[Anonymous]

I was so excited when I got my Delta card. Now not so much so, I did feel like hey finally I'm in with Amex. But now it's more of a drain with a annual fee and low SL. And like many others have said, they let anyone in for that card now and I suspect it has a lot to do with Delta and the cobranding. (Delta wants people to fly and Amex wanted the dollars)

Now that being said getting "in" with a low SL and then finding even a year later they will not budge on CLIs is discouraging and makes the card "suck". I take one trip I need to pay it off before I board the plane lol.  Granted my scores were not where they are now when I applied and I had a few collections and a judgement reporting at that time. They won't even look back when I had to call in about the last CLI request to see that my profile has improved so much, utilization now around 5% versus the 45% it was at when I got the card and now nothing negative on my reports except some almost 7 year old student loan lates. The last denial was not enough time from last attempt, so just maybe that's a sign that they are now willing to "earn" my business (using the card for real) I have placed quite a few $300 charges on there and PIF to let them "know" I want to like them.

[Anonymous]

...and why do I bother with AMEX? Only because they gave me a 1991 backdated green card in 2013 when I was severely depressed and just went 60 days late on a home payment. Never charged much in the card but learned the value of backdating when I joined this forum almost 2 years ago. I was denied an everyday card in August 2014 just before I quit gambling...really thinking about going back..,but got one in May 2015. I used it for a $1500 balance transfer, spent a few grand on it and closed it when I got a BCE with a sweetened preapproval in June. I converted the Green to a senior gold card early last year and just received an upgrade to PRG with a 15k points bonus for $1000 spend. I took it because it keeps the age of the card and gives it some use, offsetting the first year AF that hits in December. I have until then to decide whether to keep the card or go back to the cheaper but useless senior.

Ironically the 1991 backdating is due to a $1000 optima card that I wrote off in bankruptcy in 1992. AMEX made a big mistake letting me back in, but it finally paid off when I went for the PRG and its annual fee. For their sake and mine, I hope history doesn't repeat itself. The way I feel right now, it could. Just call me creditaddict2.

[wasCB14]

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@Anonymous wrote:
I consider relationship banking more of a valid term than in with amex. You don't have the ID verification or POI unreadable fax hassles as a longtime member or customer.

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Can you elaborate? I'm not quite sure what you're talking about.

[Anonymous]

As a new client, if you have moved recently it can be an obstacle. Experian pullers get handed this b.s. all the time. Amex Community blispay all ex pullers. You see lots of threads regarding applications tossed because of verify issues. Poi Is proof of income. If you have a working relationship with them they can see your bank account or see your payment history and that is a step you Skip and only have need credit score to do the talking.

[wasCB14]

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@Anonymous wrote:
As a new client, if you have moved recently it can be an obstacle. Experian pullers get handed this b.s. all the time. Amex Community blispay all ex pullers. You see lots of threads regarding applications tossed because of verify issues. Poi Is proof of income. If you have a working relationship with them they can see your bank account or see your payment history and that is a step you Skip and only have need credit score to do the talking.

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For me and Citi, it was the opposite. They were happy to give me about $15k in credit with no identity or income verification. Once I opened a checking account, they buried me in ID (but not income) verification requests. I had not recently moved.

[msm859]

Businesses do not accept Amex because they have higher fees.

[MugenCivicSi83]

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@AverageJoesCredit wrote:
Just because one becomes" being in" doesnt mean they will treat you the same as someone who has a higher income or thicker profile. Many people find that there finally in but can sometimes still be held back ftom past transgressions such as a bk or charge off. I guess only time would truely tell if you are "in" .

I unfortunately had to include my Amex's in my bk7, didnt understand credit well at the time, and 9 and half years later am still on the outside looking in. Since i dont make much coupled with my bk7, i dont fancy theyll be knocking at my door anytime soon and even if i were able to get back "in" id probably be stuck at the $500 or 1000 purgatory due to past relationship. They have a long memory so one should be careful with the notion of being "in".

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AJC...i burned Amex BCE back in 2005. CO. I'm now back in with them 11 years later. Funny part is when I called to activate my new card yesterday, they mentioned it. Time will tell. I won't be burning them though nor any of my other credit lines as i've learned my lesson from my past transgressions. Turning 33 in a month and glad to have my good credit back.