Perils of MS

[Anonymous]

Well, to no great surprise, Amex started closing Amex Blue Cash cards, including mine.   Two somewhat unusual features:

1) No FR, just email saying the card was cancelled

2) Other Amex cards left alone.  Many issuers in this situation close all cards

Sampling on flyertalk shows the usual lack of pattern, in some husband/wife pairs, the partner doing less on their card had the card closed whereas the other is open.  But the whole shakeout might take a few days, and one person was told (when trying to apply) that the card is being phased out.

As is usual, with the cards closed, all unpaid/unreedeemed rewards go away, and with Amex this is effectively two months of rewards (I should have got last month's on Oct 27).  So the next step is to consider suing in small claims for the rewards (which seems to have a high degree of success, as courts choose not to abide by overly restrictive T&Cs)

So is/was it worth it?   Yes, even for a few months.   But I will give it a rest, and then try one of the next best things (TD / WF)

[gen-specific]

???

I have a Blue Cash card that I don't use

[FinStar]

Well isn't that something?  So, in the absence of tangible bread crumbs on the closure (or discontinuation) would you strongly feel this was MS-related as a whole?

[WillTeasle]

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@FinStar wrote:

Well isn't that something?  So, in the absence of tangible bread crumbs on the closure (or discontinuation) would you strongly feel this was MS-related as a whole?

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It's still early, but it's looking like it.  My old BC is fine, but I don't do any MS on it.  Only time will tell though.

[Anonymous]

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@FinStar wrote:

Well isn't that something?  So, in the absence of tangible bread crumbs on the closure (or discontinuation) would you strongly feel this was MS-related as a whole?

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Well, one person called and was told:

Reason for closure:

You repeatedly used the Blue rewards feature of the card for purchases which are not consistent with personal, family, household use. Such purchases are ineligible for rewards under the T&Cs of the card agreement

This language would also be used if they suspected business use of a personal card, and this person had no business, so it indeed was for personal/family/household use  (you can never have enough gift cards!).

Note that these purchases aren't forbidden in the T&Cs, just that they don't earn rewards.   But it isn't up to us, the issuer gives the rewards.

We'll see how this shakes out.  But a good reminder that this isn't risk free!

[FinStar]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@FinStar wrote:

Well isn't that something?  So, in the absence of tangible bread crumbs on the closure (or discontinuation) would you strongly feel this was MS-related as a whole?

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Well, one person called and was told:

Reason for closure:

You repeatedly used the Blue rewards feature of the card for purchases which are not consistent with personal, family, household use. Such purchases are ineligible for rewards under the T&Cs of the card agreement

This language would also be used if they suspected business use of a personal card, and this person had no business, so it indeed was for personal/family/household use  (you can never have enough gift cards!).

Note that these purchases aren't forbidden in the T&Cs, just that they don't earn rewards.   But it isn't up to us, the issuer gives the rewards.

We'll see how this shakes out.  But a good reminder that this isn't risk free!

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Oh I see.  Thank you for the insight longtimlurker.  Good to know!  Sorry to hear about the closure of your BC  what CL did you have?

[enharu]

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@FinStar wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@FinStar wrote:

Well isn't that something?  So, in the absence of tangible bread crumbs on the closure (or discontinuation) would you strongly feel this was MS-related as a whole?

---

Well, one person called and was told:

Reason for closure:

You repeatedly used the Blue rewards feature of the card for purchases which are not consistent with personal, family, household use. Such purchases are ineligible for rewards under the T&Cs of the card agreement

This language would also be used if they suspected business use of a personal card, and this person had no business, so it indeed was for personal/family/household use  (you can never have enough gift cards!).

Note that these purchases aren't forbidden in the T&Cs, just that they don't earn rewards.   But it isn't up to us, the issuer gives the rewards.

We'll see how this shakes out.  But a good reminder that this isn't risk free!

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Oh I see.  Thank you for the insight longtimlurker.  Good to know!  Sorry to hear about the closure of your BC  what CL did you have?

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sorry to hear about your closure. I remember you had a high CL on that card. Did you move CLs to that card?

Anyhow, as long as it's worth it, and it didn't affect your other Amex cards, then it's not so bad after all.

[Luscher]

Wow that sucks. I guess we can only compare and see if the only cards closed were from MS. It seems weird that if they WERE fazing it out, that they wouldn't just make you PC.

[mongstradamus]

the thread was an interesting read, i can kind of see amex pov if they are losing an lot of money where people are putting that much spending in on an card just for sole purpose of MS.

[pizza1]

Well shoot... Sorry to hear! We're you able to keep some of the cli and transfer to other card? Keep us posted!