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Thinking of cold apping AMEX

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K-in-Boston
Credit Mentor

Re: Thinking of cold apping AMEX

Awww. I really thought that would be a nearly sure thing. I would definitely call and recon with a loan officer. They are friendly. Tell them you want the (I assume) Promise and would like to transfer your balances to them because you have heard so many great things about their Credit Union. I do think you have a good shot at this and you already took the hit, only have a little pride to swallow for a few minutes.

The AmEx approval again I wasn't too hopeful of a large SL without getting a cobranded card. You got what my wife got with her EveryDay last year with scores 80 or so points higher. You got in the door and hers is at $12k after 2 CLIs.
Message 51 of 59
RockinRay
Valued Contributor

Re: Thinking of cold apping AMEX


@K-in-Boston wrote:

@MyLoFICO wrote:

I am not familiar with the backdating but I remember threads here about it. I never read them since I did not have an AMEX. I will be pleased as punch if I can get the 3X CLI when the time comes.

 

When my scores get bumped up, do I need to wait a day or so to app or will they pull it and get the current score?


They'll pull a fresh score for a new app for sure.  Future apps would be a SP they use to give you your monthly EX 08 score, although some have mentioned when declined that they didn;t always use the most recent one.  I actually get 2 or 3 score updates a month - I am assuming that it's because I've had at least 3 cards with them since they began offering scores.

 

For backdating, I was referring to their practice of reporting to the CBs the month and date that you opened the account with the year of your first account (AU or otherwise) as the account opening date.  For instance, my Blue card was actually opened in April of 2003, but reports as April 2002 since I opened my Green Rewards (now Platinum) and Gold (now PRG) in 2002.  This is why you would sometimes see young adults with decades-old primary user cards (like born in 1978 but brand new card showed opened in 1975 since they were an AU on a parent/grandparent's account).  My recently opened SPG shows a Member Since date of 2002 on the card and in my online account but will show 2017 on my CRs.  Alternately, my wife got her first AmEx card in 2016, but since she has been an AU on 3 of my accounts since 2003, her card and online account show Member Since 03.


Good old backdating! I left Amex long ago and got a new card from them about 5 years ago. It took some work on my part, but I was able to get them to backdate to when I opened my first green card - 1979. I do not think they do this any longer.

 

Today, the Delta Plat Amex still shows 1979. I know, I'm old.     Smiley Very Happy

Ray

** Every Card has a Job, and Every Card does its Job **
Message 52 of 59
MyLoFICO
Valued Contributor

Re: Thinking of cold apping AMEX


@K-in-Boston wrote:
Awww. I really thought that would be a nearly sure thing. I would definitely call and recon with a loan officer. They are friendly. Tell them you want the (I assume) Promise and would like to transfer your balances to them because you have heard so many great things about their Credit Union. I do think you have a good shot at this and you already took the hit, only have a little pride to swallow for a few minutes.

The AmEx approval again I wasn't too hopeful of a large SL without getting a cobranded card. You got what my wife got with her EveryDay last year with scores 80 or so points higher. You got in the door and hers is at $12k after 2 CLIs.

I am happy with the Amex to be truthful. After this debt is paid down I will be happy with the card. I also just got the Citi DC with $3k SL. Both have BT options so I plan to utilize them for that until they can't be used anymore. I will pay my bills and before the 90 days is up with PenFed I will re-apply. Maybe my Nexgen will be there and a pre-approval will show up. 


Experian: 677 (28) | TransUnion: 697 (27) | Equifax: 684 (6)
Gardening as of: 1-23-2018
Updated 1-25-18
Message 53 of 59
MyLoFICO
Valued Contributor

Re: Thinking of cold apping AMEX

On a whim I applied for the AMEX ED and got it too. Only $500 but I can merge those together eventually, right?


Experian: 677 (28) | TransUnion: 697 (27) | Equifax: 684 (6)
Gardening as of: 1-23-2018
Updated 1-25-18
Message 54 of 59
MyLoFICO
Valued Contributor

Re: Thinking of cold apping AMEX

Now this is weird. My ED came with the credit steps that AMEX has just started doing. So I got the BCP with a bigger limit and the ED with credit steps. Seems kinda backwards to me. 


Experian: 677 (28) | TransUnion: 697 (27) | Equifax: 684 (6)
Gardening as of: 1-23-2018
Updated 1-25-18
Message 55 of 59
wasCB14
Super Contributor

Re: Thinking of cold apping AMEX

Glad you got what you wanted, albeit with lower CLs.

 

I guess I've been living under a rock. Can someone direct me to info about this Amex credit steps program? Searching relevant keywords on the Amex homepage isn't giving me anything.

 

I'm not sure what further advice to give here. $500 SLs are generally considered a "let things cool off a bit" message from Amex, but it sounds like a lot of your debt is at a high APR which means you're likely to keep looking for more credit for utilization and BT purposes.

Personal spend: Amex Gold, Amex Schwab Plat., BofA PR+CCR(x2), Costco
Business use: Amex Bus. Plat., BBP, Lowes Amex AU, CFU AU
Perks: Delta Plat., United Explorer, IHG49, Hyatt, "Old SPG"
Mostly SD: Freedom Flex, Freedom, Arrival
Upgrade/Downgrade games: ED, BCE
SUB chasing: AA Platinum Select
Message 56 of 59
MyLoFICO
Valued Contributor

Re: Thinking of cold apping AMEX


@wasCB14 wrote:

Glad you got what you wanted, albeit with lower CLs.

 

I guess I've been living under a rock. Can someone direct me to info about this Amex credit steps program? Searching relevant keywords on the Amex homepage isn't giving me anything.

 

I'm not sure what further advice to give here. $500 SLs are generally considered a "let things cool off a bit" message from Amex, but it sounds like a lot of your debt is at a high APR which means you're likely to keep looking for more credit for utilization and BT purposes.


@Nah i think I am good for now. I got the Citi DC @ $3k SL and I think I can work with these for now. But, never say never. 

 

The credit steps terminology is something I stole from Capital one. Basically you get approved and then you get this in e-mail:

Captureamex.PNG


Experian: 677 (28) | TransUnion: 697 (27) | Equifax: 684 (6)
Gardening as of: 1-23-2018
Updated 1-25-18
Message 57 of 59
K-in-Boston
Credit Mentor

Re: Thinking of cold apping AMEX


@RockinRay wrote:

Good old backdating! I left Amex long ago and got a new card from them about 5 years ago. It took some work on my part, but I was able to get them to backdate to when I opened my first green card - 1979. I do not think they do this any longer.

 

Today, the Delta Plat Amex still shows 1979. I know, I'm old.     Smiley Very Happy


 That is awesome.  Not only do they not do backdating anymore, when you add an AU to the account, they report the account opening date on the AU's reports as when you added the AU not the date that the account in question was actually opened.  From one extreme to the other.  To pad util even more, we just added me as an AU on my wife's EveryDay opened last year thinking the one year wouldn't ding me too much for a new account.  Reported to all three CBs as opened March 2017.  Grrr.

Message 58 of 59
MyLoFICO
Valued Contributor

Re: Thinking of cold apping AMEX


@K-in-Boston wrote:

@RockinRay wrote:

Good old backdating! I left Amex long ago and got a new card from them about 5 years ago. It took some work on my part, but I was able to get them to backdate to when I opened my first green card - 1979. I do not think they do this any longer.

 

Today, the Delta Plat Amex still shows 1979. I know, I'm old.     Smiley Very Happy


 That is awesome.  Not only do they not do backdating anymore, when you add an AU to the account, they report the account opening date on the AU's reports as when you added the AU not the date that the account in question was actually opened.  From one extreme to the other.  To pad util even more, we just added me as an AU on my wife's EveryDay opened last year thinking the one year wouldn't ding me too much for a new account.  Reported to all three CBs as opened March 2017.  Grrr.


Ouch. That's not cool at all. I didn't even notice when my AU on my moms AMEX shows on my CR. Its gone now thow since we canceled that card for me. 


Experian: 677 (28) | TransUnion: 697 (27) | Equifax: 684 (6)
Gardening as of: 1-23-2018
Updated 1-25-18
Message 59 of 59
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