What causes a F/R with AMEX?

[OnTheRebound]

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@mross1080 wrote:

I always PIF and was still FR'd by them a while back and came out clear. About 2 weeks ago I got a call from them saying that they wanted a payment right away. I have 3 cards with them and run about 5k through them a month. The card that was due first a week and a half away I paid that morning. The card that the women was calling about was 2 weeks away from being due. I was told that my charging was to high ( It was actually lower than normal) and that a payment was required right away. I asked when the due date was and she told me they moved it to today. At that point I laughed at her and told her I never even paid close to the due date always at least a week early. She told me it didnt matter and that she had to take a payment over the phone immediately. I kindly told her that all my payments to cc's and bills comes out of 1 account and that I make 1 transfer to that account a week to cover the weeks bills and I never pay anything out of my direct deposit account or savings (there through another bank) for security reasons and that I just transfered over for the week and am not going to be inconvienced by them being tempermental. I was then told she was putting all my accounts on hold till I made a payment since it was due immediately for which I told her there was no need to put it on hold to just close all my accounts. At this point she was actually a lot nicer and put me on hold she came back and said it would be ok for me to pay the next week when I planned (which I was doing anyway). EIther way Ive decided to stop using amex for almost everything. Im using it for gas only now. Im not going to give business to a company thats going to call and demand payment at will. I totally understand them looking out for themselves and that there a business and not a charity but if your going to call a customer that runs a lot of money through there cards a month and has never been late than I have no need for that. I say dont worry about being FR'd if its going to happen theres nothing you can do to prevent it. Just always carry a backup card with you.

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Good job! Exactly what I would do if this were to happen to me. Who needs a paranoid creditor.

[tntexans72]

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@Watchmann wrote:

As my grandmother used to say, "Never trouble trouble until trouble troubles you".  If you stay good with AMEX they should not bother you unless something drastic pops up in your CR like missed payments, judgements, etc. that tweaks their internal modelling.  It's not something I would worry about if I was PIF each month.

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+1....lenders will soft you here and there. Even though you are not late with Amex and may be late with another CC company...than the drastic could happen. As long as you are not late across all your CCs, make more than the minimum payment, you will be ok.

[n777ua]

A long time ago, '00/'01 I think, I got a call out of the blue from Amex and they demanded payment right away b/c my charges were "out of pattern" . . I told them I would pay on my due date, and they could then take the card and shove it.  When I did pay (which was on time, and I never paid late)...they closed the account.  Guess they showed me.

My DW got FR'd last fall after never making a late payment, always paying on time.  They can FR anyone for any reason.

[DI]

Is it mostly members with charge cards that are getting the FR request?

[mross1080]

I think its mostly charge cards but I dont really think any account is safe. But you really cant worry about it, its either going to happen or not.

[DI]

My reason for asking is I have a Target card I opened in 2000.  I keep it open because it's my oldest card.  But since AMEX is going to backdate my card to 1997 it will be my oldest card and I can close the Target card.  I just do not want my AMEX card get closed for any reason since I'd be more dependent on it. 

[tntexans72]

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@n777ua wrote:

A long time ago, '00/'01 I think, I got a call out of the blue from Amex and they demanded payment right away b/c my charges were "out of pattern" . . I told them I would pay on my due date, and they could then take the card and shove it.  When I did pay (which was on time, and I never paid late)...they closed the account.  Guess they showed me.

My DW got FR'd last fall after never making a late payment, always paying on time.  They can FR anyone for any reason.

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What does Amex consider a charged that was "out of pattern"?

I remembered back in 2002, my business Amex Gold Card did not go through when I used it at a gentleman's club. lol...that was out of pattern.

I had a very good relationship with Amex up to that point.

My Chase CCs never have any issues, regardless where I use it. Clubs, Vegas, etc....when through every time.

[trumpet-205]

My dad in the past has an AMEX card (he forget which one though). He once attempted to run 1K over it for washer + dryer and was denied. When he called AMEX explained this is the first time he run high charges and therefore they are doing a F/R. He declined and closed the card.

@DI

If you shop at Target from time to time, keep it for 5% instant discount. Otherwise I say close it.

[android01]

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@DI wrote:

My reason for asking is I have a Target card I opened in 2000.  I keep it open because it's my oldest card.  But since AMEX is going to backdate my card to 1997 it will be my oldest card and I can close the Target card.  I just do not want my AMEX card get closed for any reason since I'd be more dependent on it. 

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If you were honest on your application you should have nothing to worry about if you get a F/R, and you are willing for them to pull your IRS records.  Personally, I've never had a F/R with AMEX, and if I'm ever asked to provide them permission to pull my IRS records, I'll tell them to immediately cancel all of my accounts.  No credit card in the known universe is worth that level of intrusion into my personal life and finances.  

I wouldn't close the Target card either.     

[Anonymous]

I've had green and gold for a year with no problem (I even charged a $2000 purchase on green last month without calling ahead first.)  They can FR me if they want (their risk analysis program may spit out certain card members at random--for example all card numbers with three or more nines in the account number--for screening regardless of payment record, stated income, years as a customer, etc.)  I would be suspicious of someone calling me and demanding immediate payment for a bill not due for two weeks yet. That sounds bogus to me, maybe a joke or a scam on someone, and not something a major bank like Centurion would care about or waste time on.

But it brings up an interesting point.  Suppose BOA or Cap 1 or Chase was overextended and needed to reduce the number of credit card holders by 15% or 23% or so?  How would they do it?