What is so especial about America Express?

[Tuscani]

STRIPPERS!!!!!!!!!! DUH!

[Anonymous]

There really isn't anything special about American Express. They used to be considered top notch, but their standards have been lowered greatly - not trying to offend anyone here as I also got an AMEX with a less then great FICO.

At this point it's a toss up. They have probably the best customer service of ANY CCC. They also have the worst financial review dept of any CCC. They are very generous with CLIs but they slap you with an F/R and take it right back - haven't had it happen to me YET.

I think the general public still considers AMEX a CCC ONLY for people with great credit which is no longer the case. I think it really stopped being the case when they went public and had to start impressing Wallstreet.

[Anonymous]

When it was time for me to grow up financially I got an AMEX green card.  It's been very good for me, as the PIF forced me to live within my means.  I took all of the other cards out of my wallet and only carried the AMEX and my debit card, so I knew that eveywhere I went I would be able to pay for stuff.

Their customer service really is great.  When I was moving two years ago I was putting everything on the AMEX, knowing I would soon be reimbursed by my company.  When I started to get to the point where they wouldn't extend any more credit (I'm surprised they let me charge as much as they did) a person called me and let me know that I shouldn't try to use the card, to "avoid embarassment."  Any other card would just let you find out you'd reached your limit the hard way, methinks.

[Mindnumb]

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@Anonymous wrote:

When it was time for me to grow up financially I got an AMEX green card. It's been very good for me, as the PIF forced me to live within my means. I took all of the other cards out of my wallet and only carried the AMEX and my debit card, so I knew that eveywhere I went I would be able to pay for stuff.

Their customer service really is great. When I was moving two years ago I was putting everything on the AMEX, knowing I would soon be reimbursed by my company. When I started to get to the point where they wouldn't extend any more credit (I'm surprised they let me charge as much as they did) a person called me and let me know that I shouldn't try to use the card, to "avoid embarassment." Any other card would just let you find out you'd reached your limit the hard way, methinks.

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To take your experience a little further, I had a similar experience happen to me while traveling with my family about 4 years ago. I had been with them a while, and explained it would be a week before I could make payment and they extended my deadline for a week. It was tough to charge that week as every charge had to be approved by a human, but every charge was approved. AMEX did not hang me out to dry. I know of no one with any other card other than AMEX that had a similar experience.

As I travel internationally, I am not happy about the chance of a FR and being left hanging. But carrying $ 10,001 in cash is not an option.

[smallfry]

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@Anonymous wrote:
There really isn't anything special about American Express. They used to be considered top notch, but their standards have been lowered greatly - not trying to offend anyone here as I also got an AMEX with a less then great FICO.

At this point it's a toss up. They have probably the best customer service of ANY CCC. They also have the worst financial review dept of any CCC. They are very generous with CLIs but they slap you with an F/R and take it right back - haven't had it happen to me YET.

I think the general public still considers AMEX a CCC ONLY for people with great credit which is no longer the case. I think it really stopped being the case when they went public and had to start impressing Wallstreet.

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Lots of people would agree with you. They are getting stranger all the time. They should stop giving out credit line increases if they only intend to pull a financial review a few weeks later. If you don't beleive this go over to creditboards and read some of the threads and you'll appreciate just how wacky they have become.

[Anonymous]

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FICO scores alone, most people can get approved for these Amex CCs with a score of 625 and no BK on their credit reports:

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I had to settle with Amex 4 years ago. Now my score is 628, do you think I can apply now or should I wait till it goes a bit higher......

[Anonymous]

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BadCreditBobby wrote:

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FICO scores alone, most people can get approved for these Amex CCs with a score of 625 and no BK on their credit reports:

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I had to settle with Amex 4 years ago. Now my score is 628, do you think I can apply now or should I wait till it goes a bit higher......

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Amex does have a blacklist.  Since you settled you may be able to call customer service and see if they will offer you the optima.  Sort of their come back to us card.  The way the car works is that it is opened with whatever reamining balanceyou owed and once you pay it off you may be upgraded to a better card with them.

s far as Amex is concerned.... used to drool but will stay as far away as I can.  Don't have time for F/Rs don't even have time to eat half the time.  Have cards that offer competitive rates and better rewards for what I need such as cash back.

[Gotagoal]

Just want to add my two cents in here ... I'm getting the Optima soon (letter to sign , return is on the way) - and it's onlly for 500 (1/2 the original debt). I asked the nice lady at Amex lots of questions. She said the card will NEVER have a different limit that the agreed $500. She said it will NEVER be upgraded. But she said my card will read : Member since 1989. Very cool!!

So knowing that I can't get a CLI on that card, I went online and got a nice Delta Amex 2k limit. Now I'm happy. I'll keep the Optima for small stuff and keep that good history. I'm really eager to see how that will report.. Will it add 18 years? I hope so!!

[Anonymous]

I didn't think AmEx PIF's hit your credit report. I have one through work, but it is in my name and I am legally responsible for everything that hits it... yet it isn't on my credit report.

[Anonymous]

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fico12 wrote:
I didn't think AmEx PIF's hit your credit report. I have one through work, but it is in my name and I am legally responsible for everything that hits it... yet it isn't on my credit report.

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It's not a personal card so it won't show on your CR unless it goes into default

Message Edited by rbbyrbsn on 08-20-2007 04:01 PM