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chance of AMEX backdating with prior AU hx

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ferrari
Regular Contributor

chance of AMEX backdating with prior AU hx

Hi,

I have a young credit history (1 year) and I was an AU on an AMEX Gold card for about a year in 2008-2009. That account is now closed but it still shows on my EX report making my EX score the only score in the 700s because it's a 5 year old account. It also shows a balance of about $3000 out of $6000 high balance.

Now I was looking into applying for an AMEX card just to see if it backdates and if it does then I will have my credit history age on all reports increased from 1 year to 5.

If there is no chance of backdating then I don't really need it (I already have 4 CCs and 4 store cards and 1 auto loan).

 

I applied for AMEX blue cash and blue sky before and was denied. I don't know if it has something to do with the balance showing on that account even though it says it is paid as agreed. The balance is on the primary account as I paid my AU card in full each month. So if there is no chance of backdating I am thinking of disputing the account on EX like I did on the other two reports and have it removed so that it doesn't hurt my chances of getting approved for an AMEX in the future.

 

Any thoughts? Thanks

Message 1 of 10
9 REPLIES 9
smc733
Valued Contributor

Re: chance of AMEX backdating with prior AU hx

Well, your first step would be to get the reasons for your Blue denial letter.

 

Your second course of action is to pull your FICO scores from here at myFICO, so you can know exactly where you are credit-wise. 

BofA Cash Rewards VS - $25k | Citi Double Cash World MC - $18.9k | Amex BCE - $50k | Discover it - $50k | Chase Freedom Unlimited VS- $10k | Barclay Ring $5k |
Message 2 of 10
score_building
Senior Contributor

Re: chance of AMEX backdating with prior AU hx

The 50% UTI is hurting but the age is apparently helping.

 

Not app-ready with a cc showing 50% generally speaking, so may have to toss it if the primary won't PIF or keep balances very low.

DCU EQ 5.0, Citi EQ 08 Bankcard, PenFed EX NG2
EX 08: AFCU, Amex, Chase, PSECU EX 98(?)
TU 08: Barclays, Discover
Message 3 of 10
stan_the_man
Established Contributor

Re: chance of AMEX backdating with prior AU hx

From my experience, YMMV, Amex won't discuss backdating until you activate the card (and then it either happened or you have to ask for it). And, what's on the front of the card does not necessarily match their records.

 

Last month, my wife applied for Zync -- while she was currently an AU on two of my Amex trade lines -- and Amex backdated the card.

 

Personally, if your main goal is to backdate, I wouldn't app unless you can either first become an AU again or you can generate proof other than the credit report (for example, do you still have the AU card?).

 

Just wondering, did the primary card holder pay off the card or is the balance a mistake?

Message 4 of 10
vanillabean
Valued Contributor

Re: chance of AMEX backdating with prior AU hx

 


@stan_the_man wrote:

Personally, if your main goal is to backdate, I wouldn't app unless you can either first become an AU again or you can generate proof other than the credit report (for example, do you still have the AU card?).


 

Let's say OP still has the AU card and OP is approved for a new Amex card, I sense you're saying backdating is possible?

 

 

Message 5 of 10
stan_the_man
Established Contributor

Re: chance of AMEX backdating with prior AU hx

I wouldn't app without proof of the relationship (statement or card with the AU's name one it) if my only reason for applying was to score a backdated trade line. The reason why is that there's a chance Amex will have no record of the AU because he has no outstanding financial responsibility, he is not the primary cardholder and the account is closed.

 

The only difference between my wife and OP is that the primary cardholder's (me) account was still open, so I don't see it as that out of line to expect Amex will backdate it.

 

I am, however, concerned that the primary account holder didn't pay his/her bill and that may somehow play into a discretionary approval decision for the backdating. Remember, backdating is a goodwill-building courtesy and that -- with the account closed -- Amex does not have to worry about the goodwill of the primary card holder anymore.

Message 6 of 10
vanillabean
Valued Contributor

Re: chance of AMEX backdating with prior AU hx

Points well taken. But let's say you have already gotten approved for a new Amex card. You appreciate Amex and Amex appreciates you. Let's furthermore say the other person's card was closed in good standing. So one day you call Amex and ask them to backdate your card to the "member since" date of that other card on which you were AU once upon a time. You have the old AU card in your hand, and you're willing to show up at the nearest Amex office for verification and can furthermore attest to the old card's primary holder being a close family relative. Would Amex then backdate your card?

 

 

Message 7 of 10
ferrari
Regular Contributor

Re: chance of AMEX backdating with prior AU hx

Thank you guys for your replies.

Actually, I don't know what happened with the primary. The account is either still open but he has an outstanding debt that he is paying off slowly (it used to be more than $3000 and its going down slowly). Or he is paying the debt according to some arrangement but the account is closed. I will find out.

 

Unfortunately, I neither have the card nor a statement anymore. But I don't think I recall receiving statements for my card. He must still have statements with all the AU on them including me. Only proof I have is what's showing on my Experian report which I left there because AMEX has been pulling experian and it is showing the account number (not the card number, and the last 5 digits of the AU card number).

 

But I am not sure if the debt will not be paid if AMEX will approve me because it is also making my total utilization around 20%. I guess if there is even a small chance of backdating it is worth trying. 5 years is not a lot but is definitely better than 1!

 

Message 8 of 10
ferrari
Regular Contributor

Re: chance of AMEX backdating with prior AU hx

Update: I finally got an AMEX card recently and successfully called and had it backdated to the date of my AU card but not the primary card (2008 rather than 2005) which I think is fair. No proof of account existance was required and they did it the same day. Gotta love AMEX!

Message 9 of 10
TangMeister
Frequent Contributor

Re: chance of AMEX backdating with prior AU hx

 


@ferrari wrote:

Update: I finally got an AMEX card recently and successfully called and had it backdated to the date of my AU card but not the primary card (2008 rather than 2005) which I think is fair. No proof of account existance was required and they did it the same day. Gotta love AMEX!


 

Congrats on the back dating to 2008.  They DO keep a record of AU relationships, so they had you in their system.  That's another reason why they always ask for a Social Security number for any AU when they're added.

 

Amex values its relationship with  the cardholder in this respect more than any other lender.  No one else offers the backdating perk as a standard practice.  Onward and upward!  Smiley Happy

Message 10 of 10
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