need a plan for 2012 and beyond.

[-Cain-]

The USAA AmEx is available to all or only to full members? That'd be a good route, but it doesn't necessarily help in getting an AmEx issued thru AmEx itself.

[tntexans72]

To the original poster...keep in mind as OP have stated, by contacting Amex, you have restart the SOL. You were fortunate enough the 1st time that Amex never went after you. Now that you have made contact with them, they can choose to restart the SOL and you could get a CO on your CRs. Keep that in mind. I am not trying to rain on your parade but it's a reality that could happen. That would put a huge ding on your reports. To avoid that, I would settle with Amex $1300 ASAP. That's the last thing you need if you want to get your foot back in the door with Amex.....and having this plan is great imo.

[quest208]

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@android01 wrote:

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@quest208 wrote:

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@-Cain- wrote:
I would pay and apply in one call. You want back in and they'd probably go for it then and there as you'd be making payment. Who would you get a secured card with, and would that help with your plan to get back in with AmEx?

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i was just thinking of gettin the secured amex, but at this point i think ill just wait and app/pay off.

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@android01 wrote:

---

@quest208 wrote:

before i get lost in the wonderful garden, im looking to form a plan, specific to forging a relationship with American Express.  ive spoken about this before, but not in detail, and i need to address the elephant in the room.

back in the late 90s to about 2002/2003 i had an amex gold card.  they closed the account and i have a balance left of about $1300.  it never resulted in a collection account and they never pursued legal action (they never sued me.)

i called them recently and they told me exactly what my balance is.  i want to pay them as soon as i finish doing some work around my home and out of garden mode, which should be april 2012.   they told me to call the "Reserve Department" that is handling my account, and that reserve department tell me payment options to pay that balance off.

i want the amex gold card back, i was comfortable with it and its the one i want.  as an alternative, i just want any amex card that i can get given my history with them.  (zync would be nice too, now that i think about it.   i see how everyone gets all happy talking about how they love that zync card.  i want to be happy too.)

what is the best way to re-establish a relationship with Amex?

should i pay my old balance and apply for a new card all in one phone call?  or should i pay, wait a few months, then apply?

should i get a secured card with $1300?

again, i wont be applying until next year but i like to plan things out.

---

I may be reading this wrong, but are you saying that you had an AMEX account that was closed in 2002/2003 (9-10 years ago) where you still owe them $1300, and you are only now willing to pay them, (after finishing some home repairs) what you owe them so you can get a new Gold card?  Or, have you been paying your old card down these many years and have a $1300 balance remaining?  

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 no, you're reading it right.  it was closed years ago. at the time it was closed there was a balance of $1300.

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OK.  Choosing not to pay a debt you owe for 9 years to someone,  and then making a decision to pay them back because you want them to extend credit to you again, seems somewhat counter-intuitive to me.  I hope you would consider paying your debt regardless of whether they agree to open a new account (which I can't imagine) for you.  You are VERY lucky this hasn't resulted in collection activity.  Although by contacting them, you may have started this ball rolling as well.    Good luck and keep us informed as to what happens.   

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if this was about not paying them back id say to hell with them, screw them, and apply for   cards without a $125 annual fee.  i never said i wanted to pay them back conditioned on them extending credit to me.  i decided to call amex back because i knew i had a balance from years ago, and i wanted to know exactlly how much it was and how i can go about paying it back.

now, if i can also get  the same card back then great.  and that's what this thread is about.  how to establish that relationship.

[quest208]

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@tntexans72 wrote:

To the original poster...keep in mind as OP have stated, by contacting Amex, you have restart the SOL. You were fortunate enough the 1st time that Amex never went after you. Now that you have made contact with them, they can choose to restart the SOL and you could get a CO on your CRs. Keep that in mind. I am not trying to rain on your parade but it's a reality that could happen. That would put a huge ding on your reports. To avoid that, I would settle with Amex $1300 ASAP. That's the last thing you need if you want to get your foot back in the door with Amex.....and having this plan is great imo.

---

restarting SOL?  i haven't paid a dime how would i restart SOL?

[tntexans72]

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@quest208 wrote:

---

@tntexans72 wrote:

To the original poster...keep in mind as OP have stated, by contacting Amex, you have restart the SOL. You were fortunate enough the 1st time that Amex never went after you. Now that you have made contact with them, they can choose to restart the SOL and you could get a CO on your CRs. Keep that in mind. I am not trying to rain on your parade but it's a reality that could happen. That would put a huge ding on your reports. To avoid that, I would settle with Amex $1300 ASAP. That's the last thing you need if you want to get your foot back in the door with Amex.....and having this plan is great imo.

---

restarting SOL?  i haven't paid a dime how would i restart SOL?

---

Well...you don't have to pay a dime, but I am saying if you called up Amex and have them checked on your past account and if you owed them $$$$, you are basically restarting the SOL. You don't have to pay....but just the contact by phone, mail, etc.....

But back to your orginal question if I understand your post correctly....I think once you settle the $1300, your foot will be right back in the door with Amex and I think that was the original goal....would also be much nicer too if you can get Amex to backdate back 9-10 yrs....does wonder for your score too!!!

[quest208]

yeah. i mean, it is what it is.  i'll deal with whatever they decide.   im trying to be in bed with them but if they dont wanna play i'll take  my show on the road.   they're not the only circus in town but i sure do wanna see that show.  LOL

 we'll see!!

[quest208]

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@tntexans72 wrote:

Well...you don't have to pay a dime, but I am saying if you called up Amex and have them checked on your past account and if you owed them $$$$, you are basically restarting the SOL. You don't have to pay....but just the contact by phone, mail, etc.....

But back to your orginal question if I understand your post correctly....I think once you settle the $1300, your foot will be right back in the door with Amex and I think that was the original goal....would also be much nicer too if you can get Amex to backdate back 9-10 yrs....does wonder for your score too!!!

---

and to anyone else that can answer:

do i pay now, and wait to apply in may as i have been planning?  or do i wait until may, then pay and apply in one shot.

i dont want to app now because i recently applied and got approved for the usaa card, so the inquiry to my exp is fresh as of november 2011.  balane is zero for november and december will report on the 29th with another zero balance.  orchard will carry a balance for december......not sure if htat matters but im not applying now (at least i dont think i should be)

my real myfico scores i will pull them on the 30th after usaa reports to cra for december

[android01]

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@quest208 wrote:

---

@tntexans72 wrote:

Well...you don't have to pay a dime, but I am saying if you called up Amex and have them checked on your past account and if you owed them $$$$, you are basically restarting the SOL. You don't have to pay....but just the contact by phone, mail, etc.....

But back to your orginal question if I understand your post correctly....I think once you settle the $1300, your foot will be right back in the door with Amex and I think that was the original goal....would also be much nicer too if you can get Amex to backdate back 9-10 yrs....does wonder for your score too!!!

---

and to anyone else that can answer:

do i pay now, and wait to apply in may as i have been planning?  or do i wait until may, then pay and apply in one shot.

i dont want to app now because i recently applied and got approved for the usaa card, so the inquiry to my exp is fresh as of november 2011.  balane is zero for november and december will report on the 29th with another zero balance.  orchard will carry a balance for december......not sure if htat matters but im not applying now (at least i dont think i should be)

my real myfico scores i will pull them on the 30th after usaa reports to cra for december

---

I would pay them now. You owe them money and have for the past nine years, especially since you may have restarted SOL. I'd get that out of the way before AMEX starts their proceedings against you. If they start collections, your credit is going to take a dive in a big way pretty much kaboshing any hopes you may have for any new credit anywhere, much less with AMEX. I would wait to apply for a new card with them for at least one year, providing you get straight with them without any AA.

[quest208]

Will it matter to amex if i balance transfer that amount from amex to my usaa cc?
Does anyone know if amex will care about this or do they "prefer" that i send them a check directly?

[LS2982]

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@android01 wrote:

---

@quest208 wrote:

---

@-Cain- wrote:
I would pay and apply in one call. You want back in and they'd probably go for it then and there as you'd be making payment. Who would you get a secured card with, and would that help with your plan to get back in with AmEx?

---

i was just thinking of gettin the secured amex, but at this point i think ill just wait and app/pay off.

---

@android01 wrote:

---

@quest208 wrote:

before i get lost in the wonderful garden, im looking to form a plan, specific to forging a relationship with American Express.  ive spoken about this before, but not in detail, and i need to address the elephant in the room.

back in the late 90s to about 2002/2003 i had an amex gold card.  they closed the account and i have a balance left of about $1300.  it never resulted in a collection account and they never pursued legal action (they never sued me.)

i called them recently and they told me exactly what my balance is.  i want to pay them as soon as i finish doing some work around my home and out of garden mode, which should be april 2012.   they told me to call the "Reserve Department" that is handling my account, and that reserve department tell me payment options to pay that balance off.

i want the amex gold card back, i was comfortable with it and its the one i want.  as an alternative, i just want any amex card that i can get given my history with them.  (zync would be nice too, now that i think about it.   i see how everyone gets all happy talking about how they love that zync card.  i want to be happy too.)

what is the best way to re-establish a relationship with Amex?

should i pay my old balance and apply for a new card all in one phone call?  or should i pay, wait a few months, then apply?

should i get a secured card with $1300?

again, i wont be applying until next year but i like to plan things out.

---

I may be reading this wrong, but are you saying that you had an AMEX account that was closed in 2002/2003 (9-10 years ago) where you still owe them $1300, and you are only now willing to pay them, (after finishing some home repairs) what you owe them so you can get a new Gold card?  Or, have you been paying your old card down these many years and have a $1300 balance remaining?  

---

 no, you're reading it right.  it was closed years ago. at the time it was closed there was a balance of $1300.

---

OK.  Choosing not to pay a debt you owe for 9 years to someone,  and then making a decision to pay them back because you want them to extend credit to you again, seems somewhat counter-intuitive to me.  I hope you would consider paying your debt regardless of whether they agree to open a new account (which I can't imagine) for you.  You are VERY lucky this hasn't resulted in collection activity.  Although by contacting them, you may have started this ball rolling as well.    Good luck and keep us informed as to what happens.   

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+1

I do hope you get back in, but it may be wise to let it age for a bit paid then app.