Authorized user Amex question

[Anonymous]

I apologize if I put this is the wrong forum. I was an authorized user on an Amex Platinum account that the primary user defaulted on. The card was closed several months ago with a ~7k unpaid balance on it. It was a friend who put me on the card as a favor, as I'm working to build my credit and have a very thin file.

I regret this now, because Amex cards are some of my goal cards. Will the fact that I was an authorized user on this defaulted account mean that Amex will ban me from having my own cards with them? 

Normally I would assume not, but my understanding is that Amex counts your "membership" date with them as starting on the date you were even an authorized user on one of their products. Which makes me feel like they'd hold it against me, seeing as my membership with them started on a card that ended on bad terms. 

Does anyone know for certain how something like this is handled by them? Obviously I'm not legally responsible for the debt or the closed card, but my name and SSN are still associated with it in their databases, right?

[simplynoir]

Hello and welcome to the forums, @Anonymous 

The fact that you were an authorized user on an AMEX card has no bearing on you when you decide to get your own card with them. They base it off your own credit history and nothing tied to AU card. They may use the member since date of your friend if/when you get approved but that's purely for cosmetic reasons if anything else. I also hope you disputed the account with the credit reporting agencies; if the account is still reporting to have them remove it since you have no obligation to that debt as an authorized user and not the primary and it more than likely will be holding your scores back

[Anonymous]

Thank you, that's a relief to know. And fortunately there was no need to dispute it, as it seems that either Amex or the credit agencies chose to remove it of their own accord when it became a negative item.