The 2019 Amex CLD for low usage data thread:

[Anonymous]

In 2019, many members have reported receiving a CLD on their Amex card for not using it enough.  There have been a bunch of threads referencing these CLDs.  I'd like this thread to be more about the data surrounding these CLDs, specifically trying to gauge what constitutes "too little" use in the eyes of Amex.  Some of the facts surrounding these CLDs:

• Nearly (if not) all of them have been a CLD of 50% of the limit.
• Most of them have come on accounts with 5-figure limits.
• The reason for all of these CLDs is little/non-use.
• There's been a 100% success rate for those that have called Amex in getting their previous limit immediately restored.

What I'm hoping to compile here is a little bit of data surrounding these CLDs in attempt to quantify what constitutes too little/non-use in the eyes of Amex.  Those that have received one of these 50% CLDs, I'd like to know:

• What was your original limit that was cut in half?
• When was the last time you used the card?
• What was your usage (dollars/percentage) on average over the previous 3 months?
• Previous 6 months?
• Previous 12 months?

I'm thinking with enough replies, we could begin to determine if Amex is looking at the immediate past (say, 3 months) or if they're looking at a longer timeline (say, 12 months) and also perhaps attempt to quantify in either dollars or percentage of limit what Amex consideres to be "too little" use that initiates one of these CLDs.

Many thanks in advance to all that contribute!

[FinStar]

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@Anonymous wrote:

In 2019, many members have reported receiving a CLD on their Amex card for not using it enough.  There have been a bunch of threads referencing these CLDs.  I'd like this thread to be more about the data surrounding these CLDs, specifically trying to gauge what constitutes "too little" use in the eyes of Amex.  Some of the facts surrounding these CLDs:

• Nearly (if not) all of them have been a CLD of 50% of the limit.
• Most of them have come on accounts with 5-figure limits.
• The reason for all of these CLDs is little/non-use.
• There's been a 100% success rate for those that have called Amex in getting their previous limit immediately restored.

What I'm hoping to compile here is a little bit of data surrounding these CLDs in attempt to quantify what constitutes too little/non-use in the eyes of Amex.  Those that have received one of these 50% CLDs, I'd like to know:

• What was your original limit that was cut in half?
• When was the last time you used the card?
• What was your usage (dollars/percentage) on average over the previous 3 months?
• Previous 6 months?
• Previous 12 months?

I'm thinking with enough replies, we could begin to determine if Amex is looking at the immediate past (say, 3 months) or if they're looking at a longer timeline (say, 12 months) and also perhaps attempt to quantify in either dollars or percentage of limit what Amex consideres to be "too little" use that initiates one of these CLDs.

Many thanks in advance to all that contribute!

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Weren't there already a variety of collective DPs captured on some of the AmEx CLD threads to gauge some sort of analysis?  At least from a sample standpoint given the responses that were already provided.   It appears one of these threads is still active in gathering additional DPs. 

https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Credit-Cards/AMEX-credit-limit-decrease-Updated/td-p/5547096

https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Credit-Cards/AMEX-AA-Reversal/m-p/5542949

https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Credit-Cards/Amex-chopped-CL-50/m-p/5542847

[redpat]

What goes up, usually goes down with little or no usage.

For most this doesn't really matter, it is for the ones who are in the 3x CLI forum.......

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

In 2019, many members have reported receiving a CLD on their Amex card for not using it enough.  There have been a bunch of threads referencing these CLDs.  I'd like this thread to be more about the data surrounding these CLDs, specifically trying to gauge what constitutes "too little" use in the eyes of Amex.  Some of the facts surrounding these CLDs:

• Nearly (if not) all of them have been a CLD of 50% of the limit.
• Most of them have come on accounts with 5-figure limits.
• The reason for all of these CLDs is little/non-use.
• There's been a 100% success rate for those that have called Amex in getting their previous limit immediately restored.

What I'm hoping to compile here is a little bit of data surrounding these CLDs in attempt to quantify what constitutes too little/non-use in the eyes of Amex.  Those that have received one of these 50% CLDs, I'd like to know:

• What was your original limit that was cut in half?
• When was the last time you used the card?
• What was your usage (dollars/percentage) on average over the previous 3 months?
• Previous 6 months?
• Previous 12 months?

I'm thinking with enough replies, we could begin to determine if Amex is looking at the immediate past (say, 3 months) or if they're looking at a longer timeline (say, 12 months) and also perhaps attempt to quantify in either dollars or percentage of limit what Amex consideres to be "too little" use that initiates one of these CLDs.

Many thanks in advance to all that contribute!

---

You really also need negative examples.    I have three cards, one hasn't been used for a year, another had a 52c charge (a mistake, using the wrong card!) in about 18 months.   So far, none have been reduced.   Does usage on one protect all?   Or is it much more profile dependent (and I am guessing the last)

[Anonymous]

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@FinStar wrote:

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Weren't there already a variety of collective DPs captured on some of the AmEx CLD threads to gauge some sort of analysis?  At least from a sample standpoint given the responses that were already provided.   It appears one of these threads is still active in gathering additional DPs.

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I'm well aware of the other threads; I've participated in the majority of them and have probably read nearly all of them already.  Each one though for the most part involves a single member referencing a single CLD.  It's a lot to go through and time consuming to research the subject.  My goal here is to create an all-inclusive thread where many of these individuals can stop back with their data as well as invite others that have received recent Amex CLDs to participate.  The result should be a ton of data points in a single thread, rather than a single data point across a ton of threads.  Basically, it should just make future research a little easier on the subject, which will only benefit the community.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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You really also need negative examples.    I have three cards, one hasn't been used for a year, another had a 52c charge (a mistake, using the wrong card!) in about 18 months.   So far, none have been reduced.   Does usage on one protect all?   Or is it much more profile dependent (and I am guessing the last)

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I agree, so bring on the data and all examples.  More is more, IMO. 

[AverageJoesCredit]

I look at Amex like this. Credit limit increases up to 3x at most, if qualified. This is the one where i dont understand why its so complicated 3x is 3x lol. Cards and limits subject to income/assets , you can have a general feel of how much you might get or obtain based off your income/assets ( if i make 25k a year why should i expect 50k limits lol) and lastly, if you arent using your limits, know the possibilty exists on cld.

[Turbobuick]

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@Anonymous wrote:

In 2019, many members have reported receiving a CLD on their Amex card for not using it enough.  There have been a bunch of threads referencing these CLDs.  I'd like this thread to be more about the data surrounding these CLDs, specifically trying to gauge what constitutes "too little" use in the eyes of Amex.  Some of the facts surrounding these CLDs:

• Nearly (if not) all of them have been a CLD of 50% of the limit.
• Most of them have come on accounts with 5-figure limits.
• The reason for all of these CLDs is little/non-use.
• There's been a 100% success rate for those that have called Amex in getting their previous limit immediately restored.

What I'm hoping to compile here is a little bit of data surrounding these CLDs in attempt to quantify what constitutes too little/non-use in the eyes of Amex.  Those that have received one of these 50% CLDs, I'd like to know:

• What was your original limit that was cut in half?
• When was the last time you used the card?
• What was your usage (dollars/percentage) on average over the previous 3 months?
• Previous 6 months?
• Previous 12 months?

I'm thinking with enough replies, we could begin to determine if Amex is looking at the immediate past (say, 3 months) or if they're looking at a longer timeline (say, 12 months) and also perhaps attempt to quantify in either dollars or percentage of limit what Amex consideres to be "too little" use that initiates one of these CLDs.

Many thanks in advance to all that contribute!

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CLD  $24K to $12K  Never called to re-instate CL. 

Used the card every month for groceries only. 

Monthly charges were consistantly $300-500.

Got a better grocery card. BCE rests next to the socks. 

Unlike Carl Malden, American Express; I always leave home without them.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the reply TB.  Looks like you were using 1%-3% of your limit on average for a length of time.  How long have you had the card and for how long has your spend looked the way it did before the CLD?

[GApeachy]

Kinda sounds like Amex is calling some bluffs....use it or lose it.