Amex (USA) refuses to honor signup bonus [Consolidated]
Aug 8, 2017, 5:21 am
#391
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 152
Here's what I've learned about Amex' backward computer systems.
The most critical transaction to getting your threshold bonus is ONLY the transaction that brings you OVER the threshold. So, theoretically if your threshold is $5000 and your spending is as follows:
1st Purchase $4999
2nd purchase $3.00 Apple store
3rd purchase $25
If you return the 2nd purchase -- YOU WILL LOSE THE THRESHOLD BONUS! The threshold is effectively attached to the purchase that brought you over the threshold. Their system does not recognize the fact that you had a subsequent purchase of $25 to bring you back over the threshold.
In addition, you should also keep in mind that during the course of reaching your threshold spending, Amex will NOT net out returns that occur during your efforts to reach the threshold.
SO, here's another spending scenario. In this scenario let's just pretend your spending threshold is only $1,000. Let's say you have the following spending within 1 month (ie within the typical 3 month threshold time period):
1st Purchase $500
2nd Purchase $250
RETURN/CREDIT of item 1 -- $500
3rd Purchase $275
Gross purchases: $1025
NET purchases (ie net of the return): $525
In this scenario -- you actually **would** receive the threshold points based on the 3rd purchase!!! So, DO NOT RETURN THAT item or you will then LOSE your threshold points. Also, you do NOT need to continue spending more $$ on the card (ie $475) because according to Amex you've spent $1025.
It appears that this Amex computer programming is the only way they could figure out how to prevent 'scammers' -- I suppose the alternative of calculating net purchases (and ensuring that certain credits -- ie payments) did not screw up their calculation -- was too difficult.
What all of this means is that for Amex to give you your threshold points after you returned that KEY purchase that brought you over the GROSS spending threshold, they need to send the issue to their IT department to "reassign" the designation to the item that, in fact, is the new item that had you cross the threshold.
So, in the first example above, let's look at that third purchase (again, let's assume all of these happen within the three months):
1st Purchase $4999
2nd purchase $3.00 Apple store
RETURN $3.00 APPLE STORE purchase
3rd purchase $25.00
Based on the scenario above, your KEY purchase was the $3.00 apple store purchase -- because it was RETURNED, you are now SCREWED! So, what an Amex supervisor has to do is to contact their IT department to reassign the threshold from the Apple Store purchase (ie #2 ) to the 3rd purchase (ie the $25.00). This is a manual process that effectively triggers an audit of your purchases -- the supervisor will now look at every transaction and calculate your true (ie NET) spending to determine if and WHEN you met the spending threshold. They created this safeguard to prevent fraudulent points schemers, so they will scrutinize your account to determine if you are "worthy" of the threshold points -- FOR real this time, and not based on their screwed up IT logic. If you are entitled to the points, the IT department will attach the threshold points to the qualifying purchase within 6-8 weeks of that purchase date. So, be prepared to be patient.
The lesson for everyone is:
#1 . Be mindful of your GROSS spending
#2 DO NOT RETURN the critical purchase that pushes you across your GROSS spending threshold (ie what Amex believes is your real threshold).
#3 If you do end up breaking rule#2 .... be patient.... but persistent (assuming you legitimately are entitled to the threshold points)
The most critical transaction to getting your threshold bonus is ONLY the transaction that brings you OVER the threshold. So, theoretically if your threshold is $5000 and your spending is as follows:
1st Purchase $4999
2nd purchase $3.00 Apple store
3rd purchase $25
If you return the 2nd purchase -- YOU WILL LOSE THE THRESHOLD BONUS! The threshold is effectively attached to the purchase that brought you over the threshold. Their system does not recognize the fact that you had a subsequent purchase of $25 to bring you back over the threshold.
In addition, you should also keep in mind that during the course of reaching your threshold spending, Amex will NOT net out returns that occur during your efforts to reach the threshold.
SO, here's another spending scenario. In this scenario let's just pretend your spending threshold is only $1,000. Let's say you have the following spending within 1 month (ie within the typical 3 month threshold time period):
1st Purchase $500
2nd Purchase $250
RETURN/CREDIT of item 1 -- $500
3rd Purchase $275
Gross purchases: $1025
NET purchases (ie net of the return): $525
In this scenario -- you actually **would** receive the threshold points based on the 3rd purchase!!! So, DO NOT RETURN THAT item or you will then LOSE your threshold points. Also, you do NOT need to continue spending more $$ on the card (ie $475) because according to Amex you've spent $1025.
It appears that this Amex computer programming is the only way they could figure out how to prevent 'scammers' -- I suppose the alternative of calculating net purchases (and ensuring that certain credits -- ie payments) did not screw up their calculation -- was too difficult.
What all of this means is that for Amex to give you your threshold points after you returned that KEY purchase that brought you over the GROSS spending threshold, they need to send the issue to their IT department to "reassign" the designation to the item that, in fact, is the new item that had you cross the threshold.
So, in the first example above, let's look at that third purchase (again, let's assume all of these happen within the three months):
1st Purchase $4999
2nd purchase $3.00 Apple store
RETURN $3.00 APPLE STORE purchase
3rd purchase $25.00
Based on the scenario above, your KEY purchase was the $3.00 apple store purchase -- because it was RETURNED, you are now SCREWED! So, what an Amex supervisor has to do is to contact their IT department to reassign the threshold from the Apple Store purchase (ie #2 ) to the 3rd purchase (ie the $25.00). This is a manual process that effectively triggers an audit of your purchases -- the supervisor will now look at every transaction and calculate your true (ie NET) spending to determine if and WHEN you met the spending threshold. They created this safeguard to prevent fraudulent points schemers, so they will scrutinize your account to determine if you are "worthy" of the threshold points -- FOR real this time, and not based on their screwed up IT logic. If you are entitled to the points, the IT department will attach the threshold points to the qualifying purchase within 6-8 weeks of that purchase date. So, be prepared to be patient.
The lesson for everyone is:
#1 . Be mindful of your GROSS spending
#2 DO NOT RETURN the critical purchase that pushes you across your GROSS spending threshold (ie what Amex believes is your real threshold).
#3 If you do end up breaking rule#2 .... be patient.... but persistent (assuming you legitimately are entitled to the threshold points)
Damn, I'm exactly in the same situation. Did far more then the 3k required spending for the bonus, but one transaction was cancelled (and it was the one that brought me over the required spending limit).
Got an email from Amex saying I was doing fraudulent stuff and bonus will be taken back.
Was anyone able to still get the bonus?
Does it give sense taking this to a lawyer or is Amex having this stated somewhere in there terms?
Thx
Aug 8, 2017, 6:48 am
#392
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC 50K, Bonvoy PE; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 425
Damn, I'm exactly in the same situation. Did far more then the 3k required spending for the bonus, but one transaction was cancelled (and it was the one that brought me over the required spending limit).
Got an email from Amex saying I was doing fraudulent stuff and bonus will be taken back.
Was anyone able to still get the bonus?
Does it give sense taking this to a lawyer or is Amex having this stated somewhere in there terms?
Thx
Got an email from Amex saying I was doing fraudulent stuff and bonus will be taken back.
Was anyone able to still get the bonus?
Does it give sense taking this to a lawyer or is Amex having this stated somewhere in there terms?
Thx
Sep 20, 2017, 11:44 pm
#393
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 2
Got approved for a personal Platinum card for a welcome bonus of 100k points after 5k spending. I read the offer terms several times and made sure there wasn't any language making me ineligible for the bonus as a previous holder of the same card (in fact, I never actually received the card. Amex cancelled it after sending it to the wrong address, but it shows that I had the card before).
Just found out that I couldn't receive the welcome bonus. Great!
Just found out that I couldn't receive the welcome bonus. Great!
Mar 8, 2018, 7:09 pm
#394
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: PIT-SCE-AOO-PHL-NYC-WAS
Programs: free agent
Posts: 1,034
Just had a quick chat with amex rep today, and was stunned that AMEX doesn't count any ebay transactions (mainly Paypal Digital Gifts and SVM) because I knocked $4K worth of spending recently on Hilton Business card. Not sure either AMEX online rep don't have full access on minimum spending requirement information, or AMEX decide to do blanket coverage ban on anything to do with paypal, even using paypal for those eBay purchases.
If it's for real that AMEX decide to not count ebay-related paypal transactions toward minimum spending requirements, then it'll truly blows and RAT must be gone overboard with clampdowns.
If it's for real that AMEX decide to not count ebay-related paypal transactions toward minimum spending requirements, then it'll truly blows and RAT must be gone overboard with clampdowns.
Mar 9, 2018, 2:17 am
#395
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: HHonors, TrueBlue, Delta SkyMiles, Hyatt Discoverist, Starwood Preferred Guest, American Airlines.
Posts: 2,035
Still waiting for my 70,000 Delta miles bonus to hit... I only hit the minimum around Thanksgiving 
. Seems like they're purposely trying not to pay it out because they're taking their sweet time with their "investigation" that should be as simple as looking at how much I spent within three months. Nothing about a simple investigation should need eight weeks, but yet they're making it seem like it. The additional eight weeks is on top of the eight weeks the chat reps kept telling me to wait for the bonus to post, even though most of AMEX's bonuses post almost instantly. AMEX then got all antsy when I cancelled four of my six cards about a week and a half ago, with the next probably being my Delta one at this rate (which would make 5/6 closed). Good thing I didn't want to use those 70,000 miles towards a spring break vacation.
Apparently you don't read the entire application page. It literally says in big letters that you cannot receive the sign up bonus if you've had the card before. That's your fault, not theirs.
. Seems like they're purposely trying not to pay it out because they're taking their sweet time with their "investigation" that should be as simple as looking at how much I spent within three months. Nothing about a simple investigation should need eight weeks, but yet they're making it seem like it. The additional eight weeks is on top of the eight weeks the chat reps kept telling me to wait for the bonus to post, even though most of AMEX's bonuses post almost instantly. AMEX then got all antsy when I cancelled four of my six cards about a week and a half ago, with the next probably being my Delta one at this rate (which would make 5/6 closed). Good thing I didn't want to use those 70,000 miles towards a spring break vacation.Got approved for a personal Platinum card for a welcome bonus of 100k points after 5k spending. I read the offer terms several times and made sure there wasn't any language making me ineligible for the bonus as a previous holder of the same card (in fact, I never actually received the card. Amex cancelled it after sending it to the wrong address, but it shows that I had the card before).
Just found out that I couldn't receive the welcome bonus. Great!
Just found out that I couldn't receive the welcome bonus. Great!
Mar 9, 2018, 7:56 am
#396
Ambassador: Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: BWI
Posts: 7,390
SO, here's another spending scenario. In this scenario let's just pretend your spending threshold is only $1,000. Let's say you have the following spending within 1 month (ie within the typical 3 month threshold time period):
1st Purchase $500
2nd Purchase $250
RETURN/CREDIT of item 1 -- $500
3rd Purchase $275
Gross purchases: $1025
NET purchases (ie net of the return): $525
In this scenario -- you actually **would** receive the threshold points based on the 3rd purchase!!! So, DO NOT RETURN THAT item or you will then LOSE your threshold points. Also, you do NOT need to continue spending more $$ on the card (ie $475) because according to Amex you've spent $1025.
It appears that this Amex computer programming is the only way they could figure out how to prevent 'scammers' -- I suppose the alternative of calculating net purchases (and ensuring that certain credits -- ie payments) did not screw up their calculation -- was too difficult.
What all of this means is that for Amex to give you your threshold points after you returned that KEY purchase that brought you over the GROSS spending threshold, they need to send the issue to their IT department to "reassign" the designation to the item that, in fact, is the new item that had you cross the threshold.
#1 . Be mindful of your GROSS spending
#2 DO NOT RETURN the critical purchase that pushes you across your GROSS spending threshold (ie what Amex believes is your real threshold).
#3 If you do end up breaking rule#2 .... be patient.... but persistent (assuming you legitimately are entitled to the threshold points)
1st Purchase $500
2nd Purchase $250
RETURN/CREDIT of item 1 -- $500
3rd Purchase $275
Gross purchases: $1025
NET purchases (ie net of the return): $525
In this scenario -- you actually **would** receive the threshold points based on the 3rd purchase!!! So, DO NOT RETURN THAT item or you will then LOSE your threshold points. Also, you do NOT need to continue spending more $$ on the card (ie $475) because according to Amex you've spent $1025.
It appears that this Amex computer programming is the only way they could figure out how to prevent 'scammers' -- I suppose the alternative of calculating net purchases (and ensuring that certain credits -- ie payments) did not screw up their calculation -- was too difficult.
What all of this means is that for Amex to give you your threshold points after you returned that KEY purchase that brought you over the GROSS spending threshold, they need to send the issue to their IT department to "reassign" the designation to the item that, in fact, is the new item that had you cross the threshold.
#1 . Be mindful of your GROSS spending
#2 DO NOT RETURN the critical purchase that pushes you across your GROSS spending threshold (ie what Amex believes is your real threshold).
#3 If you do end up breaking rule#2 .... be patient.... but persistent (assuming you legitimately are entitled to the threshold points)
Case in point: AMEX Platinum Sign Up Bonus Removed After Review
I'll report back my outcome shortly as my 3 month promo period ends today despite crossing the threshold close to 7 weeks ago.
Apr 2, 2018, 3:58 pm
#397
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: SAN
Programs: AA - Plat
Posts: 395
Amex Refuses to Honor
Wife upgraded from green to plat biz card with promise of 70k points. They never posted the points, called and they apologized and said they would and gave her an extra 3k points for her trouble. 70k never posted -- called again months later and they claim she never received any offer of 70k. They finally gave her 50k points. Anyone else have these sorts of issues?
Apr 2, 2018, 4:28 pm
#398
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,953
Apr 4, 2018, 4:02 pm
#399
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 162
Signed up for the BGR 50k MR after $5k spend + $1,500 G Suite credit, any idea if the $1,500 credit I will receive will count against the spend, requiring me to still spend the full $5k? Will probably end up spending the full $5k to avoid any headaches but I'm curious if I could get away with spending $3.5k if the G Suite credit does not offset the spend.
Apr 4, 2018, 6:30 pm
#400
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,953
I think you are referring to the offer discussed here:
https://www.doctorofcredit.com/ameri...nt-sign-bonus/
Typically, if you purchase something and receive a promotional credit from American Express the full amount of the purchase will count toward the bonus spend requirement. However, if the credit comes from the merchant (similar to a refund) it would reduce the net amount spent.
https://www.doctorofcredit.com/ameri...nt-sign-bonus/
Typically, if you purchase something and receive a promotional credit from American Express the full amount of the purchase will count toward the bonus spend requirement. However, if the credit comes from the merchant (similar to a refund) it would reduce the net amount spent.
Aug 16, 2023, 11:46 pm
#401
Moderator: Chase Ultimate Rewards
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 2P, MR LT Plat, IHG Plat, BW Dia, HH Au, Avis PC
Posts: 5,452
Wondering if I'm going to have an issue...
Business Gold signup offer for P2, 110k after $10k spend in 3 months. She has never had a Business Gold. We did the spend in the first two months and those statements have closed, and both have been paid in full.
But the signup bonus did not post. So I went back and totaled everything up. I come up with about $10500 spend already posted and points awarded for that spend, with another $150 in charges on the card that have not closed to a statement yet.
No gift cards or cash equivalents in the spend. There were three small returns already factored into the $10500 number and neither could be the threshold charge. And when I look at the points history, all the charges received the appropriate points in the account, except one $5 charge (which was an amazon pay-with-points that got credited) and the extra $150 in charges that haven't posted yet.
I expected the bonus to post after the second statement. I paid it and waited almost a week. Nothing.
So I chatted in and asked what spend the rep saw. She insisted there was only about $7500 in qualifying spend. No clue how the rep would reach this number.
I have about 5 days left to make spend but it would be tough to come up with $2500 in unexpected spend in that time. Am I worrying about nothing? Any advice?
EDIT: I did NOT use the temporary card number. I waited for the permanent card before spending.
Business Gold signup offer for P2, 110k after $10k spend in 3 months. She has never had a Business Gold. We did the spend in the first two months and those statements have closed, and both have been paid in full.
But the signup bonus did not post. So I went back and totaled everything up. I come up with about $10500 spend already posted and points awarded for that spend, with another $150 in charges on the card that have not closed to a statement yet.
No gift cards or cash equivalents in the spend. There were three small returns already factored into the $10500 number and neither could be the threshold charge. And when I look at the points history, all the charges received the appropriate points in the account, except one $5 charge (which was an amazon pay-with-points that got credited) and the extra $150 in charges that haven't posted yet.
I expected the bonus to post after the second statement. I paid it and waited almost a week. Nothing.
So I chatted in and asked what spend the rep saw. She insisted there was only about $7500 in qualifying spend. No clue how the rep would reach this number.
I have about 5 days left to make spend but it would be tough to come up with $2500 in unexpected spend in that time. Am I worrying about nothing? Any advice?
EDIT: I did NOT use the temporary card number. I waited for the permanent card before spending.
Last edited by MDtR-Chicago; Aug 16, 2023 at 11:56 pm
Aug 17, 2023, 7:47 am
#402
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: MCO, YEG
Posts: 1,181
I recently had something similar. I had completed spending on a Marriott card and hadn’t received the bonus but had received the points for the spend. Chatted with them and got much the same response as you. About 5 days later, I received the bonus. Might have been my chat but I think their bonus “meter” just runs behind because I also notice that the spending level for my Hilton card runs 5-10 days behind the actual spending
Aug 17, 2023, 9:31 am
#403
Moderator: Chase Ultimate Rewards
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 2P, MR LT Plat, IHG Plat, BW Dia, HH Au, Avis PC
Posts: 5,452
I'm also tempted to just throw down another $2500 in spend. I could pre-pay some bills. But I'd rather use that spend against other card bonuses.
Theoretically I'll have a day or two to spend after the next statement closes, as well. Hmm.
Aug 18, 2023, 5:01 am
#404
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: PRG-FLL-CPH
Programs: Delta Skymiles (silver), Lounge Key
Posts: 248
Aug 24, 2023, 6:15 pm
#405
Moderator: Chase Ultimate Rewards
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 2P, MR LT Plat, IHG Plat, BW Dia, HH Au, Avis PC
Posts: 5,452
I'm tempted to chat again and ask if the rep sees charges that are not counting... but I've been so conditioned over the years to avoid drawing attention to my accounts, I'm hesitant to do that. (Even tho this is all legitimate spend.)
I'm also tempted to just throw down another $2500 in spend. I could pre-pay some bills. But I'd rather use that spend against other card bonuses.
Theoretically I'll have a day or two to spend after the next statement closes, as well. Hmm.
I'm also tempted to just throw down another $2500 in spend. I could pre-pay some bills. But I'd rather use that spend against other card bonuses.
Theoretically I'll have a day or two to spend after the next statement closes, as well. Hmm.
I'm not sure what good it would do to chat in and ask again, rather than letting this statement post and see what happens.