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Amex (USA) refuses to honor signup bonus [Consolidated]

Amex (USA) refuses to honor signup bonus [Consolidated]

Old May 14, 2013, 11:09 am
  #61  
 
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Originally Posted by mia
If American Express sees this it can be rewarded with a retention bonus, rather than a new account bonus. American Express is a mass market company. I think it is unrealistic to expect them to waive the published requirements for a new account bonus based on your individual history.
I have have never been offered a retention bonus each time a card comes up for renewal. I call and ask each time. In the past, when it is turned down I would cancel the card, wait for the next bonus offer, and open up a new card account. I have them spaced apart so that I always have had at least 1 AX card open to retain my MR points. Looks like this won't work anymore, that one has to transfer the MR points, close the account, wait 12 months of being AX free with no AX card use and then open new cards and start the process all over again.

I do not think it unrealistic for a company to take individual looks at customer history in making business decisions. That is what companies with good customer service do. That's what I do in my business. I don't lump all of my customers together under one policy.

I think it would be more cost effective for AX to offer something to longtime customers to keep them rather than have them put a year's worth of business spending on a competitor's card.
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Old May 14, 2013, 11:18 am
  #62  
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Originally Posted by susiesan
I have have never been offered a retention bonus each time a card comes up for renewal. I call and ask each time. In the past, when it is turned down I would cancel the card, wait for the next bonus offer, and open up a new card account. I have them spaced apart so that I always have had at least 1 AX card open to retain my MR points. Looks like this won't work anymore, that one has to transfer the MR points, close the account, wait 12 months of being AX free with no AX card use and then open new cards and start the process all over again.

I do not think it unrealistic for a company to take individual looks at customer history in making business decisions. That is what companies with good customer service do. That's what I do in my business. I don't lump all of my customers together under one policy.

I think it would be more cost effective for AX to offer something to longtime customers to keep them rather than have them put a year's worth of business spending on a competitor's card.
I have a number of Amex cards (Plat, 3 Biz Golds, DL, SPG), am a pretty heavy user ($40K+/month) and I recently received a very large retention bonus for renewing my Platinum card. I called and asked... said I was considering canceling and perhaps getting a Platinum Business card instead, mainly for the current sign up bonus. He acknowledged my years as a cardholder and offered considerably more than I had anticipated. I think a lot depends on the agent and the way you ask. The agent I spoke with didn't have to consult with anyone before the offer. The bonus miles were in my account within 72 hours.
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Old May 14, 2013, 12:00 pm
  #63  
mia
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Originally Posted by susiesan
I do not think it unrealistic for a company to take individual looks at customer history in making business decisions. That is what companies with good customer service do. That's what I do in my business.
I understand, but I do not see that American Express will continue to do this on the application bonus side if they are serious about using bonuses only to attract new customers.

Loyalty is properly rewarded through a retention bonus, not through the opportunity to cancel and reapply. See these reports:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...n-bonuses.html
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Old May 14, 2013, 1:44 pm
  #64  
 
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Originally Posted by susiesan
I pulled out copies of the mailing I received in Dec. 2012 with the offer of 75K bonus MR points upon approval of the card and $5k spend in 3 months. Nowhere on my documentation is there anything about not being eligible for the bonus if you have or had another AX product in the last 12 months. The bonus terms show up on 3 separate pieces of parer with no disclaimer on any of them.
If your documentation is in your favor, I think you should stick to your guns and keep escalating this till you get a satisfactory resolution.

If AX chooses to stick to their guns, you are the customer; and you can walk away and never be their customer again if you are truly fed up with them. You can even try to file a claim should you be hell-bent on making it into a legal issue.

That said, whether you will be at a greater loss than AX is open to interpretation.
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Old May 21, 2013, 11:51 am
  #65  
 
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I also just cancelled my american express card because they did not honor my 30,000 miles for spending $500 in the first 3 months. They said I had one of their cards last year. Believe me, I have never had an Amex card before. It is to weird and not accepted everywhere. Never again. Bogus promo. I have learned my lesson.
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Old May 21, 2013, 1:27 pm
  #66  
mia
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Originally Posted by tricky18it
....They said I had one of their cards last year. Believe me, I have never had an Amex card before....
Welcome to FlyerTalk. I would not shrug off that type of inconsistency. If American Express shows that you (meaning your Social Security number) opened an account last year you should obtain copies of all three of your credit reports to see if the account appears and if other accounts were opened using your identity.

https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp
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Old May 21, 2013, 1:42 pm
  #67  
 
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Does anyone know how AMEX considers applications for business credit cards? Is it based on Federal Tax Number or SS number? I have a single business that my brother and I run. Can we both apply separately for Business Gold Rewards and have the signup bonus or will it only be one card per business?
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Old May 21, 2013, 2:00 pm
  #68  
 
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Originally Posted by bruinfever
Does anyone know how AMEX considers applications for business credit cards? Is it based on Federal Tax Number or SS number? I have a single business that my brother and I run. Can we both apply separately for Business Gold Rewards and have the signup bonus or will it only be one card per business?
I was told by AX yesterday it is by SSN. I was told the business tax number means nothing to AX. They consider the applicant to be an individual.

I guess AX's use of the term "business credit card" is meaningless. Whether you get a BRG card or PRG card, they are both personal cards. You should both be able to get the signup bonus even though the business is in both of your names. That's IF AX will honor the bonus which they don't seem to be doing a lot these days.
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Old May 21, 2013, 2:44 pm
  #69  
 
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Met the $3,000 spend and still zero bonus points on Canadian Amex Platinum. I had a Gold, which I cancelled as soon as I received the Platinum. I though the limitation preventing existing cardholders from getting signup bonuses did not apply to Canadian Amex. Certainly nothing in that regard was mentioned in T&C. What should I do? Wait and see, maybe bonus posts later? I though it should post immediately with the transaction pushing the total spend over $3,000.
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Old May 23, 2013, 3:53 pm
  #70  
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Originally Posted by mia
Read this: Welcome bonus offer not available to applicants who have had this product or any other Business Gold, Green or Platinum Card within the last 12 months.
Does anyone know if holding the Costco AMEX card disqualifies one from being eligible for bonus offers? I assume not based on the text quoted above, but I just wonder if anyone has any first-hand experience...

Thanks!
-S
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Old May 23, 2013, 4:11 pm
  #71  
 
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Originally Posted by Sarfa33
Does anyone know if holding the Costco AMEX card disqualifies one from being eligible for bonus offers? I assume not based on the text quoted above, but I just wonder if anyone has any first-hand experience...

Thanks!
-S
Pretty sure it's not a problem. Is yours even a biz card?
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Old May 23, 2013, 4:38 pm
  #72  
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Originally Posted by josephstern
Pretty sure it's not a problem. Is yours even a biz card?
No. It's personal, but I assume the same T&Cs govern for personal card bonuses as well (i.e. can't have held a green, gold, plat card in the past X months, etc.).

Anyway, glad to hear that it shouldn't be a problem. Thanks! ^

-S
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Old May 24, 2013, 7:02 am
  #73  
 
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Would having a Starwood AX disqualify you from any signup bonuses under these new T & C's? Are we going to have to go cold turkey and have no AX card at all for 12 months if we ever want to get a sign up bonus again?

Last edited by susiesan; May 25, 2013 at 12:03 pm
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Old May 25, 2013, 4:46 pm
  #74  
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Originally Posted by susiesan
Would having a Starwood AX disqualify you from any signup bonuses under these new T & C's? Are we going to have to go cold turkey and have no AX card at all for 12 months if we ever want to get a sign up bonus again?
The Keyword is SIMILAR product.

Do SPG pts similar to AMEX Membership Reward pts? No!
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Old May 26, 2013, 1:04 am
  #75  
 
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Originally Posted by susiesan
Originally Posted by bruinfever
Does anyone know how AMEX considers applications for business credit cards? Is it based on Federal Tax Number or SS number? I have a single business that my brother and I run. Can we both apply separately for Business Gold Rewards and have the signup bonus or will it only be one card per business?
I was told by AX yesterday it is by SSN. I was told the business tax number means nothing to AX. They consider the applicant to be an individual.

I guess AX's use of the term "business credit card" is meaningless. Whether you get a BRG card or PRG card, they are both personal cards. You should both be able to get the signup bonus even though the business is in both of your names. That's IF AX will honor the bonus which they don't seem to be doing a lot these days.
I had the same experience with them recently. I didn't get the sign up bonus because of this interpretation of "applicant"
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