Irka

Hey, I am having a little bit of an issue that I was hoping you guys could help me brainstorm. My Hilton Honors AmEx has not given me the 80K bonus and after contacting them I was told that GCs do not qualify towards the bonus. That would have been nice to know earlier, since I have contacted them 4 times about this already and they said they were investigating why I haven't been awarded the bonus....now they are saying that it's because I bought GCs.....

First off, I have never had that happen. I always buy GCs on giftcards.com via TCB and i have always received the welcome bonus with no issues. So is this a new rule? Or just something that has always been in place with these credit card companies, and I have just been able to slip by?

Secondly, now I have to meet the $2000 requirement in 6 days.... I am not sure how to go about doing that. Could I make a large purchase and cancel it? would that work and would the points stick after the cancellation?
Or maybe you have other ideas of what I can do here? Id hate to waste a hard hit on my credit and the 80K point opportunity. So I am open to any ideas.

Thanks!!!

UserMark

Make an estimated tax payment.

sdsearch

Yes, if you had read the T&Cs carefully, you wuld have seen that Amex has for a long time been saying that "cash-equilavent" stuff like gift cards don't count. Their enforcement of it is inconsistent, but if you want to be safe you should never do it "obviously". So that's why you have to "hide" the fact that you're buying gift cards, if you're going buy gift cards. Buying them at giftcards.com is way too obvious. (As is buying them at the Amex site.)

Buy gift cards at grocery stores or office supply stores, etc, not online. (Store gift cards, including Amazon, will have no activation fee; Visa/etc gift cards are likely to have $6ish activation fee.) And if doing $500ish purchases of gift card(s), get some random grocery item (at grocery stores) or random computer/printer supplies item (at office supply stores) on the same checkout so it doesn't like as much to Amex like a round gift card purchase plus activation fee.

Ie, think of every way that Amex might guess (without itemized receipts) that it might be a gift card, and try to make it not look like that.

Irka

Taxes was a great idea? But unfortunately my city doesn't take AmEx

Are there any grocery stores that sell $500 Visa GCs? I guess I can do 4 of those, if the activation is still $6?

mia

I believe the suggestion is to make a Federal Estimated Income Tax payment, as discussed here:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/credi...edit-card.html

teddy25

Refundable airfare.... cancel it after you get the points.

mia

Discussion here:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manuf...l-500-gcs.html

satman40

Simon mall gift cards, should not be a problem.

Yoshi212

I wouldn't go this route unless you're able to then make valid purchases within the next billing period so you have an argument for keeping the bonus points. If this was the last couple of hundred dollars instead of the bulk/full purchase for to reach the minimum spending it'd probably be ok but not a large chunk.

An estimated tax payment.
Large gift card purchase for services you'll use.
Ask any friends if they have a big purchase coming up you can make for them.

Irka

Thanks so much for the great ideas!

trouble747

Will amex not award points on the purchase of its own giftcards? That's never been my experience but it has been awhile.

Happy

FYI, this is a recent transaction details shown on my 3 years old SPG Biz card - as you can see, office stores transaction is as clear as day and night on what you purchased.

OFFICE DEPOT

VISA,FASHION,$20-200
INCOMM FEES 2
Reference: 320171590203668634
Category: Business Services - Office Supplies

AMEX does know what it is (mentioned by an account manager during a phone call), but so far it has not enforced it.

nomii

Me and my SO both had a hilton amex.

In April 2017, i got bonus points using amex gift cards bought online.
In May 2017, my SO did not get bonus points using amex gift cards bought online.


So .... YMMV?

Happy

How about AMEX changed policy starting May?

Unless it is the other way round timeline-wise, or someone reported getting bonus on the same type of purchase AFTER May, the only logical explanation is AMEX may now choose to enforce the wording in the T&Cs.

sdsearch

Amex doesn't need to be consistent on its enforcement, and thus assuming that datapoints (from others or from your own past experience) about gift cards posting means your gift cards will post on your newest card too can be a dangerous assumption, as the OP has found out.