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Feb 21, 2017, 4:49 pm

Gitangali

Original Poster

Join Date: Feb 2016

Posts: 826

AmEx MS

I'm approved for business platinum and need to spend 5K in 3 months. I've read about AE claw backs. May be folks were doing heavy hitting so couldn't stay under the radar. I'm looking to spend only 5K at WM, buying VGCs along with other groceries. No two charges would look the same, plus no 1-2K purchases at WM which looks suspicious. Has anyone done this?

Last edited by Gitangali; Feb 22, 2017 at 10:22 am

Feb 21, 2017, 6:44 pm

bodiddely

Join Date: Dec 2015

Location: DCA

Posts: 818

I did 15k of very obvious MS (Simon Mall) for my Biz Plat a year ago. Got hit with a financial review but no problem getting bonus once that was resolved. You'll likely be fine

Feb 21, 2017, 8:36 pm

Coldmode

Join Date: Jul 2016

Location: BOS

Posts: 40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gitangali

I am approved for business platinum and need to spend 5K in 2 or 3 months. I have read about AE claw backs. May be folks were doing heavy hitting so couldn't stay under the radar. I'm looking to spend only 5K at WM, buying VGCs along with other groceries. No two charges would look the same, plus not 1-2K purchases at WM which looks suspicious. Has anyone done this?

Did you hit either of the leaked 100k offers last year? The reviews that followed those are what screwed people on other cards. I think as long as you don't hit any leaked links you'll be ok.

Feb 21, 2017, 10:44 pm

Hbax

Join Date: May 2014

Posts: 527

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gitangali

I'm looking to spend only 5K at WM, buying VGCs along with other groceries. No two charges would look the same...

WM does Level3 reporting, so you won't be camouflaging anything, they can see everything. So I wouldn't over exert yourself trying.

Feb 22, 2017, 5:48 am

lumangoy

Join Date: Sep 2014

Posts: 1,837

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hbax

WM does Level3 reporting, so you won't be camouflaging anything, they can see everything. So I wouldn't over exert yourself trying.

all stores? I thought it was only certain stores like staples and ODOM?

I dont see level 3 for grocery and drugstores.

Feb 22, 2017, 6:07 am

Gitangali

Original Poster

Join Date: Feb 2016

Posts: 826

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hbax

WM does Level3 reporting, so you won't be camouflaging anything, they can see everything. So I wouldn't over exert yourself trying.

Thank you for all responses

I'm not looking to do heavy hitting on this unlike WF, so hope to sneak $500 here and there over a period of 3 months. It would look suspicious if you spend 5K in a few days or a few weeks. Again the time will tell. I also have my daughter's AmEx card I need to spend 3K on.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bodiddely

Got hit with a financial review but no problem getting bonus once that was resolved.

Can you elaborate, what do you mean by resolving it? It seems they already know what you did? So how did you resolve it?

Feb 22, 2017, 6:23 am

Lappie

Join Date: Feb 2014

Posts: 253

I got the 5k 50,000 / 15k 100000 offer and did 6k of MS that was obvious. Only MS and at CeeVeeSss. I got the 50k points yesterday and transferred to Hawaiian.

I waited to see what would happen before I did the other 10k.

Feb 22, 2017, 7:15 am

NoonRadar

Join Date: Feb 2015

Posts: 910

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lappie

I got the 5k 50,000 / 15k 100000 offer and did 6k of MS that was obvious. Only MS and at CeeVeeSss. I got the 50k points yesterday and transferred to Hawaiian.

What time-span for the $6K? Did you do many non-MS transactions at that store in between the VGC ones?

Feb 22, 2017, 8:56 am

Lappie

Join Date: Feb 2014

Posts: 253

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoonRadar

What time-span for the $6K? Did you do many non-MS transactions at that store in between the VGC ones?

3 days. No non MS. Its 3 $2019.80 charges, 3 days in a row. No other charges, none, nada, zip. Only MS!

Feb 22, 2017, 9:23 am

#10

bodiddely

Join Date: Dec 2015

Location: DCA

Posts: 818

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gitangali

Can you elaborate, what do you mean by resolving it? It seems they already know what you did? So how did you resolve it?

In a financial review they are concerned with/investigating your ability to repay the charges you are making (and if you were truthful about your income on your application, etc). They aren't (at least not primarily) looking at whether you are earning rewards improperly via MS.
When you are selected for a financial review, they suspend your ability to make purchases on all of your cards and ask you to agree to allow them to obtain a transcript of your tax return from the IRS. If you refuse they will either shutdown your accounts or lower your credit/spending limits. I agreed and they lifted the suspension and didn't lower any CLs. And I got my signup bonus no problemo.

More discussion on FR may be found here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...iscussion.html

Feb 22, 2017, 10:17 am

#11

NoonRadar

Join Date: Feb 2015

Posts: 910

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lappie

3 days. No non MS. Its 3 $2019.80 charges, 3 days in a row. No other charges, none, nada, zip. Only MS!

Very brave indeed, esp at a store where the average receipt is way way lower than $2+K. I guess if you guys don't get caught, the rest of us that tread more carefully should be able to swim just fine.

Feb 22, 2017, 10:20 am

#12

Gitangali

Original Poster

Join Date: Feb 2016

Posts: 826

Quote:

(and if you were truthful about your income on your application, etc)

IRS transcript doesn't tell the income of each of the spouses if you are MFJ.It shows the household income. As long as you did not exaggerate income on CC application, this is a good problem to have. That means if the spouse is earning less, you can combine the income and get CC approvals. Correct?

Feb 22, 2017, 10:25 am

#13

Explorer789

Join Date: Nov 2016

Location: SFO

Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat

Posts: 756

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gitangali

The income on CC apps is a gray area. They almost never mean only your income, rather all sources of income. So I have always put an amount that reflects my yearly expenses, which makes it easy for most college students to put down like 50-70k income without issue. Income from your spouse and even parents is a valid source. Of course, to put down your parents entire income would be wrong, but it is okay to include the portion they contribute to paying for your expenses.

In the end, you just need to prove that the income is coming from legitimate sources by those in close relation to you.

Feb 22, 2017, 12:25 pm

#14

Fly1Away1

Join Date: Aug 2013

Posts: 208

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hbax

WM does Level3 reporting, so you won't be camouflaging anything, they can see everything. So I wouldn't over exert yourself trying.

source of info?

Feb 22, 2017, 12:37 pm

#15

Gitangali

Original Poster

Join Date: Feb 2016

Posts: 826

Quote:

Originally Posted by Explorer789

which makes it easy for most college students to put down like 50-70k income without issue.

Let's say I'm a college student and my annual income is measly 5K from campus jobs but I have access to all of my parents assets. Does that mean I can get CC approvals without a real full time job? Now I'm not sure how does a student prove that he/she has access to parents income, one way would be joint checking/savings accounts.

Otherwise the students won't be eligible to receive credit cards.They have some just for students, but they don't give you much CL and you are limited to having one or two CC.

I'm wondering if student can get approved for MS CCs such as Chase, WF etc without a job earning at least upward of 20-25K.

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