I recently got a SPG AMEX card and have been an Amex Green cardholder for the last 6 years.

When I started using my SPG Amex card more regularly, I noticed it was getting declined on my larger purchases, even though these purchases were well below my credit limit. It even got declined for a $12 charge at a wine shop but was approved an hour later for $49 at Wal*Mart. Go figure...probably their fraud detection system or something...I would pull out my Visa or my Green Amex and it would work fine.

So anyways, I called them up to ask what was going on and why these charges were being declined. The lady on the other end was very rude and said "I don't know - if the system decides to have a merchant call for authorization, they have to call in."

So I told her that I realize that it's a new card and you probably don't know my charge patterns. However, since I am a regular Amex customer for 6 years, the phone rep could look at that account to see my patterns and pre authorize a higher charge. She said "I can't do that. The system controls everything."

She said that if a charge is referred in for merchant auth, the merchant is obligated to call. I told her to come back to the real world. When a charge is referred, the merchant asks you if you have a Visa instead. They DON'T manually call into Amex for an Auth. They don't make a distinction when your credit card is referred for manual auth. They just come back and say it was declined.

So I guess what I am saying is that despite calling in to say that you will be going to Restaurant X and making a charge for $YYY, they still cannot pre-authorize you. You will still run the risk of the waiter returning and asking you for another card.

I am starting to consider cancelling all my cards with those dumb idiots.

On top of all that, the rep I spoke to ended up canceling my card! I guess I pissed her off by persisting. I had to call and have the card reactivated.