Originally Posted by
Happy
In this case I suspect a very large group of AXP cardholders shop at COST. How did AXP profile this - a discount warehouse club versus Bloomie or Barneys?
WHERE they shopped not what they purchased.
Your AXP statement itemizes every transaction at each merchant location. A Wal-Mart in Ohio may show up as a different transaction than your Wal-Mart FL.
People who've defaulted (either with AXP or another card or on their mortgage) typically have transactions at these stores (Merchant and location). Then identify other people with the same behaviors. It's good risk management, how use the information is a business decision (cutting lines weren't customer exciting moves, but not really bad PR, while canceling peoples cards became a public taboo).