Actually, Amex is the only credit company that seems to systematically omit bonus points for new accounts.
This has happened to SPG, Gold, and Delta cards I had with them.
And it's a hassle to get them corrected.

But it's all good until I got hit with their stupid Financial Review.
I have done exactly the same thing with the Amex cards that I do with Visa or MC.
And I have not ordered coins or opened new checking account or anything financial with Amex card.
But it's only Amex that freezes your account and demands proof of financial worth.
After giving them a copy of my bank statement which was many times over my credit limit, they unlocked the freeze.
And the only reason I did this was because of my substantial stash of MR points.

So after all this crap, I have a bitter taste in my mouth and will not do anything beneficial for Amex.
I have never been a churner, but for Amex, I will apply for all the new credit card promos and cancel them before the annual due date.