American Express seems to have recently implemented software which can detect simultaneous applications and delays consideration of one application for several days. This is too recent to know how reliable their process is, but I would not expect many people to succeed in receiving a bonus for both Platinum and Gold applications.
If so, their simultaneous application detector wasn't working very well last night.
Last night I applied for both Plat and Gold simultaneously (saw several folks here saying it was easy to get both, foolishly did not stop to consider all the angles of that).
I used two browsers, filled in both apps, clicked application button for Plat first, then immediately (1-2 seconds later at most) clicked application button for Gold in the other browser (while the Plat application was still being processed). Both browsers showed "application being processed, do not click the back button" or somesuch as it processed both. Got instant approval for both about 15 seconds later (within 1-2 seconds of each other). Received email confirming approval and offer details moments later.
But, there's this...
Originally Posted by
mooper
The terms are very obvious - they were listed immediately to the left of the application in a fairly big font, bolded. Applying for the Platinum and then the PRG, according to these obvious terms, disqualified you for the bonus on the PRG. You could still get approved, but the terms give them the right to disqualify the second bonus. Reps, when asked, seem to back this up. That doesn't mean, however, that they won't make an exception for you, especially based upon the proximity of the approvals. You don't have the terms on your side, but you could certainly try and hope for the best... just don't count on it. If concerned, call and ask them to verify, and cancel the second app if not comfortable with the risk.
So now, the morning after the orgy, what to do?
The clear-headed consensus seems to be there's (almost) no chance I'll get the bonus for both. OK. Whatever credit pull(s) happened last night are already done (I actually applied for a third card - a citi business card - at the same time, using a
third browser - I was hoping to minimize the credit pulls by stacking them). I'm approved for both Amex
cards, the more important question is about the bonus for the "second" card (which would the the 50K for the PRG - that assumes the order I clicked the two "apply" buttons was the order in which they were approved, although with their servers so busy and the timing so close, it's plausible that either one was processed first - it was about as "simultaneous" as possible, but of course computers count tiny slices of time...).
1. I could call Amex and ask if I will get both bonuses. I assume they would say no, then I could have them cancel one card. Would they even be able to tell me (reliably) which is considered the "first" one that was processed?
2. I could just keep quiet and do the spend on both and see what happens - although it seems highly unlikely I'd get both. But at least I'd definitely get the bonus for one.
3. Worst case scenario: I call, they say no to both bonuses, I tell them to cancel one of the cards, they do, then I meet the minimum spend on the card they tell me was first, but come statement day they deny me the bonus because they say the OTHER card was the first processed/the one I'm eligible for the bonus on, pound sand, etc.
Hmmm.
What would Pickles do?