Checked the mail today, got a letter saying my Platinum card "Now eligible for cash access".

It goes on to say that I can use my card at any ATM and am able to withdraw cash off my Platinum Charge Card.

I could see this REALLY handy for emergency situations, especially when traveling, forgetting wallet (I could care less about leaving wallet at home, no matter what I always have my amex card with me), etc...

I just didn't think people were allowed to pull cash off their charge accounts...

I'm pretty sure this "benefit" has been around for a while.

The way this "benefit" is implemented in the USA is that the funds are withdrawn directly from your linked bank account. In effect, you are able to use your American Express charge card as an ATM card. The withdrawal is slower than if you use a real ATM card issued by your bank, but you pay American Express a fee for accessing your own money.

This benefit is implemented differently in other countries, and the cash is actually added to the American Express balance.

Thanks for moving the post :)

Hmmm, interesting. I actually don't have my accounts linked (I really try to have none of my accounts linked). I didn't apply for anything either.

This piece of mail just says:
"You are now eligable for cash access." and just proceeds to tell me: "Cash access is granted for the card account shown above", I can use my Amex wherever Interac is accepted, and then just stuff about my PIN.

Very crisp clean letter (the whole 8.5 x 11 page is very empty).

I received the same letter this week pertaining to my Platinum charge card, and I'm quite curious about this. On my Amex credit card the fee is $2.75 per withdrawl and the interest charges kick in immediately. However, this letter is about my charge card but it contains no details whatsoever about fees ("a funds advance fee applies as set out in your Information Box" but there is no Information Box,) or how interest charges will get calculated.

This indicates that the program has changed. Previously there was no interest because the funds were debited from the cardholder's checking account.

Should've clarified, that I was talking about Canadian cards. It could be that the direct-debit method still applies to the US.

And again, my confusion is that the fee and interst I indicated above apply to Amex credit cards. So it functions like a cash advance with any other card. However, the letter recieved this week pertains to an Amex charge card.

Reference to "Interac" makes it very likely that this poster is also referring to a Canadian-issued card.

Although Amex Canada has been less than straight forward with me on how this works (they keep pointing me to a terms and conditions document which does not exist,) I have at least been able to confirm that the fee is 3% of the amount withdrawn. Whether interest is charged on top of that remains unknown.