Amex (USA) refuses to honor signup bonus [Consolidated]
#46
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,047
I pulled out copies of the mailing I received in Dec. 2012 with the offer of 75K bonus MR points upon approval of the card and $5k spend in 3 months. Nowhere on my documentation is there anything about not being eligible for the bonus if you have or had another AX product in the last 12 months. The bonus terms show up on 3 separate pieces of parer with no disclaimer on any of them.
#47
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Kansas City, MO
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 3,649
If AX starting apply these new T&C in 2012 then how do I explain getting a 75K MR bonus for a new BRG card in Feb. 2012 when at the time I had a personal PRG card and a different BRG card?
#48
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
The new terms came into effect during 2012, not on January 1, 2012. Also, as I mentioned in another reply, there was confusion at American Express about the meaning of these terms when they were first published. There is no confusion now, but if you received a printed invitation without them you should prevail.
#49
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 4
Didn't get the 75K MR after $10K spend
I got approved for the 75K MR offer and they didn't gave me my points. This is my first AMEX business card and after writing, calling several times, and sending screenshots, they don't honor the bonus points.
#51
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Kansas City, MO
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 3,649
Seems like there is a flood of these bonus offer turndowns all happening at the same time.
AX has the right to have whatever T&C they want, but they don't have the right to keep them a secret from customers and mislead them into using AX cards. AX is generating revenue of of the initial $5K of spend on their cards. Most of us will stop using it once we are informed we do not get the promised bonus MR points. At 3% discount AX is making a minimum of $150 from each of these new card accounts in 3 months. Not a bad way to gin up revenue in a short period of time.
AX has the right to have whatever T&C they want, but they don't have the right to keep them a secret from customers and mislead them into using AX cards. AX is generating revenue of of the initial $5K of spend on their cards. Most of us will stop using it once we are informed we do not get the promised bonus MR points. At 3% discount AX is making a minimum of $150 from each of these new card accounts in 3 months. Not a bad way to gin up revenue in a short period of time.
#52
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
http://www262.americanexpress.com/bu...ess-card/29790
Click the link Offer Terms and Benefits
Read this: Welcome bonus offer not available to applicants who have had this product or any other Business Gold, Green or Platinum Card® within the last 12 months.
#53
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,047
Interestingly, for the Delta Gold Amex, having ANY card from Amex may disqualify you for the signup bonus:
This is for the cookie-hidden version of the app at 30K. If you log in, you get the app at 10K (or at least I do). So it may be that you only get 10K if you get this card as a current Amex cardholder, even if you use the 30K app page.
Amex does seem to be cracking down hard.
If you are identified as a current American Express® Cardmember, you may not be eligible for this welcome bonus offer. This offer is also not available to applicants who have had this product within the last 12 months or any other Consumer Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card account within the last 90 days.
Amex does seem to be cracking down hard.
#55
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: AL
Programs: AA Plat Pro, DL Sil, UA Sil, Hyatt Global, MR Amb, Hilton Diamond, National Exec, Hertz Pres
Posts: 477
sbedelman: your experience was identical to mine. I could have written that post.
I have sent a letter to the corporate office in NY asking for someone to intervene and award the bonus points per their offer. I included copies of the mailing that shows nowhere is there a statement about not being eligible if you've had another AX card in the past 12 months. I asked for the promised bonus points as a gesture of AX being an honorable company for a 25+ year customer.
Sounds like you responded to the same offer I did for the 75K bonus MR points that was out last Dec. 2012. I had another BRG card within the last 12 months, closed in March 2013, but it was in the tax number of another business I have. I was told this doesn't matter as the constant between all the accounts is my personal name, not the business name.
I have sent a letter to the corporate office in NY asking for someone to intervene and award the bonus points per their offer. I included copies of the mailing that shows nowhere is there a statement about not being eligible if you've had another AX card in the past 12 months. I asked for the promised bonus points as a gesture of AX being an honorable company for a 25+ year customer.
Sounds like you responded to the same offer I did for the 75K bonus MR points that was out last Dec. 2012. I had another BRG card within the last 12 months, closed in March 2013, but it was in the tax number of another business I have. I was told this doesn't matter as the constant between all the accounts is my personal name, not the business name.
I referred them to the terms which sites the 'applicant' can't have a Green, Gold, or Platinum card. When I said that THIS APPLICANT (business #2) didn't have those cards, I was told it didn't matter, that I (personally) was associated with a business Platinum card and the bonus was denied.
I really don't think the are thinking straight at AmEx these days. I can't seem to get other questions answered in one phone call anymore either.
You'd think they'd treat their best customers a little better.
#56
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
American Express could do a better job of communicating this in their terms, but if they allowed a bonus for each company name there would be no limit to the number of bonuses that an individual could receive, because we can invent a new business on demand.
Related discussion here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/credi...can-i-get.html
#57
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Kansas City, MO
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 3,649
Why is AX driving away their most valuable long time customers? Why would anyone apply for another AX card if they didn't get any sign up bonus MR points? Why not just keep using the card you have? Face it, the reason most of us have multiple cards is for the bonus MR points. I don't get why AX marketing keeps mailing me offers to open new cards if they won't honor the sign up bonus offers on these offers.
I'm on the verge of transferring out all of my MR points to an airline and terminating my business relationship with AX. I will wait and see how my situation plays out, whether I get the promised bonus MR points after escalating my case to the corporate offices.
In the meantime, Chase customer service is doing a fabulous job helping their business card holders. Chase's CS reps go above and beyond to solve problems and have a phone attitude that they actually care. When I call AX their phone CSR's attitude and tone is very indifferent.
#58
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
The most valuable customers are not those who apply for new cards to earn a bonus, but rather those who keep using the card they already have. I suspect that American Express is perfectly content to allow Chase to build the illusion of market share by attracting disgruntled churners. American Express knows that they can buy back those customers a year later if it suits them.
#59
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Kansas City, MO
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 3,649
but I use my AX card
The most valuable customers are not those who apply for new cards to earn a bonus, but rather those who keep using the card they already have. I suspect that American Express is perfectly content to allow Chase to build the illusion of market share by attracting disgruntled churners. American Express knows that they can buy back those customers a year later if it suits them.
Last edited by susiesan; May 25, 2013 at 12:04 pm
#60
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
If American Express sees this it can be rewarded with a retention bonus, rather than a new account bonus. American Express is a mass market company. I think it is unrealistic to expect them to waive the published requirements for a new account bonus based on your individual history.