AMEX Plat Charges Declined and Review?
May 4, 2015, 12:14 pm
#16
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,959
May 4, 2015, 12:18 pm
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 147
May 4, 2015, 2:09 pm
#18
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: SF
Programs: UA, VX, QF, EY, VA
Posts: 756
Good news, guys! It was just fraud department asking me if I had attempted those charges, and now, my account is clear!! Whew!
But I was wondering how I can MS spend $3000 in a month, especially if I make another trip to Target? I was thinking about doing $500 charges per Target trip...for example, $500 on Monday and wait for that charge to post, then pay that off. Make another $500 change and repeat until I hit $3000 spend in a month ($1000 per week).
Or do you have any other suggestions how I can MS in a month while not making it look too suspicious? I do plan to make other small purchases mixed in.
But I was wondering how I can MS spend $3000 in a month, especially if I make another trip to Target? I was thinking about doing $500 charges per Target trip...for example, $500 on Monday and wait for that charge to post, then pay that off. Make another $500 change and repeat until I hit $3000 spend in a month ($1000 per week).
Or do you have any other suggestions how I can MS in a month while not making it look too suspicious? I do plan to make other small purchases mixed in.
May 4, 2015, 5:03 pm
#20
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,959
May 4, 2015, 5:05 pm
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 147
Do you suggest I should try the Target $500 load again after it was flagged as fraudulent last night? Or get a $500 AMEX gift card? I'm not sure which one I should do first.
May 4, 2015, 7:24 pm
#22
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,417
Why not actually purchase something (that you plan to keep) with your new AmEx card? New appliance, clothes, furniture, car maintenance, etc. Electronics items tend to raise flags with AmEx, so expect to have to do something like talk to them to get those charges approved.
May 4, 2015, 7:28 pm
#23
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 147
Why not actually purchase something (that you plan to keep) with your new AmEx card? New appliance, clothes, furniture, car maintenance, etc. Electronics items tend to raise flags with AmEx, so expect to have to do something like talk to them to get those charges approved.
May 4, 2015, 9:43 pm
#25
formerly known as s2kdriver80
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Long Island, New York, USA (JFK <--> OTP)
Programs: Delta SkyMiles, SPG, Marriott Rewards, Amex MR, Chase UR
Posts: 317
Unless you were planning on using some of the points on your trip and need to rush, why not do the spend while in Europe? Vacation expenses add up pretty quickly and you wouldn't be falling into the trap of overspending/forcing your spend that you otherwise wouldn't do absent this promo offer.
May 4, 2015, 9:46 pm
#26
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 147
Unless you were planning on using some of the points on your trip and need to rush, why not do the spend while in Europe? Vacation expenses add up pretty quickly and you wouldn't be falling into the trap of overspending/forcing your spend that you otherwise wouldn't do absent this promo offer.
I'll probably need to use the points for my return trip back home! Lol.
May 4, 2015, 9:51 pm
#27
formerly known as s2kdriver80
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Long Island, New York, USA (JFK <--> OTP)
Programs: Delta SkyMiles, SPG, Marriott Rewards, Amex MR, Chase UR
Posts: 317
I definitely plan on spending $$ while on vacation in Europe, but it'll be nice to complete the spend requirements before I leave just in case. I don't have an exact estimates of how much I will spend while I'm on vacation in Europe right now (still in the process of planning)
I'll probably need to use the points for my return trip back home! Lol.
I'll probably need to use the points for my return trip back home! Lol.
May 4, 2015, 10:01 pm
#28
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,417
Don't forget that the regular USA issued nonaffiliated Platinum charge card does not have foreign transaction fees.
May 5, 2015, 7:39 am
#29
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 5
OP, you need to cool your jets (no pun intended). Your 100k points will take a minimum of 2 months from the day you got the card to even post to your account. Unless you are going to be in Europe then, don't count on using your points to return. Also, it takes time to book award flights (availability is scarce during peak season) and it sounds like you don't even have the basics of churning down, let alone booking award flights for the best possible price. The entire point of this hobby is to get rewards and to maximize them. You are in no position to maximize rewards if you are hastily booking return flights home.
May 5, 2015, 12:40 pm
#30
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 147
OP, you need to cool your jets (no pun intended). Your 100k points will take a minimum of 2 months from the day you got the card to even post to your account. Unless you are going to be in Europe then, don't count on using your points to return. Also, it takes time to book award flights (availability is scarce during peak season) and it sounds like you don't even have the basics of churning down, let alone booking award flights for the best possible price. The entire point of this hobby is to get rewards and to maximize them. You are in no position to maximize rewards if you are hastily booking return flights home.