[OFFER DEAD, MR accounts frozen, some bonuses clawed back] 100k Amex Plat (USA)
Jul 18, 2016, 10:53 am
#526
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Sunny AZ
Programs: HH Diamond, Sixt Platinum, IHG Spire Ambassador, Marriott/SPG Gold .....
Posts: 3,215
Didn't hotel.com (not 100%) prepaid hotel reservations you could cancel without penalty.
Book prepay and as you spend cancel ....
Jul 20, 2016, 11:34 am
#528
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,269
In your case, if the 8 weeks were officially supposed to end last week, I would contact Amex, tell them the 8 weeks expired and see what they say. My guess is they'll tell you they don't know when the freeze will be lifted and that there is nobody who can answer that. Out of curiosity, was last Friday the end of the 8 week period following the closing of the first statement, or 8 weeks after the points posted or 8 weeks after you received your card?
I think the idea of going to the CFPB when this first happened was over the top, but after 8 weeks, I feel differently about it. Eight weeks seemed like a minor inconvenience to cardholders, and it didn't seem unreasonable for Amex to want to investigate this stuff. But even if 8 weeks is reasonable, an indefinite waiting period definitely is not. Amex needs to get their act together.
Jul 20, 2016, 1:22 pm
#529
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,959
Agreed, I would complain if has been more than eight weeks from the date of the statement on which you met the required spend (which might not be the first statement.)
Jul 20, 2016, 1:48 pm
#531
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Houston, TX, USA
Programs: UA 1K, AA Lifetime Platinum, DL Platinum, Honors Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium, Hertz Platinum
Posts: 7,970
Probably not. At least for those that had no other MR balance frozen, there was nothing to complain about until 8 weeks after the statement date that had the qualifying spend on it. Amex would have responded to the CFPB exactly as they've done to cardholders: "The terms and conditions say it takes 6-8 weeks. We won't look into it further until that time has expired."
Jul 20, 2016, 1:54 pm
#532
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 8,460
Probably not. At least for those that had no other MR balance frozen, there was nothing to complain about until 8 weeks after the statement date that had the qualifying spend on it. Amex would have responded to the CFPB exactly as they've done to cardholders: "The terms and conditions say it takes 6-8 weeks. We won't look into it further until that time has expired."
If AMEX had waited 8 weeks to post points, that would have been fine. That's not what happened. They awarded the points and then froze them. There is nothing in the T&C about points being frozen so AMEX is currently violating their own T&C. They can change their T&C if they want but they haven't so they are currently in violation.
Jul 20, 2016, 2:07 pm
#533
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Houston, TX, USA
Programs: UA 1K, AA Lifetime Platinum, DL Platinum, Honors Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium, Hertz Platinum
Posts: 7,970
There's also nothing prohibiting them from un-posting points that were erroneously posted before the required time period, and then re-posting them at the appropriate time. You're picking at nits. And yes, Amex hasn't done so yet, but if the CFPB were able to force them to comply with the T&C to the letter, then that remedy would be available to Amex: they could un-post the points, unfreeze the accounts, and then re-post them at the 8-week mark. Which would get us back to where we are now.
Jul 20, 2016, 2:23 pm
#534
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 8,460
Wrong. Points can take up to 6-8 weeks to post but they can post sooner. Once points have posted, AMEX would need to prove that the points were earned fraudulently in order to take them away.
Jul 20, 2016, 2:24 pm
#535
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: TYO
Programs: Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,744
Wrong and this has been discussed already.
If AMEX had waited 8 weeks to post points, that would have been fine. That's not what happened. They awarded the points and then froze them. There is nothing in the T&C about points being frozen so AMEX is currently violating their own T&C. They can change their T&C if they want but they haven't so they are currently in violation.
If AMEX had waited 8 weeks to post points, that would have been fine. That's not what happened. They awarded the points and then froze them. There is nothing in the T&C about points being frozen so AMEX is currently violating their own T&C. They can change their T&C if they want but they haven't so they are currently in violation.
Secondly, numerous people have already unsuccessfully filed CFPB complaints and have been told Amex is within their rights to freeze the points.
The easiest and most effective solution here is to sit tight until the points are unfrozen, which will most likely be after you are unable to get a pro rated annual fee refund, or Sept 1.
Jul 20, 2016, 2:48 pm
#536
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 8,460
Jul 20, 2016, 2:59 pm
#537
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: MCO, YEG
Posts: 1,182
Yeah, freezing the points has nothing to do with the 6-8 weeks term in the T&C, it has everything to do with the "we can do whatever the heck we want" clause. I haven't read them, but I can pretty much guarantee it is in there. Whether it is enforceable or not has yet to be determined, but AMEX relies on that clause quite a lot, and dares anyone to challenge them.
Jul 20, 2016, 3:08 pm
#539
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,269
Interesting. I've followed this thread pretty closely and have not seen anyone say that. Were these reports on reddit or someplace like that?
Jul 20, 2016, 3:09 pm
#540
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 8,460