[OFFER DEAD, MR accounts frozen, some bonuses clawed back] 100k Amex Plat (USA)
Aug 19, 2016, 3:09 pm
#706
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,710
Interesting damn they are doing everything they can do to get out of this offer. That also likely explains why Happy's friend got whacked since he/she to had an Ameriprise. Good luck with your fight.
Last edited by 36902BRF; Aug 19, 2016 at 3:52 pm Reason: spelling is hard
Aug 19, 2016, 3:32 pm
#707
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: IAD, TPE
Posts: 465
100k was subtracted from my account as well, agent citing returns as the cause; however, the only credits on the account are the reimbursements for GE. Currently holding for additional information, let's see where this goes.
Aug 19, 2016, 4:10 pm
#708
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,269
Initially, I agreed with this, and I said something similar upthread. But given how poorly Amex has handled this whole situation, I've changed my mind. Amex's response has been sleezy, so I don't blame anyone who decides to screw them on this deal.
Aug 19, 2016, 8:04 pm
#710
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 159
It is a serious IT flaw. Read this post. It is interesting reading and explains it exactly. He explains that if you return the item that had taken you over the threshold, they consider that you did not meet the minimum spend even if you make subsequent purchases. It is the actual purchase that takes you over the minimum spend that they count and if that purchase is returned, the system deems that you did not meet the spend. The OP of this post cautions against returning the purchase that actually took you over the minimum spend threshold. That transaction is the only one that matters to them.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/26897765-post351.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/26897765-post351.html
Aug 19, 2016, 8:07 pm
#711
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 4,431
I've always played it safe when it comes to min spend requirement, always counting GE credits, airline credits, AMEX offers and any other credits-- against MSR. Some people insisted that those don't count against you, but the way I saw it, why take the chance. Good luck to you guys in getting that 100K back from AMEX.
Aug 19, 2016, 8:17 pm
#712
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 531
My speculation:
- Amex obviously goofed wrt letting so many people get in on the 100k offer. Ideally, they would like to would like to deny the bonus to a lot of the people who applied (figuring that most are just churners/bonus hunters/ low value customers), but can't think of a credible way to do a universal clawback.
- So, in lieu of a clawback, they decide to freeze the accounts (much easier to block the transfer than to try to get them back from SQ after the suite has been booked
) while doing a manual review of each new account searching for tnc violations that could justify withholding the points. I'd imagine they are digging through full sales data for MS and other transactions that their routine processes might miss.
- If the transactions pass muster, customer probably keeps the bonus. Conveniently, if they find grounds for a clawback, the results of the manual review will not be communicated until after the initial bonus spending period is over, so customer doesn't have a chance to go make more organic spending.
Seems penny wise and pound foolish to me, but would not be surprised...
Also, would be very surprised if Amex ever makes any broad public statements about this. I imagine they want to handle quietly and in a way that allows them to massage the situation on a customer by customer basis.
- Amex obviously goofed wrt letting so many people get in on the 100k offer. Ideally, they would like to would like to deny the bonus to a lot of the people who applied (figuring that most are just churners/bonus hunters/ low value customers), but can't think of a credible way to do a universal clawback.
- So, in lieu of a clawback, they decide to freeze the accounts (much easier to block the transfer than to try to get them back from SQ after the suite has been booked
) while doing a manual review of each new account searching for tnc violations that could justify withholding the points. I'd imagine they are digging through full sales data for MS and other transactions that their routine processes might miss. - If the transactions pass muster, customer probably keeps the bonus. Conveniently, if they find grounds for a clawback, the results of the manual review will not be communicated until after the initial bonus spending period is over, so customer doesn't have a chance to go make more organic spending.
Seems penny wise and pound foolish to me, but would not be surprised...
Also, would be very surprised if Amex ever makes any broad public statements about this. I imagine they want to handle quietly and in a way that allows them to massage the situation on a customer by customer basis.
Aug 19, 2016, 8:20 pm
#713
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 531
Aug 19, 2016, 9:23 pm
#714
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: IAH
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt Ist-iest, Stariott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 12,791
- So, in lieu of a clawback, they decide to freeze the accounts (much easier to block the transfer than to try to get them back from SQ after the suite has been booked ) while doing a manual review of each new account searching for tnc violations that could justify withholding the points. I'd imagine they are digging through full sales data for MS and other transactions that their routine processes might miss.
- If the transactions pass muster, customer probably keeps the bonus. Conveniently, if they find grounds for a clawback, the results of the manual review will not be communicated until after the initial bonus spending period is over, so customer doesn't have a chance to go make more organic spending.
Seems penny wise and pound foolish to me, but would not be surprised...
) while doing a manual review of each new account searching for tnc violations that could justify withholding the points. I'd imagine they are digging through full sales data for MS and other transactions that their routine processes might miss. - If the transactions pass muster, customer probably keeps the bonus. Conveniently, if they find grounds for a clawback, the results of the manual review will not be communicated until after the initial bonus spending period is over, so customer doesn't have a chance to go make more organic spending.
Seems penny wise and pound foolish to me, but would not be surprised...
So basically....don't MS on public offers that are too ridiculously good to be true.
Aug 20, 2016, 6:20 am
#719
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,269
Aug 20, 2016, 7:28 am
#720
Join Date: Jan 2007
Programs: Many
Posts: 335
They removed the 100K from my MR account two days ago. I noticed it yesterday and initiated a chat with a rep. He said it was because of returns, but that was false. I spent the $3,000 on Delta tickets for myself and friends and we flew the flights. This was natural spend that I was going to making anyway on some card, and chose this one (passing up using a much more lucrative one for air tickets) to meet the terms of the enrollment bonus. He then acknowledged it wasn't because of returns, and observed that upon checking he saw that others had the same problem. He said he referred it for investigation and I should know the results within 6-8 weeks, but probably sooner.
As a data point, I had an open Ameriprise Platinum card at the time I applied for this one in May. But the Ameriprise version has no enrollment bonus, so I had never received an enrollment bonus on the AMEX Platinum previously. I subsequently canceled the Ameriprise card when its fee became due.
I think it would have been fair for AMEX not to have approved me for the new card due to the open account if that's their policy, or any consideration about the amount of credit they were extending me, but to come back three months later and pull the points after I've met the terms isn't right. I'm waiting to see how this works out.
As a data point, I had an open Ameriprise Platinum card at the time I applied for this one in May. But the Ameriprise version has no enrollment bonus, so I had never received an enrollment bonus on the AMEX Platinum previously. I subsequently canceled the Ameriprise card when its fee became due.
I think it would have been fair for AMEX not to have approved me for the new card due to the open account if that's their policy, or any consideration about the amount of credit they were extending me, but to come back three months later and pull the points after I've met the terms isn't right. I'm waiting to see how this works out.