[OFFER DEAD, MR accounts frozen, some bonuses clawed back] 100k Amex Plat (USA)
Aug 23, 2016, 11:05 pm
#841
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: BOS, MHT
Programs: AA ltg, B6, DL, UA, AS, SPG/Marriott Plt, HH, Hyatt
Posts: 10,052
I got cfpb response from Amex. Any suggestion?
Your Membership Rewards account was reviewed to make sure the total of all eligible purchases met the spend requirement during the promotional period. Unfortunately, our records indicate you did not meet the spend requirement to receive the promotional offer on your Platinum Card. Therefore, the points which were added to the account on June 22, 2016, were removed from your account on August 19, 2016. This is in accordance with the terms and conditions that were presented to you during your application. Your previously earned Membership Rewards points are available for immediate use.
It did not mention the "return".
Your Membership Rewards account was reviewed to make sure the total of all eligible purchases met the spend requirement during the promotional period. Unfortunately, our records indicate you did not meet the spend requirement to receive the promotional offer on your Platinum Card. Therefore, the points which were added to the account on June 22, 2016, were removed from your account on August 19, 2016. This is in accordance with the terms and conditions that were presented to you during your application. Your previously earned Membership Rewards points are available for immediate use.
It did not mention the "return".
This is where you now need to write a detailed letter disputing all that to the executive I also named in the same post. Feel free to use what I posted as filler for your letter.
Aug 23, 2016, 11:08 pm
#842
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: BOS, MHT
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I did not MS at all on the card, and met the $3k spend even if I exclude the MPX credits. Received the bonus on July 13. My points are all frozen but nothing removed yet. I haven't called in because I'm wondering if it's a better idea not to poke the bear and hope I fly under the radar.
But I honestly have no idea what reason they could give me for taking the 100k away. They can claim "returns" but even if they discount the MPX credits I still spent almost $3500. No MS, no transactions that look remotely questionable or MS-like. I have had no other Platinum product in the past, so they can't use that reasoning either.
But I honestly have no idea what reason they could give me for taking the 100k away. They can claim "returns" but even if they discount the MPX credits I still spent almost $3500. No MS, no transactions that look remotely questionable or MS-like. I have had no other Platinum product in the past, so they can't use that reasoning either.
Aug 23, 2016, 11:14 pm
#843
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As of right now (Aug 23rd), my 100k haven't been clawed back even though:
- I used the questionable link
- I used to have an ameriprise 2-3 years ago
- I have already cancelled this plat to get my fee reimbursed after getting points and $200 credits
- I had several returns during the 3 months on my spend (cancelling hotels and such), although the critical threshold spend wasn't returned.
- After subtracting the returns, credits, fees, my (all organic) spend was just $3004, so barely over the threshold as per their terms.
- I've had many many many amex personal/business cards in the past 3-5 years, basically scraping bottom of the barrel in terms of their lifetime bonuses now (MBPlat and Schwab left?)
I haven't tried transfers since I don't need to yet, so I have no idea if I'm frozen or not, nor do I want to know. But anyways, no clawback so far touchwood.
- I used the questionable link
- I used to have an ameriprise 2-3 years ago
- I have already cancelled this plat to get my fee reimbursed after getting points and $200 credits
- I had several returns during the 3 months on my spend (cancelling hotels and such), although the critical threshold spend wasn't returned.
- After subtracting the returns, credits, fees, my (all organic) spend was just $3004, so barely over the threshold as per their terms.
- I've had many many many amex personal/business cards in the past 3-5 years, basically scraping bottom of the barrel in terms of their lifetime bonuses now (MBPlat and Schwab left?)
I haven't tried transfers since I don't need to yet, so I have no idea if I'm frozen or not, nor do I want to know. But anyways, no clawback so far touchwood.
If we fear travel, then the terrorists already won.
If we fear amex here, then why are we signing up in the first place?
Transfer your points. If it fails, fight as hard as you can with the info you have now read and get them back to be used.
And in my repeated opinion, its becoming a useless currency and should be dumped now.
As Warren Miller, the famed ski movie maker once said, ski it and ski it now because if you dont, youll br one year older when you do.
In this case, transfer em now cuz if you dont, it could be months and months from now when you do. Do ya want the points or not?
Aug 23, 2016, 11:32 pm
#844
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 2
DP here:
First Amex, used the same link, app'd and approved 5/11. Hit min on OS first month, zero MS. Points triggered second statement, held for 8 weeks, successfully xfered 60k and booked. No messages, emails, or otherwise. Paid my bills and fees and did not cancel. Please inquire any more details if you'd like.
It sounds like MS and/or canceling the card to avoid the AF are the culprits here. We're talking a limited population of accounts not automatically detected by algorithms being reviewed by mid-grade staff for fishy behaviors. Are you surprised on a "too good to be true" sort of deal? Be smart about future high signups. They make money on swipes, but signups are pure loss for them. CFPB and otherwise naggy behaviors only further alert them of your activities. Act like a normal customer and they'll treat you like one.
First Amex, used the same link, app'd and approved 5/11. Hit min on OS first month, zero MS. Points triggered second statement, held for 8 weeks, successfully xfered 60k and booked. No messages, emails, or otherwise. Paid my bills and fees and did not cancel. Please inquire any more details if you'd like.
It sounds like MS and/or canceling the card to avoid the AF are the culprits here. We're talking a limited population of accounts not automatically detected by algorithms being reviewed by mid-grade staff for fishy behaviors. Are you surprised on a "too good to be true" sort of deal? Be smart about future high signups. They make money on swipes, but signups are pure loss for them. CFPB and otherwise naggy behaviors only further alert them of your activities. Act like a normal customer and they'll treat you like one.
Aug 23, 2016, 11:39 pm
#845
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 18
Yep, I'm not really sure what to think about this situation at the moment.
I applied for the Platinum with the "dodgy" link and it was my first Amex. I made about $3600 in charges, which includes the fee and some credits. But even after removing the fee and credits, I still put just over $3k on the card (specifically about $3065 - still contractually enough).
My points are frozen and CSR told me today the 8 weeks will be up on the week of September 11 - meaning I need to cancel before a decision has been made on my points.
I had a single refund (for $26) on the Amex. Does that mean the MR will be clawed back?! If so that's crazy. All of my spend was organic and no MPX - although I did have some United seat upgrades, FareLock and food purchases reimbursed.
I applied for the Platinum with the "dodgy" link and it was my first Amex. I made about $3600 in charges, which includes the fee and some credits. But even after removing the fee and credits, I still put just over $3k on the card (specifically about $3065 - still contractually enough).
My points are frozen and CSR told me today the 8 weeks will be up on the week of September 11 - meaning I need to cancel before a decision has been made on my points.
I had a single refund (for $26) on the Amex. Does that mean the MR will be clawed back?! If so that's crazy. All of my spend was organic and no MPX - although I did have some United seat upgrades, FareLock and food purchases reimbursed.
Aug 23, 2016, 11:44 pm
#846
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: BOS, MHT
Programs: AA ltg, B6, DL, UA, AS, SPG/Marriott Plt, HH, Hyatt
Posts: 10,052
DP here:
First Amex, used the same link, app'd and approved 5/11. Hit min on OS first month, zero MS. Points triggered second statement, held for 8 weeks, successfully xfered 60k and booked. No messages, emails, or otherwise. Paid my bills and fees and did not cancel. Please inquire any more details if you'd like.
It sounds like MS and/or canceling the card to avoid the AF are the culprits here. We're talking a limited population of accounts not automatically detected by algorithms being reviewed by mid-grade staff for fishy behaviors. Are you surprised on a "too good to be true" sort of deal? Be smart about future high signups. They make money on swipes, but signups are pure loss for them. CFPB and otherwise naggy behaviors only further alert them of your activities. Act like a normal customer and they'll treat you like one.
First Amex, used the same link, app'd and approved 5/11. Hit min on OS first month, zero MS. Points triggered second statement, held for 8 weeks, successfully xfered 60k and booked. No messages, emails, or otherwise. Paid my bills and fees and did not cancel. Please inquire any more details if you'd like.
It sounds like MS and/or canceling the card to avoid the AF are the culprits here. We're talking a limited population of accounts not automatically detected by algorithms being reviewed by mid-grade staff for fishy behaviors. Are you surprised on a "too good to be true" sort of deal? Be smart about future high signups. They make money on swipes, but signups are pure loss for them. CFPB and otherwise naggy behaviors only further alert them of your activities. Act like a normal customer and they'll treat you like one.
I would say that gives her account history some credibility.
Ms has not nec been the culprit here--how do you explain the people in this thread who did no ms but did get blocks or excuses holding their points? And where and when has amex come back to even point to specific purchases that may or may not count for points earnings? In the letter my wife sent, she asked why theyd be taking away 100k on the nose--why not say 100,505, for example, if in fact her $505 gc purchase at cvs should somehow have not counted? Why arent they then removing the points from the purchases themselves and only the bonus? Are they being nice? Sloppy maybe? How about just making things up.
If the link was bad, who was at the helm at your beloved amex who missed that? Why did they approve the cards gotten under that link? And if they did, why did they award the bonus? And then every department up to the supervisor level actually think we all had them in our accounts and they were ok?
It took pushes like complaints to the cfpb to expose this. Amex should know and hopefully is watching even this thread to figure out their blunder and make it right for people.
Youre high if you believe their side over ours.
Aug 24, 2016, 7:27 am
#847
Moderator
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Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,959
Aug 24, 2016, 7:39 am
#849
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 64
Aug 24, 2016, 7:44 am
#850
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I have advised my wife on canceling but she said she may find the lounge access for the next year useful and will probably do the airline credit next year too. Finally, we have a family member who might benefit from the global entry credit. But for mr this card is becoming quite useless as it is a currency neither of us will place further significant value in.
Aug 24, 2016, 7:49 am
#851
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
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I don't follow this arithmetic. In the very worst case scenario (no bonus) the net cost of the first 12 months is $50. If you are on a travel forum I daresay you travel enough to use $50+ of lounge access and other benefits in a full year.
Aug 24, 2016, 7:59 am
#852
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,710
Whatever you think about them toughing up, the way they have handled this from start to finish has been largely a debacle. No proactive communications, little setting of expectations (the freeze window duration or rather its start, has included just about every date imaginable from when you hit the spend threshold to when they started their investigation), complete non-sequitur answers from CSRs (your payment counts as return), granting points and then freezing/clawing them back because folks rightly or wrongly will get a sense of ownership over them and the setting of what I believe are false exceptions by CSRs (you did nothing wrong your points will be back within 72-hours--hope they are right for the guy's sake above but I really doubt it--I have seen several similar data points to this elsewhere so not just a one off).
Basically if Amex's strategy was to piss off the maximum number of customers they have gone about it splendidly well. Actually maybe that is their plan piss off the folks who applied so they go away on their own and don't have to be fired as customers. If so genius!
Last edited by 36902BRF; Aug 24, 2016 at 8:09 am Reason: spelling is hard
Aug 24, 2016, 7:59 am
#853
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We travel "a lot" but not for work and ive not once used the plat card for a lounge.
Feb vaca time: wife took kids to visit family in NL on DL biz so that gave them lounge access both ways.
I flew ua to ski in washington state and had a ua club voucher for me and friend
I flew aa home and used a cc with lounge access
Bos clt gcm in april w fam:
We were in clt airport for enough time to make it to the other gate and use the wc. No lounge needed altho my aa cc had lounge access for the fam
We flew ns on the way home
Bos-Muc in july w fam:
Ams-Bos return in aug
Flew bitness class on dl and its partners. Comes w lounge access
In this trip we traveled europe and visited 5 countries but not by plane except easy jet and the "lounge club" card which chase had sent me like a year ago worked in venice airport when we flew from there to ams. They wouldnt accept the amex plat to get in.
Bos-muc for oktoberfest again
This is in biz so can use lh or star A lounge both ways.
Bos cun w fam in nov. aa one way, b6 ns the other. May use aa lounge but it wont utilize the plat card
Wife may have use of it in 2017 but lounge is not the reason why she wanted the plat
Aug 24, 2016, 8:01 am
#854
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This is actually the part that surprises me. We are 8+ weeks into the debacle and Amex's front line CSRs still appear to have no clue what is going on. So basically folks are being forced to the CFPB to get an intelligent answer/action out of Amex.
Whatever you think about them toughing up, the way they have handled this from start to finish has been largely a debacle. No proactive communications, little setting of expectations (the freeze window duration or, rather its, start has included just about every date imaginable from when you hit the spent threshold to when they started their investigation), complete non-sequitur answers from CSRs (your payment counts as return), granting points and then freezing/clawing them back because folks rightly or wrongly will get a sense of ownership over them and the setting of what I believe are false exceptions by CSRs (you did nothing wrong your points will be back within 72-hours--hope they are right for the guy's sake above but I really doubt it).
Basically if Amex's strategy was to piss of the maximum number of customers they have gone about it splendidly well. Actually maybe that is their plan piss off the folks who applied so they go away on their own and don't have to be fired as customers. If so genius!
Whatever you think about them toughing up, the way they have handled this from start to finish has been largely a debacle. No proactive communications, little setting of expectations (the freeze window duration or, rather its, start has included just about every date imaginable from when you hit the spent threshold to when they started their investigation), complete non-sequitur answers from CSRs (your payment counts as return), granting points and then freezing/clawing them back because folks rightly or wrongly will get a sense of ownership over them and the setting of what I believe are false exceptions by CSRs (you did nothing wrong your points will be back within 72-hours--hope they are right for the guy's sake above but I really doubt it).
Basically if Amex's strategy was to piss of the maximum number of customers they have gone about it splendidly well. Actually maybe that is their plan piss off the folks who applied so they go away on their own and don't have to be fired as customers. If so genius!
Aug 24, 2016, 8:13 am
#855
Moderator
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Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,959
This episode is bad for those who applied, but it may also be important for the rest of us, because it is likely that we will see some changes in American Express policy or practice (which are not always the same.)