Amex (USA) restricts bonus based on number of accounts opened/closed (June 2018)
Aug 28, 2019, 7:19 pm
#347
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Hilton, Hyatt House, Del Taco
Posts: 5,378
Yeah, it would be very surprising if AMEx let you double-dip by giving you sign-on bonus for Surpass Card one year then gave another bonus for no-fee Hilton card the next year.
Aug 28, 2019, 9:21 pm
#348
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: California
Programs: American, SWA, United, IHG,Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott
Posts: 1,843
I know someone who did that and got approved. Same situation as me. Actually worse. They don’t spend as much on Hilton hotels on the card. I spend more. So why them and not me?
Aug 29, 2019, 8:51 am
#349
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
A better question might be "why either?" When did the other person get approved, vs your attempt? If yours was later, perhaps Amex has improved their algorithm. From the reports here, it definitely seems that there has been some fairly recent tweaking of the criteria used to generate the "no bonus for you" pop-up, and that it's not nearly as simplistic as it used to be.
Aug 29, 2019, 8:58 am
#350
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: California
Programs: American, SWA, United, IHG,Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott
Posts: 1,843
A better question might be "why either?" When did the other person get approved, vs your attempt? If yours was later, perhaps Amex has improved their algorithm. From the reports here, it definitely seems that there has been some fairly recent tweaking of the criteria used to generate the "no bonus for you" pop-up, and that it's not nearly as simplistic as it used to be.
Aug 30, 2019, 7:33 am
#353
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
We have a few anecdotal reports of bonus denials for people who did not see the Pop-Up. I doubt that the American Express system 100% reliable with every operating system, browser, security settings combination, but I am also confident that many people do not read carefully and might click thorough a warning without remembering.
Aug 30, 2019, 10:27 am
#354
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Southern California
Programs: Alaska MVP 75K, Delta Plat, Bonvoy Ambasador, Hilton diamond.
Posts: 527
I can confirm bonus denial
We have a few anecdotal reports of bonus denials for people who did not see the Pop-Up. I doubt that the American Express system 100% reliable with every operating system, browser, security settings combination, but I am also confident that many people do not read carefully and might click thorough a warning without remembering.
Sep 1, 2019, 8:50 pm
#355
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: GE, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,508
Just got the popup with the Schwab Platinum targeted 100K offer. The last AmEx related thing I did was take advantage of an 100K upgrade offer from the regular SPG to SPG Luxury/Bonvoy Brilliant around a year ago; I still have that card. I also have some nominal spend (~$150-200) every month on the Blue Business card.
Oh well, I guess Chase is going to get the interchange from the large purchase I need to make.
Oh well, I guess Chase is going to get the interchange from the large purchase I need to make.
Sep 3, 2019, 5:53 am
#356
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 8
Data points...
My wife received the "bonus popup message" a few times in 2019. Contacted the Amex Executive Office. They flat out REFUSE to tell you the reasoning behind getting flagged. All they can say is that you have been flagged as a "rewards abuser." They also flat out refuse to tell you when that label will drop off. She waited a few months. Got approved for 2 new Amex cards. And is now flagged yet again. Oddly, while being flagged, she got approved for the Green biz card. But continued to get flagged for anything/everything else before & after that. Contacted the Executive Office once again. Same story as before. Flagged by the algorithms Amex uses. Their new CEO has a science+data background, so you can expect a whole lot more of this type of stuff in the future. They refuse to provide any specific details. She hasn't closed any accounts in well over a year -- and none less than 1yr ever. No manufactured spend. No points selling. No nonsense or games or wrong-doing of any kind. She's never had a Platinum, Platinum biz, Gold, Gold biz, or Delta card of any kind in her entire life. So it's not like she is some big churn person. We both operate/spend the exact same way. I have 10 Amex cards. No issues. Never been flagged. It's nearly impossible to figure out what the precise reasoning is behind their decisions. If they don't tell you what you're doing "wrong," then it's pretty difficult to adjust your behavior accordingly. Made that point to the Amex Executive Office. They simply do not care. They will not budge at all. No insights from them whatsoever. There is no obvious factor to point to like x/24, inquiries, spend, bonuses received, etc, etc. It's a huge mystery as far as what activity it is that gets a person flagged...how long it lasts...when/why the "rewards abuser" label drops off...etc. Amex apparently *LIKES* it that way. It seems all you can do is take a 6mon break (give or take) and then try/apply again.
Sep 3, 2019, 6:28 am
#357
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2009
Location: South Park, CO
Programs: Tegridy Elite
Posts: 5,678
I was just denied a 50K gold personal card bonus recently with no explanation. No pop-up or any other notice that I was ineligible for the bonus. Application was directly from the american express website with my user ID logged in and my browsing to the "explore cards" tab. I have never held a personal gold or platinum card. Still "fighting it" by leveraging biz centurion customer care; not looking hopeful.
Did she receive the welcome bonus for those 2 approved cards? Which cards were they?
Sep 3, 2019, 2:30 pm
#359
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2009
Location: South Park, CO
Programs: Tegridy Elite
Posts: 5,678
Sep 3, 2019, 3:42 pm
#360
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: GE, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,508
Maybe they're calculating how much in the way of benefits you've used and subtracting that from the amount you've made them (AF + interchange + interest). If that's the case, some might need to put significant spend on existing cards and/or opt not to take advantage of e.g. free night certificates or airline credits--and that's something that's going to depend more on the individual cardholder than anything else.