AMEX Bonvoy Brilliant "forfeited" points!?
Apr 14, 2019, 12:08 pm
#1
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AMEX Bonvoy Brilliant "forfeited" points!?
WHAT is the deal with this? I saw I had like 16,000 forfeited points because I paid my bill ~2 weeks after the billing period ended (simply forgot). So I pay the full bill...I pay the "late fee" then they want to charge another fee on top to "reinstate" the points you earned? This is nonsense. Shouldn't the late fee be the penalty?
Apr 14, 2019, 4:42 pm
#3
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No, these are separate. One is an automatic penalty if you fail to pay as required. $35 is optional reinstatement fee. It's all here:
https://www.americanexpress.com/cont...03-28-2019.pdf
https://www.americanexpress.com/cont...03-28-2019.pdf
If we do not receive the Minimum Payment Due by its Payment Due Date, the fee is $27. If this happens again within the next 6 billing periods, the fee is $38. However, the late fee will not exceed the Minimum Payment Due. Paying late may also result in a penalty APR.
If the Minimum Payment Due is not paid by the
Closing Date of the billing period in which it is due,
you will forfeit the Points you received for eligible
purchases during that billing period. For example,
if your billing period closes January 15 and the
minimum payment for that billing period is due on
February 10, and you do not make that minimum
payment due by the close of your next billing period
on February 15, then you will not earn Points for
spend in the billing period ending February 15.
You may reinstate those Points within the next 12
billing periods if your Card Account is not past due
and you pay a $35 fee.
Closing Date of the billing period in which it is due,
you will forfeit the Points you received for eligible
purchases during that billing period. For example,
if your billing period closes January 15 and the
minimum payment for that billing period is due on
February 10, and you do not make that minimum
payment due by the close of your next billing period
on February 15, then you will not earn Points for
spend in the billing period ending February 15.
You may reinstate those Points within the next 12
billing periods if your Card Account is not past due
and you pay a $35 fee.
Apr 14, 2019, 4:47 pm
#4
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You'd think so, but the obstinate woman on the phone was not very understanding. If extorting me $35 is the hill AMEX wants to die on, perhaps I should reconsider our 15+ year relationship and move my business elsewhere.
Apr 14, 2019, 4:50 pm
#5
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Apr 14, 2019, 4:57 pm
#7
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Are the points lost by the OP worth the $35 reinstatement fee?
Apr 14, 2019, 8:03 pm
#8
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At just one cent per point, 16,000 points is $160. So, yeah, I think so.
Apr 14, 2019, 9:11 pm
#9
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I paid my bill the first few days of the month in full. This charge posted in the middle of the month, that billing cycle closed around 17th of the month. I paid my bill again in full in beginning of the next month, less than 1mo after the charge posted AND paid the late fee they hit me with. Does it not seem objectively stupid that I have 1. paid all the $ owed on my bill, 2. paid the late fee and still they want to charge me ANOTHER fee for points I already "earned" with the spend? If I had a bill that was outstanding for months or something i'd understand, but this is just dumb and you'd think any customer service agent would be like "OK, we'll waive the fee this time but please make sure to pay on time!" Like I said, if AMEX wants to ruin a 15+ year relationship over $35 they're welcome to. I've shifted most of my spend to Chase, I'm happy to bring the rest over. Shouldn't the "penalty" for late payment be the late fee? Not late fee + another BS fee?
Apr 14, 2019, 9:30 pm
#10
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Maybe they'll give you a courtesy waive or two. Or you can send it as a "reader mistake story" to one of the bloggers for a chance to win a gift card haha.
Last edited by buylowsellhigh; Apr 14, 2019 at 9:42 pm
Apr 15, 2019, 7:51 am
#11
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I'm sorry but we're just numbers to Amex and basically all credit card companies... even if you spend millions a year they're probably not going to notice that you moved over to chase... just saying, lol. Its a lame rule, but in this game we basically need to pay by the rules to maximize our points.... the only loyalty to Amex (or any cc company) is whoever that gives the best bonus spend, and then the card gets switched out, lol.
Maybe they'll give you a courtesy waive or two. Or you can send it as a "reader mistake story" to one of the bloggers for a chance to win a gift card haha.
Maybe they'll give you a courtesy waive or two. Or you can send it as a "reader mistake story" to one of the bloggers for a chance to win a gift card haha.
Apr 15, 2019, 1:44 pm
#12
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Why not? A good thing to do, even if you don't plan to use it, is to enable autopay for at least the minimum payment. Only if you make no payment yourself will the autopay do anything, but in that case, it will save you from the late payment fee, losing your points, and potentially getting kicked up to the penalty APR. I can see why some people don't feel comfortable with autopay for the entire balance, as they may be carrying a balance on an ongoing basis, or occasionally don't have the full amount that is due. But I can't think of a good reason to not have a minimum-payment autopay enabled, even if you don't plan to use it (unless your finances are such that you think you may not be able to make even the minimum payment on time, but then you probably have much larger issues).
Apr 15, 2019, 2:06 pm
#13
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I don't like autopay because I like to review my bill and make sure that I actually charged everything on there. More than a few times/year there are discrepancies and it's a lot easier to have the charge removed before you pay the bill, than to pay then try to claw back $ after the fact. I always pay my balance in full.
Apr 15, 2019, 2:12 pm
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Apr 15, 2019, 2:15 pm
#15
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I don't like autopay because I like to review my bill and make sure that I actually charged everything on there. More than a few times/year there are discrepancies and it's a lot easier to have the charge removed before you pay the bill, than to pay then try to claw back $ after the fact. I always pay my balance in full.