Dr Jabadski

I’ve received my share of pop-up, email and AmEx Offers targeted (no lifetime language) offers but in keeping with Murphy’s Law, sometimes NOT when I’d like to apply. I recall receiving an email offer a month or 2 ago with April 2022 expiration date which I cannot find right now, might have permanently deleted or inadvertently put in junk folder. (I did find an email offer from June with September expiration, that link eventually leads to an AmEx “offer expired” webpage.)

Is there a way to induce a targeted offer, perhaps with usage of a different AmEx card or requesting from AmEx? Anyway to have a permanently deleted email offer re-sent (by AmEx) or otherwise retrieved?

Thank you.

mia

For which card?

Dr Jabadski

Biz Gold. My questions are of a more general nature, not specifically regarding a specific card. Thank you.

mia

Understood, but if I happened to have the same offer it might help you find it in your email archive.

I see an email dated 18 September 2021, expiring 31 January 2022 with Subject: You could earn 90,000 Membership Rewards points after you apply to add the Business Gold Card

More often I see Business Gold offers when I login to americanexpress.com. Perhaps you saw it there, rather than in an email?

Dr Jabadski

Quote:

Originally Posted by mia

… if I happened to have the same offer it might help you …

Thank you, very gracious. Best I recall it was an email. Sometimes I delete email from the internet platform before downloading to Outlook and the server periodically permanently deletes from the “Deleted” folder after 2-3 months, right now nothing prior to 9/30/21. Although now that you’ve busted my bubble (reminded me on the other thread, thank you) my intrigue about a Biz Gold has decreased. Now it would just be for the SUB, not the tens of thousands of MR gravy train I had been dreaming about when I irrationally prematurely fantasized that estimated tax payments would earn 4x .

It would still be educational to read of any methods which might induce a targeted offer, for future reference

Dr Jabadski

This post can only be read, especially you mia, upon agreement NOT to LOL ROFL laugh AT me . Feel free to laugh WITH me . Please not AT me !

I found the aforementioned offer. It was a snail mail hard copy offer (redacted image below). It’s been on my desk, right in front of me, since I received it a while (2-4 weeks?) ago, under a small pile of other stuff. Even more fascinating/bothersome (from aging memory point of view) is that I posted an excerpt of the T&C on a different thread just 2 weeks ago and STILL forgot about it. I HATE when that happens!

Thanks again mia, greatly appreciate your wisdom and assistance.

BREAK

I can easily understand how scanning the QR code will indicate my “targeting” to AmEx but the “Apply today at …” link goes to a generic application page which requires logon. Presumably this indicates that “targeting” information in one’s AmEx profile/accounts, which is why some other people (those not targeted) cannot use the same application link, is that correct? Thank you.

SPN Lifer

NLL = No lifetime limit

mia

As it happens, this week I received an email offer for Business Gold with the April 2022 expiration date. The email title is: Welcome offer for Dennis: You could earn 90,000 Membership Rewards points after you apply to add the Business Gold Card.


If I applied for your targeted offer American Express would display an error message after I logged in. The error message would not explain that I had not been targeted. It would look like a temporary technical malfunction, but it's not. Requiring a login is their current way of restricting targeted offers.

Dr Jabadski

I’m starting to feel like a gluttonous pig being led to slaughter. 2 Biz Plats and 1 Biz Gold this year via targeted NLL offers, one of which AmEx forgot to charge the first year’s annual fee. 340,000 total SUB MR. Just received another emailed offer, 2.5 weeks after most recent approval.

Other than 91 days between approvals for the same card, are there any limitations to approvals for these targeted NLL offers?

Unless AmEx offers a highly lucrative retention bonus, I do not anticipate keeping multiple accounts of the same type open. I cannot foresee keeping any of the Biz Gold accounts open, the ongoing benefits are not worth it (for me). Presuming even a marginal retention bonus offer I’d probably keep one Biz Plat open for lounge access.

AmEx states “If we in our sole discretion determine that you have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with the welcome offer in any way … cancel or downgrade your account within 12 months after acquiring it … we may not credit Membership Rewards points … we may freeze Membership Rewards points … we may take away Membership Rewards points... We may also cancel this Card account and other Card accounts you may have with us.”

What’s the consensus opinion about cancelling multiple accounts at 12.9 months each? Do we think AmEx will figure it out after several 12.9 month cancellations? Might AmEx consider multiple 12.9 month cancellations to be “abuse, misuse, or gaming”?

Do we think that AmEx is playing a long game, after a year or 2 or 3 of reeling us in with generous retention offers AmEx will discontinue (generous) retention offers and AmEx will then feast on our annual fees?

MaxVO

So are you worried about being prepped for slaughter or not feeding enough?
Perhaps your major risk is non-diversification. AmEx is really skilled at making customers jump through hoops. You may not have time left to sample the competition. If AmEx should decide that you're no longer profitable to them at some point, and cut you off -- it may become uncomfortable for awhile without some back-up banks.

Kagehitokiri

dont think there is anything about after 12 months so far, when they clearly say 12 months

but there are claims of accounts being closed after doing NLL offers, and other offers. even though i have never gotten a bonus from amex charge cards (personal gold > plat > gold) i dont think i will ever apply or upgrade again or do referral or pay over time, because i do not want to risk my point balance and credit history over "welcome offer (s) that we did not intend for you" (note that supersedes NLL)

i keep getting upgrade to plat offers now that i am gold. annoying that i never got a bonus for plat or gold, so lifetime does not even apply to me in the first place, but just not worth the risk (credit history length/average) for me.

would be nice if they came up with new terms and new formats for offers etc, but seems unlikely. amex goal is high spend accounts, dont think they care about anything else.

mia

American Express's terms do not mention the word lifetime, not do they mention previous bonuses, the rules refer only to previously holding the card. However, a charge card obtained by upgrade or downgrade doesn't seem to register in the database that disallows bonuses.

Dr Jabadski

Great question, thank you. With 8-9 million in SUB miles and points I think I’m feeding quite enough. Definitely the former. 😊😊

Thanks for your concern, I believe I’m properly diversified. Currently have 10-12 cards from 6 different issuers (in addition to AmEx cards). I’ve maintained multiple sock-drawered card accounts for over 40 years, going back to when reward programs didn’t exist and I refused to use a card with an annual fee, wanted to have back-ups to choose from in case I had to close my main account due to a new annual fee.

Still wondering about the limits, if any, to AmEx targeted NLL offers.

mia

1) There is reportedly now a ten charge card limit per person.
2) Offer terms explicitly discourage closing cards in first 12 months.
3) There are also pacing limits:
Applying for 2 or more AMEX cards on the same day.
Only 3 Amex card applications allowed in 90 days? [USA]

So long as you apply for offers sent directly to you by American Express you won't run afoul of the "not intended for you" restriction.
Additional charge cards represent no incremental credit risk. Opens charge cards seem unlikely to attract a Financial Review unless the spending is disproportionate to your KNOWN income and assets.

Kagehitokiri

mia, i have no idea what the discussion here has been, and obviously i trust FT, but there are reports on the usual suspect websites of people claiming complete closure for doing targeted offers.