mia

Shutdown because of the type of spending used to earn the bonus, or shutdown when using a targeted offer not intended for the applicant would make sense.

Kagehitokiri

some of the claims were literally only doing a single targeted offer, whether true is question

one of them was like the upgrade offer i keep getting when i had plat in past

most here burn the miles, and like OP are diversified. a few of us never got into signup game, and have stockpiles and no diversification. if i did not have a stockpile i probably would not really care about potential credit history impact.

although i dont recall if ive ever seen a mention of issuer billing someone for points after they transfer and redeem them

esaphire3

These targeted NLL offers allowing people to get multiple SUB's a year for the same card has not been going on for long enough to know if there will be shutdowns/clawbacks.
But by the time we get any DP's on that the party will most likely be over.
Risk reaps reward. But it's definitely not for the faint of heart.

Dr Jabadski

Agreed, excellent points.

Updated DP: Few days ago applied for and instantly approved for my 3rd Biz Plat in 11 months, with a Biz Gold 2.5 months ago. Offer email received 2 weeks ago, I had been planning to apply for a Biz Gold targeted offer I received 2 months ago with similar expiration dates in April but chose the Plat instead.

Saw a Biz Gold pop-up offer when I logged onto AmEx yesterday and being a gluttonous SUB addict, clicked on it. (Yes, my bad, in my zeal completely forgot about “91 days between approvals for the same card” .) Pending review. Few minutes later received an email with “You can view our decision in your secure letter by using the link below. View Decision”. Few more links to see copy of rejection letter “The reason for our decision is that we have approved an application for the same type of card within the last few months.”

The email targeted Biz Gold offer link still works, expiration date in April, planning to apply again in about a month or two, once it’s been 95-120 days since last Biz Gold approval.

The emailed link took me to a page I’ve never seen before (excerpt below), had all my AmEx applications for the past 5-6 years. Interesting that Biz Plat emailed apps are listed as “Dummy Code” while Biz Gold emailed apps are listed as “American Express Business Gold Card”. For me, on this page, “Provide required information” and “In Progress” for old applications are euphemisms for declined.

I’m incredulous that AmEx continues to send me these targeted offers and continues to approve my applications . Makes retention decision easier, unlikely I’ll keep 3 Biz Plat accounts open, only need 1 for lounge access, so less motivation for the aggravation of a retention call or chat. I see a new Biz Plat account approval, within a month or 2 of another’s annual fee, as the equivalent of an accepted retention offer of ~173,000 MR (150K SUB + ~23K minimum spend/fee) for $295 ($695 minus two $200 airline fee credits) and $15,000 spend requirement and ~$300 fee for the tax payment. Biz Gold approval is basically 100,000 MR (90K SUB + 10K minimum spend) for $295 and $10,000 spend requirement and ~$200 fee for the tax payment.

Not sure when this gravy train will end but happy to play along until it does. If DFAS were to stop requiring a new W-4 form EVERY year in order to stop FITW I’d be a truly happy camper !

blitzen

If Amex would shut someone down for using offers -Amex targeted to her/him then they will loose the subsequent arbitration / lawsuit / …. Using offers targeted to someone else, buying GC, …. That is different.
somehow I assume people reporting shutdown after using an offer with NLL either used an offer targeted at someone else or did something else and the new card is not the reason.

Dr Jabadski

Okay, I confess, another rookie mistake, I hate getting old .

Just realized that when I did the Biz Plat application mentioned in the quote above, I did NOT confirm that “lifetime language” (LL) was NOT in the “Offer Terms”, didn’t even think about it at the time, just did the application process as quickly as possible, almost reflexively.

The “Apply Now” link in the targeted Biz Plat email takes me to a page which states “Offer Expired”. (FWIW, the “Apply Now” link in the Biz Gold targeted email expiring in April takes me to a page which does not have LL in the Offer Terms.) For my first 2 targeted email Biz Plats and Biz Gold I confirmed (and saved a screenshot) during the application processes that LL was not present. No “ineligible for bonus” pop-ups encountered during any of my 3 successful Biz Plat or 2 Biz Gold (1 declined) applications.

What is the likelihood that LL was in the Offer Terms and thus (presuming I meet the minimum spend) I’ll NOT receive the 150,000 SUB? (So far I’ve only charged $209.65 on the new Biz Plat, $9.65 trail grocery store first charge and $100 UA TB x 2 which was credited in 4 days, planning to meet minimum spend with 2021 tax due payments and/or 2022 estimated tax payments within the next month.)

Thank you.

SPN Lifer

NLL = No lifetime language.

In other words, no provision in the terms and conditions limiting applications to once (or other number) per lifetime.

For those less familiar with these acronyms, it is always best to define them parenthetically the first time they are used in a thread.

blitzen

I got 4 Biz Plat and 4 Biz Gold in 2021 all through either offers in my account or via email. And now I just got another Biz Gold offer in my email ….

jchock1

I thought 2 biz plats and 4 bus golds was a lot, which is what I've successfully opened in the last 12 months, ~650k SUB points. all with NLL language. Sounds like you have me beat. It's VERY hard not to apply for yet another card.

blitzen

True they make it hard not to add another card. They offered me another Gold (90k + 10k authorized user) but if it would be a Plat 120-150MR I would have applied.
Would be hard for them to shut me down as they offered and I took them up - no wrongdoing as they have all the data

schistosomiasis

Just got approved for my third biz plat in last 10 months (four in all), also got biz gold once (multiple other offers which I didn’t take). Having multiple cards also makes it easier to max out referral bonuses- I got 250,000 or so points last year from referrals to other (legit) business owners (most of whom love this card/ charge a lot to AMEX/ etc). Multiple friends have two or three amex biz plat. I wonder why Amex is helping us out- marketing, or rewarding loyal customers who charge a ton and refer others?

steveholt

I've gotten three Biz Plat e-mails and now a Biz Gold e-mail in the last eight months. Applied for two Biz Plats and approved for both, figure I should go for the Gold now. Not going to do anything MS-y with spend, all genuine, and no lifetime language in the offers.

dk1180

If there was LL language in the Offer Terms, wouldn't the same language be within the big packet of Offer Terms that they mail along with the new card?

mia

All you need to do is Chat or Speak with Customer Service, "Please remind me of terms of the new card offer, number of points, required spend, and the date by which I must make the spend." Do not lead them by suggesting an answer, make them tell you the specifics." If you are not eligible they should tell you that there is no offer.

blitzen

But wait until a few days after you got the card as when I did the same they couldn’t tell me early on and advised me to call once I have the card