United772A

I've been eyeing something like a Platinum card or maybe Delta for several years now, but can't seem to find out why I'm always declined. AmEx isn't even looking at my credit report - the system just files my request as rejected as soon as I click submit. But I don't know why...no one is really telling me why.

-I paid back a VERY small chargeoff from years ago = no recourse.
-Most phone numbers seem to point to clueless overseas agents.
-I tried writing a few letters to their executive offices = nothing.
-Corporate phone number in New York IS answered by a real person, but can't transfer without a name.

I don't need a massive credit limit right out of the gate. Does anyone have a known-good backdoor, or other way in they could share?

In theory - my solution could be as simple as getting a live, senior-level specialist from the U.S. on the phone who is willing to listen and has the authority to manually approve a denied application. (That's exactly how I got my Chase United Visa, in fact.)

Any insight?

mia

Do you not receive a letter or email stating the reasons for rejection?

commaspace

All card issuers/ debt lenders are obliged to mail you a letter with reasons when they reject your application for credit. It is the law, under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. Consult your rejection letter.

United772A

No - no seen anything...

mia

When was the first declined application submitted?

United772A

Back in April or so, I think - it was a little while back.

mia

Plenty of time to receive a letter. If you applied for a personal card, file a complaint here, not because you were declined, but because you did not receive a written explanation. The CFPB will not investigate, but they will forward the complaint to American Express who will respond to you.

Meanwhile, check your real credit scores (FICO, no other type), and obtain copies of your credit reports to verify that the information is accurate. It sounds as if you filed for bankruptcy. Is that still on your reports? Were you involved in more than one filing where American Express wrote off a balance, such as both personal and a business?

United772A

Yeah - lots of time, indeed. This was a personal card but I also gather filing a complaint wouldn't guarantee me an approval? I'd hate to go "poking beehives with a stick" in terms of said complaint getting me further blacklisted (from AmEx I mean), haha.

Bankruptcy = yes, forgot to mention Ch 7 in my post. I understand it will stay on a credit report for something insane, like 10-20 years? The micro-balance I mentioned earlier was included in that filing, but it was both my only filing and only card I've ever held with AmEx (personal, never had a business card). It has since been paid back to AmEx - that time they did respond with a letter confirming payment in full with no balance owing. Clearly, that's no golden ticket (despite an overseas rep stating otherwise) and there's something else.

mia

No, but it should get you the missing explanation.

Bradhattan

What was the need to escalate with Chase? Probably same reason you got denied for AMEX?

Steve M

... and, it can stay in Amex's records forever.

That's a bit odd to receive such a letter. You had no balance owed to them even before you made the payment if the debt was discharged in a Chapter 7. It may be so unusual that someone that doesn't owe them money pays anyway that they have no way to account for that internally. It could very well be that their system shows that you owed them money but had it discharged in a Chapter 7 (both of which are true if I'm understanding you correctly) and as a result they're not going to give you another bite at the apple. At the risk of being repetitive, the fact that you paid what you originally owed by didn't at the time you paid it may not have a way to be reflected in whatever system is rejecting your application.

mia

Previous discussions indicate that American Express is able to accept and apply payments for discharged debts, but that alone does not assure approval:

2007: old amex cards were in ch11 bankruptcy... worth paying them off to start a new?

2010: Denied for life??

Dr Jabadski

Amazingly astute deduction which upon first reading seemed to be out of thin air but upon reading OP’s reply is spot on.

Curious about bankruptcies and specifically in this case how that conclusion was reached? Based on “AmEx isn't even looking at my credit report - the system just files my request as rejected as soon as I click submit.”? (There must be other reasons an application is immediately rejected?) Based on information provided elsewhere? Thank you.

mia

Clue:

Dr Jabadski

Thank you. I didn’t understand the definition or the significance of the word “chargeoff”. Learn something new every day .

“A charge-off or chargeoff is a declaration by a creditor (usually a credit card account) that an amount of debt is unlikely to be collected. This occurs when a consumer becomes severely delinquent on a debt. Traditionally, creditors make this declaration at the point of six months without payment. A charge-off is a form of write-off.”