Old Jan 8, 14, 2:22 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: TheDapperDon
Bonus category spending is now capped at $50k per year for new accounts. For now, this does not apply to existing cardholders, although Amex may continue to close accounts for excessive spend in bonus categories. This card is less viable as an MS instrument. Consider factors that may have led to these closures when sharing personal experiences.

Oct 22, 2014 onwards: Many people getting cancellation email from Amex. As of Dec 13, 2014, shutdown reports continue. Shutdowns appear to be triggered by spending on the card or upon statement closure, but not always

Some who have been shutdown are reporting back that AMEX is declining new non-OBC card applications due to "unsatisfactory relationship". (However, see here for an example where reconsideration was successful.) It is unclear at this time the length/extent of this Adverse Action/Ban.

Others have succeeded in getting new cards, including new OBCs, but consider your relationship with Amex and how much you value that and this card when deciding how to use it.

There might be some impact with other issuers. If AMEX sends you a cancellation it goes on your record as a cancellation by AMEX, not a cancellation by cardholder. While FICO score does not distinguish between closed by issuer and closed by cardholder, on manual review it may raise questions. However, issuers close cards for benign reasons as well (such as non-use) so unless several cards have been closed it probably won't cause a rejection by itself.

So, if you still feel it is worth it:
Application Link: Copy & paste the following link into a incognito window in Chrome or InPrivate Browsing in IE, Private Session in Firefox. There have been reports of people who got the card in the last couple of months getting shut down because of the rush to spend the initial $6,500.

Do NOT post "Link isn't working" until you have tried it incognito/private browsing and it fails there.

Code:
https://www304.americanexpress.com/credit-card/blue-cash/25330


Up to 5% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations & select U.S. drugstores (Everyday Purchases). Up to 1% Cash Back on other purchases. For your first $6,500¹ spend in a reward year², you will earn 1% on Everyday Purchases³ (5% after 6500), and 0.5% on other purchases (then 1%).

0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months.

Eligible purchases do NOT include fees or interest charges, balance transfers, cash advances, purchases of travelers checks, purchases or reloading of prepaid cards, or purchases of other cash equivalents. Additional terms and restrictions apply. (Presume these T&Cs are standard and that all credit cards state this)

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
¹ First '$6,500' is spend on all purchases.

² 'Reward year' is the 12 billing periods in a row beginning with the one in which the anniversary of your Card Account occurs.

³ 'everyday purchases' refers to U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations & select U.S. drugstores, not all purchases.

* Read the fine print for 'gas' purchases! Right from AMEX T&C's:
...Everyday Purchases are: ... $400 or less of gasoline at gas stations located in the U.S. (superstores, supermarkets and warehouse clubs that sell gasoline are not considered gas stations)... A >$400 purchase at a gas station will get 5% for the first $400 and 1% thereafter. E.g., for something, say, $503.95, you would earn $21.04 CB [($400*5%)+(103.95*1%)].

5% kicks in immediately after hitting $6500.(mid-statement). In fact, it will even kick in mid-purchase and a portion of the purchase will credit at the higher rate.

* Reward dollars for the previous statement period show up a day or two after the current statement period closes.

* Most cash back redemptions will be applied to your statement within 2–3 days.

* Helpful post regarding moving CL between cards. Thanks lad2

* How to Visually Distinguish the Three Types of Blue Cash Cards:
Blue Cash (old) has a "<" character to the left of the word CASH
Blue Cash Everyday has a circle to the right of the word CASH, with the "Everyday" wording at the back.
Blue Cash Preferred has the word PREFERRED printed vertically on the extreme left side.

If you get the error message "You cannot be logged in. Please contact the number on the back of your card." when trying to redeem Reward Dollars online, it may be because you have too many closed accounts still showing in your scrolling images of cards. Delete the closed ones, then try to redeem again.
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Old Amex Blue (2013-2014)

Old Mar 29, 14, 3:45 pm
  #1681  
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 67
Originally Posted by Lappie
Yes it is normal.

Your cashback doesnt start showing for another statement. Wait and it will show up.
Thank you so much. I'll wait and see.
SR99 is offline  
Old Mar 29, 14, 9:30 pm
  #1682  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 35
Is anyone spending at CVS using Serve or just beans? Any data points that serve counts 5x?
Slickdilla is offline  
Old Mar 29, 14, 9:40 pm
  #1683  
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,433
Originally Posted by Slickdilla
Is anyone spending at CVS using Serve or just beans? Any data points that serve counts 5x?
It won't matter in 2 days. But if you want to know just for kicks, doing Serve load at CVS counts as 5x.
ericdabbs is offline  
Old Mar 30, 14, 12:51 pm
  #1684  
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 18
They also count as 5x at "neighborhood markets"...

Stay thirsty my friends.

Originally Posted by ericdabbs
It won't matter in 2 days. But if you want to know just for kicks, doing Serve load at CVS counts as 5x.
adadakis is offline  
Old Mar 30, 14, 9:27 pm
  #1685  
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: World
Posts: 1,641
Originally Posted by adadakis
They also count as 5x at "neighborhood markets"...

Stay thirsty my friends.
Do these *ahem* markets offer any flavors of ice cream or other interesting products? I'm seeing two within an acceptable driving radius and curious if they'd be worth the trek
mster is offline  
Old Mar 30, 14, 9:28 pm
  #1686  
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 148
Well guess I have very little reason to try to convert/apply for this card now vis a vis CVS news. Do have the grocery option, but fees are are higher and grocery chain around here is jumpy regarding large dollar GC purchases.
rtwvagabond is offline  
Old Mar 30, 14, 10:40 pm
  #1687  
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 31
Originally Posted by adadakis
They also count as 5x at "neighborhood markets"...

Stay thirsty my friends.
As always though YMMV. Both neighborhood markets in my area are cash only for any bank issued prepaid debit.
sbuck is offline  
Old Mar 31, 14, 1:40 pm
  #1688  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: AA, SPG, MR, UR, Cash Back!
Posts: 606
I used my BC today and received a Fraud Alert. I called in and cleared it up, but I'm wondering if any AA might follow? I'm getting ready to be out of the loop for a few weeks and don't want to deal with any AA right now. I had planned to slow things down on the the 8th just have a little breathing room I leave out on the 22nd.

Any reason to be concerned?
Fuerza is offline  
Old Mar 31, 14, 1:59 pm
  #1689  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 252
How many days it take for the *transaction* to post? I did 2 yesterday, and it doesn't show in Pending yet. But the icecream was good. I don't think I got the icream for free, did I?
andres17 is offline  
Old Mar 31, 14, 2:04 pm
  #1690  
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Somewhere above the Mason-Dixon
Programs: DL Ham Samich
Posts: 1,638
Originally Posted by andres17
How many days it take for the *transaction* to post? I did 2 yesterday, and it doesn't show in Pending yet. But the icecream was good. I don't think I got the icream for free, did I?
You already know the answer to this question
RFDMinnesota is offline  
Old Mar 31, 14, 2:08 pm
  #1691  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: LAX, SNA
Posts: 359
Originally Posted by Fuerza
I used my BC today and received a Fraud Alert. I called in and cleared it up, but I'm wondering if any AA might follow? I'm getting ready to be out of the loop for a few weeks and don't want to deal with any AA right now. I had planned to slow things down on the the 8th just have a little breathing room I leave out on the 22nd.

Any reason to be concerned?
I can't promise anything, but a fraud alert is usually different from a FR. They are just trying to prevent someone from using your credit card. However, that can potentially put human eyes on the account, which may wonder why you are making such large purchases.

Did you talk to somebody to clear up the fraud alert or was it automated? The last time I had a fraud alert with Amex, I cleared it online.
dogbyte is offline  
Old Mar 31, 14, 2:38 pm
  #1692  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: AA, SPG, MR, UR, Cash Back!
Posts: 606
Originally Posted by dogbyte
I can't promise anything, but a fraud alert is usually different from a FR. They are just trying to prevent someone from using your credit card. However, that can potentially put human eyes on the account, which may wonder why you are making such large purchases.

Did you talk to somebody to clear up the fraud alert or was it automated? The last time I had a fraud alert with Amex, I cleared it online.
That's the strange part, I received the text alert, cleared it. But them I got another text requiring call in. When I called in it was an automated system. I then cleared via the automated system. On my way back (20 mins later) a person called me. I kindly said thank you for the alert; it was me yadda yadda. Then it was have a nice day.

Now I'm wondering because like you said there are eyes in my account. I'm not worried about the FR but the timing would be bad plus I have bills that come out on another Amex card.
Fuerza is offline  
Old Mar 31, 14, 8:15 pm
  #1693  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 252
Originally Posted by commdiver
I would highly suggest reading the first post in this thread. It is very insightful.
In the link you provided regarding the 3x CLI for AMEX, it says:

"Amex does NOT increase an account's credit limit during the first 60 days after it has been OPENED, or for at least 6 months from the last credit limit increase."

I am not 100% sure of what this means. When it says you have to wait 6 months from the last credit limit increase, is this regarding the last credit limit increase on that specific card? Or the last credit limit increase with AMEX?

I ask because I opened a BCP in October 2013 and successfully got a 3x CLI on that card in December 2013 (after the 60 days). I opened the BC on January 2014 (statement closing not the 27th by the way), and now I am in the 60 days mark. I wonder, can I ask now for a 3x CLI on my BC? Or do I have to wait until June for this?
andres17 is offline  
Old Mar 31, 14, 8:17 pm
  #1694  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,944
Originally Posted by andres17
In the link you provided regarding the 3x CLI for AMEX, it says:

"Amex does NOT increase an account's credit limit during the first 60 days after it has been OPENED, or for at least 6 months from the last credit limit increase."

I am not 100% sure of what this means. When it says you have to wait 6 months from the last credit limit increase, is this regarding the last credit limit increase on that specific card? Or the last credit limit increase with AMEX?
As I believe is explained in the link, it is 6 months from any credit increase on your account, so you can only (apply to) increase ONE card in a 6 month period.
silver6054 is offline  
Old Mar 31, 14, 8:22 pm
  #1695  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 252
Originally Posted by silver6054
As I believe is explained in the link, it is 6 months from any credit increase on your account, so you can only (apply to) increase ONE card in a 6 month period.
Bummer, that 3x CLI on my BCP is useless now with this card. Wish I could go back in time and talk to my younger self, tell him not to make this mistake in life.
andres17 is offline  

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