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Old Jan 8, 2014, 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)

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Old Oct 27, 2014, 4:07 pm
  #4666  
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,506
Originally Posted by sunnyface2011
In my case, both spouse and I have own OBC. Both the card quit MS a month ago after last statement (no MS at all, only regular spending on spouse card). Although the most recent use of spouse's OBC was on 10/12, that card was cancelled Last Friday afternoon on 10/24. Mine is still open with statement closing date today, only one transaction on 9/30 since last statement, but still worry about that it can be cancelled anytime.

Tried to close it today to avoid negative record but was offered $75 credit to keep it open. So accepted the offer and leave it open. Maybe it is not a wise idea. Every time looking at my email I am nervous about the Cancellation email, maybe really not worth it if bothering me this much.
No CC should give you that much headache. If you are that paranoid, I would just apply for a different CC right now to use as a replacement. At some point you need to move on. Its not the end of the world. If you really can't live without your drugstore fix, then apply for the Wells Fargo card which gives you 5% on drugstores, supermarkets for 6 months.
ericdabbs is offline  
Old Oct 27, 2014, 4:17 pm
  #4667  
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,506
Originally Posted by MikeR397
Who has been shutdown WITHOUT any activity since Tuesday and WAS shutdown the day after your statement generated. I'm concerned about a Tuesday morning bloodbath after all the 27th statements cut overnight.
Originally Posted by ronnyk
I get the sense a lot of people have a 27th-of-the-month closing date. Was the 21st or 22nd also a common one or do people's dates fall whenever. I have a few different Amex cards, one of which had a closing date of Sunday (statement just issued a hour ago) and the others are all at various other dates.

There have been a lot of attempts to correlate date around card usage, CLI and utilization, but I am not sure I have a sense of how closing date aligns with the mass cancellations on 10/22.
I think this DOOMSDAY theory that the 28th will be the day where the rest of us get axed is ludicrous. There is no reason why all of a sudden just because a statement cuts that Amex will axe you at the same time. I think if you were targeted, they are going to axe you regardless.

Although I do find it strange that in this situation that Amex waits until you use your card for any purchase after a certain cutoff date before notifying you of the cancellation. I am sure there are people who have their card statement cut on the 21st and haven't used the card since then are still alive.
ericdabbs is offline  
Old Oct 27, 2014, 4:27 pm
  #4668  
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Midwest
Programs: AA LT Gold 1MM ,Hyatt Explorist,Marriott Platinum,HHonors Diamond
Posts: 364
Originally Posted by MikeR397
Who has been shutdown WITHOUT any activity since Tuesday and WAS shutdown the day after your statement generated. I'm concerned about a Tuesday morning bloodbath after all the 27th statements cut overnight.
1/4 accounts here... The remaining three are still alive but statement closes tonight for all three ....so we should expect the emails early morning Black Tuesday...
OHijAAzi73 is offline  
Old Oct 27, 2014, 5:37 pm
  #4669  
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 13
Originally Posted by OHijAAzi73
1/4 accounts here... The remaining three are still alive but statement closes tonight for all three ....so we should expect the emails early morning Black Tuesday...
Statement closes on the 8th. Haven't used my card since the 22nd but have been sending in some payments since then. Not shut down yet.
querty122 is offline  
Old Oct 27, 2014, 5:48 pm
  #4670  
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,273
Originally Posted by Bikeguy
If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing.
Until you get shut down.
ZzzzX is offline  
Old Oct 27, 2014, 6:02 pm
  #4671  
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,273
Originally Posted by MikeR397
Who has been shutdown WITHOUT any activity since Tuesday and WAS shutdown the day after your statement generated. I'm concerned about a Tuesday morning bloodbath after all the 27th statements cut overnight.
Maybe, maybe not. I noticed the shutdowns started 7 days after that photo was posted of the statement.
ZzzzX is offline  
Old Oct 27, 2014, 6:02 pm
  #4672  
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 782
Originally Posted by njdealguy
Wonder if returning a item to a store that was originally purchased using OBC for a refund can also trigger a shutdown.

I bought a electronics item a couple weeks ago from Target for several hundred dollars that have decided to return. Given that Target gives 90 days to return a item, guess may wait out receiving the Sept & Oct rewards before doing the return.
AU did a return both on 10/23 & 10/24. Still alive.
gw14 is offline  
Old Oct 27, 2014, 6:09 pm
  #4673  
xp0
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 774
I know a bunch of people that either stopped spending, or continued spending, but where shut down when their statement closed. Tomorrow could be the end for many!
xp0 is offline  
Old Oct 27, 2014, 6:20 pm
  #4674  
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 49
Originally Posted by xp0
I know a bunch of people that either stopped spending, or continued spending, but where shut down when their statement closed. Tomorrow could be the end for many!
Tomorrow morning mass closures following statements is my concern. Could you ellaborate how many had a statement after the 22nd and woke up to emails of cancellations (presuming no other actiivty on teh card after the 22nd)? What time did those cancellations come?

I think OHijAAZi73 said his wife had a cancel email by 8am the day after her statement cut and no other activity.
MikeR397 is offline  
Old Oct 27, 2014, 6:37 pm
  #4675  
xp0
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 774
maybe a 1/2 dozen to a dozen people I've talked to. I think most were after the statement itself closed but before the statement posted online.
xp0 is offline  
Old Oct 27, 2014, 6:55 pm
  #4676  
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,273
Originally Posted by xp0
maybe a 1/2 dozen to a dozen people I've talked to. I think most were after the statement itself closed but before the statement posted online.
Perspective : out of how many accounts? How many exist that don't post on FT?
We don't know.
ZzzzX is offline  
Old Oct 27, 2014, 7:01 pm
  #4677  
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,506
We'll have to see what tomorrow brings but if I was a betting man, I say we won't see any massive shutdowns tomorrow for accounts that closes their statement on the 27th.
ericdabbs is offline  
Old Oct 27, 2014, 7:06 pm
  #4678  
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,273
Originally Posted by ericdabbs
We'll have to see what tomorrow brings but if I was a betting man, I say we won't see any massive shutdowns tomorrow for accounts that closes their statement on the 27th.
I'm thinking the same.
ZzzzX is offline  
Old Oct 27, 2014, 8:06 pm
  #4679  
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 299
BC

I'm a bit sarcastic, but what is the consensus ofany points being posted on these cancelled accts. I guess I'll know in the AM. I'm one of the 27th.
barrytuneup is offline  
Old Oct 27, 2014, 8:15 pm
  #4680  
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 50
Originally Posted by barrytuneup
I'm a bit sarcastic, but what is the consensus ofany points being posted on these cancelled accts. I guess I'll know in the AM. I'm one of the 27th.
Highly doubt they will post... cannot even see my remaining Reward dollars (~$17). Was shut down on 22nd and statement date is 27th...sigh
leebryant is offline  


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