Jan 8, 2014, 2:22 pm
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.
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 6500⁴), 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%)].
⁴ 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.
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 6500⁴), 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%)].
⁴ 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.
Old Amex Blue (2013-2014)
Dec 27, 2014, 5:53 am
#6286
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 212
After shutdown and after paying off the balance, has anyone received a last statement reflecting the zero balance?
Dec 28, 2014, 7:10 am
#6288
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 212
Has anyone managed to get the reward dollars for purchases made in the very last month before being shutdown?
Dec 28, 2014, 1:01 pm
#6290
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 234
So are people getting approved and immediately shutdown or only if you catch their attention? I just applied and was approved for $20k.
Dec 28, 2014, 1:23 pm
#6292
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,710
.
Dec 28, 2014, 1:34 pm
#6293
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 234
For your first $6,500 of eligible purchases in the 12
billing periods in a row beginning with the one in
which the anniversary of your Card Account occurs
(reward year), you will receive a reward of 1% on
Everyday Purchases and a reward of 0.5% on all
other eligible purchases. For each dollar of eligible
purchases in excess of $6,500 in that same reward
year, you will receive a reward of 5% on Everyday
Purchases and a reward of 1% on all other eligible
purchases. If your billing cycle changes, the length
of your reward year will also change.
Everyday Purchases are eligible purchases:
● made at supermarkets located in the U.S.
(superstores and warehouse clubs are not
considered supermarkets)
● of $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), and
● made at U.S. locations of select major
drugstores. (The current list of select major
drugstores is available at americanexpress.com/
rewards-info.)
billing periods in a row beginning with the one in
which the anniversary of your Card Account occurs
(reward year), you will receive a reward of 1% on
Everyday Purchases and a reward of 0.5% on all
other eligible purchases. For each dollar of eligible
purchases in excess of $6,500 in that same reward
year, you will receive a reward of 5% on Everyday
Purchases and a reward of 1% on all other eligible
purchases. If your billing cycle changes, the length
of your reward year will also change.
Everyday Purchases are eligible purchases:
● made at supermarkets located in the U.S.
(superstores and warehouse clubs are not
considered supermarkets)
● of $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), and
● made at U.S. locations of select major
drugstores. (The current list of select major
drugstores is available at americanexpress.com/
rewards-info.)
Dec 28, 2014, 2:12 pm
#6294
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 57
Did you read the cap in the app page when you applied?
Their T&Cs online and paperwork probably haven't been updated yet...
Their T&Cs online and paperwork probably haven't been updated yet...
Dec 28, 2014, 2:23 pm
#6295
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,837
After your first $6,500 in purchases, you will receive 5% on Everyday Purchases up to $50,000 and 1% on other purchases.
Dec 28, 2014, 5:56 pm
#6296
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 252
I am a current holder of the Blue Cash Preferred card. When I first got the BCP card, I applied within a month or so for the OBC. I was declined for the OBC since they said I wasn't able to have more than one Blue Cash product. Looking over this thread for a while, it seems this isn't true. They denied the second card without pulling my credit, they first said it looked like a duplicate application, and then later said I couldn't have two of the same type of product.
Do you think the issue was that I applied too soon for the two cards? I'd like to get the OBC now that my WF 6mo is about to end. I spoke with a rep via chat and they said I can have both the BCP and the BC Everyday so I'm guessing they would allow the BCP/OBC combo. I didn't ask specifically about that card. The application/denial was back in April 2014 so I think enough time should have passed by now.
Thanks in advance.
Do you think the issue was that I applied too soon for the two cards? I'd like to get the OBC now that my WF 6mo is about to end. I spoke with a rep via chat and they said I can have both the BCP and the BC Everyday so I'm guessing they would allow the BCP/OBC combo. I didn't ask specifically about that card. The application/denial was back in April 2014 so I think enough time should have passed by now.
Thanks in advance.
Dec 28, 2014, 6:58 pm
#6297
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Los Angles
Posts: 2,101
Dec 28, 2014, 7:56 pm
#6298
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,837
50k at 5% = 2500
2565/56500 = 4.5% not bad if you amex doesn't shut you down
Dec 29, 2014, 12:44 am
#6299
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 31
I'm in CA. My account will be closed around 1/10 (30 days from the notice date). The last statement was closed on 12/26. So I think I can get the rewards on November's spending without any problem. Any suggestion on how I can get the rewards on December's spending? If I do online chat with them, will they see my December's spending rewards?
Dec 29, 2014, 9:13 am
#6300
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 78
I can see how some of you think the new terms are not worth it. You/we have been spoiled by riches. But why ignore a very cute girl interested in you just because you had the pleasure of dating a supermodel. You could just wait for another supermodel but that may never happen, unless you are a QB for the Patriots.