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 $6,500ą spend in a reward year˛, you will earn 1% on Everyday Purchasesł (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)
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
ą First '$6,500' is spend on all purchases.
˛ 'Reward year' is the 12 billing periods in a row beginning with the one in which the anniversary of your Card Account occurs.
ł '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 $6,500ą spend in a reward year˛, you will earn 1% on Everyday Purchasesł (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)
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
ą First '$6,500' is spend on all purchases.
˛ 'Reward year' is the 12 billing periods in a row beginning with the one in which the anniversary of your Card Account occurs.
ł '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)
Feb 8, 2014, 11:26 pm
#871
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,504
Can someone who can edit this Wiki add the following link to show what stores qualify for Amex BC for grocery stores, drugstores and gas. TIA.
https://www.americanexpress.com/us/c...fo/retail.html
https://www.americanexpress.com/us/c...fo/retail.html
Feb 8, 2014, 11:30 pm
#872
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,944
Can someone who can edit this Wiki add the following link to show what stores qualify for Amex BC for grocery stores, drugstores and gas. TIA.
https://www.americanexpress.com/us/c...fo/retail.html
https://www.americanexpress.com/us/c...fo/retail.html
Also note that the link can be confusing: the drug store list is complete, ONLY those stores get the credit. The other lists (apart from dept stores which doesn't apply here) are just lists of examples.
Feb 8, 2014, 11:40 pm
#873
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,504
Thats fine. At least it gives people and idea of what major chains are considered for each category. Its hard to guarantee something when its a small chain. Let people deal with it and they can add to the list if they see fit but they have to mention what state if its a small chain.
Feb 8, 2014, 11:42 pm
#874
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: New Jersey
Programs: Delta P, SPG G, Marriott S, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,007
Buying them isnt against the T&Cs (short of rewards earning) however in mass quantity it is a risk to the bank which they take issue with possibly more than the rewards pay out, at least from the FR teams perspective. Their main goal is to mitigate risk. Many have found a way to take advantage of the rewards but on the other side of it, it is also a way to run up your credit line, cash it out and default on the balance. Deadbeats seem to parallel our methods quite closely. We only see one side of the coin in the fantasy land that is FT......no one is coming on here to admit they are going to intentionally default after 30 grand in cash equivalents. FR reps see both sides of the coin all day every day.
Why did you pick 25 grand out of thin air? Simply because that is what you do?
Why did you pick 25 grand out of thin air? Simply because that is what you do?
I picked 25 grand as a rough number. A number that would be tough to justify without raising alarm bells.
There are many reasons to buy GC's, however there is a practical reason to. With anything we do, if you fall outside of the bell curve, you will get noticed.
I am fully aware of certain people who run hundreds of thousands of GC's through cards, however they have a good story and good numbers to back it up.
When I had my call from FR, I told them how I use gc's, in part, and they asked me outright how much I will be buying of them monthly. Account noted, done.
In a business account, it is very easy to justify why you are buying them.
Before I found MS, I had numerous clients who are earning $30k a month or more, but still were in the hole every month because of their spending. One easy answer for them, cards loaded with a limit.
In my neck of the woods, it is not out of the ordinary to make $25k a month and spend it. More likely a safer bet is $10k a month. As long as your income is there, you are not going to get trouble.
Now yes, someone who stated $40k income and running $25k, or even $10k a month in GC's.... that will be leading to a shut down, eventually.
$10 to 25k for a high income family, won't be issues. (as you have a solid reason for buying that many gc's.) your financial advisor told you to to control your spending.
If the income is not there, I agree, and even mentioned in prior posts, either someone getting ready to stick them with the bill, or layering and integrating dirty money.
I would be happy to chat with anyone about this via pm.
Worthless.The big picture is... MS looks A LOT like other either bad for business or illegal activity. Even though we don't have bad intentions, it is negligent, no, STUPID, not to know what everyone involved thinks of you, both store employees and cashiers, credit card companies, and your own banks (if you are depositing mo's.)
The average cashier or bank teller, is so focused on loss prevention, be it to fraud, charge backs, or ml, that they are force fed to err on the side of caution.
My first job, when I was 16, was as a cashier at a grocery store, and then staples. If someone looked suspicious, and we did something about it, even if we were wrong, gave the apology, but the store management would praise you for trying to prevent loss. If you did nothing at all, and god forbid you let someone make a large purchase (over $250 at staples, $500 at grocery store) without asking for id, your job was on the line.
When I was in Las Vegas, the past few visits, I was asked for my id on 5 transactions in about 2 days. Back home, unless I am visiting the city, I was asked for my ID twice in the past year, (not including the regular CVS DL scan), even since my cards are not signed typically or have ASK FOR ID in sharpie on them.
To some stores, it is a huge deal, particularly those that sell gc's, or in high crime areas, to others, they don't care as much... however just because anyone did not have or see issues, does not mean they are being talked about or looked at.
At a bank, large deposits of MO's, without a good reason, (business accounts more ok, such as you run apartment complex in poor area, most will pay rent with MO), you will likely be looked at, at least a SARS filed on you, however in all likelyhood nothing would come from it.
I know all of my clients personally, however I did have someone call us up and wanted to meet with a broker. I met with this person, who wanted to invest money for people overseas, and there would be regular deposits and withdrawals. The story just did not add up, and upon further investigation, there were other issues with that story. He had a SARS filed, and that led to investigation I believe as multiple institutions filed similar reports.
Sorry for the rant. I am not going to give you stupid people stories from Chase, Santander and BOA. lol. But... the moral is, their transactions look very similar to what regular MS looks like. The difference is the story.
Personally, if you want to go big, say $100k a month or more, the only safe way, sorry, the safest way, nothing truly safe is via a business. (but then you obviously have to report the income, do the account and all that fun stuff.)
Second best way is with high income to justify it, say $200k a year or so, and if you spread it and not just hitting Amex, same card.
Anything else, (once again high ms), will lead to shut down at one of the the places, most likely amex, second likely the intermediary, followed by bank, followed by stores. Simply because to any of those, it will look like, as
Switec mentioned.
At the simplest terms, its all about the story and making it "buy-able".
Considering I have relevant experience that can absolutely help others, from both the Retail and the banking side, that is why I am bothering to share. I have learned a lot from certain folks here on the forum. I give back when I can. I can just as easily only chat with friends via PM or offline and quietly and safely do my MS, without having to stay awake wondering if Bancorp or others would shut me down. granted I am not putting up huge numbers, but without too much effort it is easily ramped up. the hardest part is passing by a store without popping in just to pick up a few.
Your snark remark, I am not pissed off, just really wondering if you are too ignorant to heed my advice, OR I really came of douchey, in which case, I am sorry.
carry on. =)
Feb 9, 2014, 6:24 am
#875
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 97
I do appreciate your posts, but one comment I have is that you have gone out of your way to tout your experience and how much you know. I think that probably bothers some people. Your advice is general and reasonable but not always completely accurate. Policies vary greatly from FI to FI and from region to region. NY/NJ is considered a hotspot for ML and for fraud and the policies reflect that.
Most people here on FT can read the regs and official guidance and match what is learned from BSA/AML training. Knowledge from the actual practice is more valuable but also can be FI dependent.
Most people here on FT can read the regs and official guidance and match what is learned from BSA/AML training. Knowledge from the actual practice is more valuable but also can be FI dependent.
Feb 9, 2014, 12:43 pm
#878
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Los Angles
Posts: 2,101
Feb 9, 2014, 12:58 pm
#879
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,944
As the OP, my question was:
It's been pointed out on MyFico that you can still obtain the old Amex Blue (5% EDS after $6500 spend). While it is cash back rather than miles, have people here been using that card heavily (for some definition of heavily, e.g like 5x TYP!) buying VR or GC at CVS/supermarkets?
and I don't think all 59 pages of comment (including those by you) were strictly related to that either.
Feb 9, 2014, 7:27 pm
#881
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 12
Thanks for sharing your experience. I've wondered how I would explain things if I ever got a call from a credit card company. Your posts have given me some possible explanations for my CC activity.
Feb 9, 2014, 9:14 pm
#882
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 186
If they call, maybe ask if you can upgrade to a business version of BlueCash? Then don;t switch. Sound like a plausible idea?
Last edited by GeorgeMilesArnold; Feb 10, 2014 at 9:06 am
Feb 10, 2014, 8:33 am
#885
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 1,153
BCP/BCE can be a warning of the certain category. If a member starts to talk about BCP/BCE only, then that's an issue. But, if you get confused, I guess you can ask for a clarification.