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 $6,500 spend in a reward year, you will earn 1% on Everyday Purchases (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)

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
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.

'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 23 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 4, 2014, 7:49 am
  #1141  
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Midwest
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 401
Originally Posted by ceobeaver
Download the amex ap. It will alert you when there is a fraud alert and give you the option of accepting the charge. You should be able to clear it up in seconds, not 30 minutes.
I had the ap, nothing came through (and have text alerts, etc...)

Finally got through to amex, and they mirrored what someone else said in either this thread or the other, CVS shut down the transaction, not Amex. They told me I was good to go.
thepaul500 is offline  
Old Mar 4, 2014, 10:26 am
  #1142  
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: CT
Programs: HHonors Silver
Posts: 429
Originally Posted by thepaul500
I had the ap, nothing came through (and have text alerts, etc...)
Same experience for me -- transactions declined at CVS, but no alert in the app or email. They called me hours later.
allanfan is offline  
Old Mar 4, 2014, 10:49 am
  #1143  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,944
Originally Posted by allanfan
Same experience for me -- transactions declined at CVS, but no alert in the app or email. They called me hours later.
Most of my declines have been fixed by reswiping (and I was also told lots of people having issues). But the Amex app worked well with alerts, except in my case it still required that I call. I got app notification, email and text!
silver6054 is offline  
Old Mar 4, 2014, 11:23 am
  #1144  
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 350
How many billing cycles does it take for cash-back to post?
NetBrowser07 is offline  
Old Mar 4, 2014, 11:34 am
  #1145  
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 182
Originally Posted by NetBrowser07
How many billing cycles does it take for cash-back to post?
It takes 1 billing cycle for cash back to post. Always 1 month behind

January's cash back will post once February's cycle closes.
golf7 is offline  
Old Mar 4, 2014, 12:00 pm
  #1146  
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 107
I got my January Statment in which I spent 6k+ at cvs and walgreens, and it shows the qualified yearly spend as $52 (groceries at safeway).

I thought people said vanilla reloads were working for them for 5% cb?
Jordancl is offline  
Old Mar 4, 2014, 12:10 pm
  #1147  
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 437
Originally Posted by Jordancl
qualified yearly spend as $52 (groceries at safeway).
Sorry bro, but your bad news, is good news for the rest of us...
vinhboy is offline  
Old Mar 4, 2014, 12:25 pm
  #1148  
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: In the ATL
Posts: 156
Originally Posted by allanfan
Same experience for me -- transactions declined at CVS, but no alert in the app or email. They called me hours later.
Same here, I just called after I got home when I was declined. Has happened twice so far but easily cleared up with calls to Account Protective Services. I have the app too and alerts are enabled, but I never get them for CVS nor do I get the texts on my phone even though I have it enabled at amex.com. I do get the emails but that's it and all they say is to do nothing if the charges are ok.
GTFan is offline  
Old Mar 4, 2014, 12:49 pm
  #1149  
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 350
Originally Posted by golf7
It takes 1 billing cycle for cash back to post. Always 1 month behind

January's cash back will post once February's cycle closes.
Thanks
NetBrowser07 is offline  
Old Mar 4, 2014, 1:18 pm
  #1150  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 920
Just got hit with an FR. Beware ye who enter here!
hitman1420 is offline  
Old Mar 4, 2014, 1:22 pm
  #1151  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: DFW
Posts: 246
Originally Posted by hitman1420
Just got hit with an FR. Beware ye who enter here!
Anymore details on spend habits? CL?
uneeq is offline  
Old Mar 4, 2014, 1:23 pm
  #1152  
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 437
Originally Posted by hitman1420
Just got hit with an FR. Beware ye who enter here!
So... what did they ask you? did you pass? how did you explain your activities? any consequences?
vinhboy is offline  
Old Mar 4, 2014, 1:26 pm
  #1153  
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 202
Originally Posted by hitman1420
Just got hit with an FR. Beware ye who enter here!
Damn! Me too! (See how easy it is to lie...)
Rick471 is offline  
Old Mar 4, 2014, 1:28 pm
  #1154  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 920
Will report back when over.
hitman1420 is offline  
Old Mar 4, 2014, 1:31 pm
  #1155  
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,036
Originally Posted by Jordancl
I got my January Statment in which I spent 6k+ at cvs and walgreens, and it shows the qualified yearly spend as $52 (groceries at safeway).

I thought people said vanilla reloads were working for them for 5% cb?
Well considering you haven't spent over $6500 yet, I don't see what your expecting 5% for...
ibleed0range is offline  

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