MSing GCs with Amex
Jun 21, 2020, 2:48 pm
#31
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,857
Jun 21, 2020, 6:36 pm
#32
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: CA
Programs: BA, AA, United
Posts: 429
reg 10k of MS, if you have been MS'ing on other AMEX cards, there should be no issues putting 10k of spend on hilton card. It also depends on your CL, to be extra safe you can MS say 3k first, pay it, then repeat it.
Aug 9, 2020, 3:54 pm
#33
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: SFO/LAX/SAN/LAS/DFW/JFK/LGA/EWR/MIA
Posts: 1,073
nobody is safe from HH and marriott grocery bonus MS. people who MS only 2k got clawback. of course, some slipped thru.
Aug 14, 2020, 5:20 pm
#34
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: UR, Marriott, AA, WN, Chick Fil A Red
Posts: 182
I got regular bonus spend at grocery, but not SUB. It's been over 2 weeks. 12x points are in Hilton acct but 175k SUB is not showing as earned yet. Used to amex bonuses posting immediately.
Aug 14, 2020, 6:17 pm
#35
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,948
They clawed back my June points in July, and they just clawed back my May points. It will be interesting to see what if anything posts when my August statement closes. I halted grocery spending on the card in June. Hopefully we can get back to normal. Lesson learned by me!
Aug 15, 2020, 7:43 am
#36
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: Continental Onepass, Hilton, Marriott, USAir and now UA
Posts: 6,439
They clawed back my June points in July, and they just clawed back my May points. It will be interesting to see what if anything posts when my August statement closes. I halted grocery spending on the card in June. Hopefully we can get back to normal. Lesson learned by me!
) done on a once a week basis.I have not had any of my points to this date clawed back. I am well under my CL and only pay my card when the bill arrives in the mail.
In other words, my account looks just like 99% of Amex's customers. It is when accounts starts to behave outside the standard (high dollar volumes at stores where those levels make no sense, cycling the account, charging to the credit line limit, etc.) is when Rats start to sniff.
And nosy rats produce poop in places you don't like
Aug 15, 2020, 9:39 am
#37
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,948
Buried within my $6-8K in spend on my Hilton card is several grocery store purchases on >$500 (but not much greater ) done on a once a week basis.
I have not had any of my points to this date clawed back. I am well under my CL and only pay my card when the bill arrives in the mail.
In other words, my account looks just like 99% of Amex's customers. It is when accounts starts to behave outside the standard (high dollar volumes at stores where those levels make no sense, cycling the account, charging to the credit line limit, etc.) is when Rats start to sniff.
And nosy rats produce poop in places you don't like
) done on a once a week basis.I have not had any of my points to this date clawed back. I am well under my CL and only pay my card when the bill arrives in the mail.
In other words, my account looks just like 99% of Amex's customers. It is when accounts starts to behave outside the standard (high dollar volumes at stores where those levels make no sense, cycling the account, charging to the credit line limit, etc.) is when Rats start to sniff.
And nosy rats produce poop in places you don't like
Aug 15, 2020, 3:52 pm
#38
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: SFO/LAX/SAN/LAS/DFW/JFK/LGA/EWR/MIA
Posts: 1,073
They clawed back my June points in July, and they just clawed back my May points. It will be interesting to see what if anything posts when my August statement closes. I halted grocery spending on the card in June. Hopefully we can get back to normal. Lesson learned by me!
Aug 16, 2020, 7:59 pm
#39
Join Date: Jun 2020
Posts: 170
https://www.wsj.com/articles/an-amex...de-11597397402
Amex RATS so busy clawing back pennies on retail cards that they can't even keep their own house in order....hilarious.
"Ms. Lewis said she saw some AmEx employees routinely submit corporate card applications without verifying the companies’ financial information, pocketing commissions each time. Beginning in 2018, Ms. Lewis said, she alerted higher-ups about those complaints. But AmEx, she said, had created a culture where employees can get rewarded for breaking rules."
Oct 16, 2020, 9:40 am
#40
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: CHS
Programs: Delta, AA, BA, United, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Honors Diamond, SPG Marriott Gold, Sixt Platinum
Posts: 1,142
They are watching me.
I’ve been taking advantage of an Amex 10x spending bonus at Gas Stations for hotel points. A few times a week I visit my convenience store that sells Gas and VGCs.
After making my purchase today, for 1 card, the friendly clerk said, “you know, we get a phone call every time you come in , asking if you just put about 490 on a gift card.”
i asked if it was Amex or the gift card company. She didn’t know.
After making my purchase today, for 1 card, the friendly clerk said, “you know, we get a phone call every time you come in , asking if you just put about 490 on a gift card.”
i asked if it was Amex or the gift card company. She didn’t know.
Oct 16, 2020, 4:21 pm
#41
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: Continental Onepass, Hilton, Marriott, USAir and now UA
Posts: 6,439
I’ve been taking advantage of an Amex 10x spending bonus at Gas Stations for hotel points. A few times a week I visit my convenience store that sells Gas and VGCs.
After making my purchase today, for 1 card, the friendly clerk said, “you know, we get a phone call every time you come in , asking if you just put about 490 on a gift card.”
i asked if it was Amex or the gift card company. She didn’t know.
After making my purchase today, for 1 card, the friendly clerk said, “you know, we get a phone call every time you come in , asking if you just put about 490 on a gift card.”
i asked if it was Amex or the gift card company. She didn’t know.
With the above being said, if someone from Amex actually has been calling about your specific purchase(s), then you are the cheese and the ravenous Rats are in the room
If you are shut down, would you please let us know and fill in some details about the volume of MSing you were generating at that gas station.
Oct 16, 2020, 8:25 pm
#43
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 267
I suppose another potential issue is if you're using your P2 or AU user card because you might have maxed out on your own card for the 10x benefit. That is the case with me, I'm using my mother's card who is the AU on my account. If they receive a call and find out the purchaser was not a "she", that could be a problem. But again, I think that's easily explainable to an AMEX rep if they call.
Oct 17, 2020, 7:27 am
#44
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: Continental Onepass, Hilton, Marriott, USAir and now UA
Posts: 6,439
I understand why the 10x bonus points might be clawed back but would anybody be shut down for this? GCs are sold at gas stations legally and they accept AMEX CC as payment method. Even if I buy it every day and even several times a day. That's not a reason for a shutdown.
I suppose another potential issue is if you're using your P2 or AU user card because you might have maxed out on your own card for the 10x benefit. That is the case with me, I'm using my mother's card who is the AU on my account. If they receive a call and find out the purchaser was not a "she", that could be a problem. But again, I think that's easily explainable to an AMEX rep if they call.
I suppose another potential issue is if you're using your P2 or AU user card because you might have maxed out on your own card for the 10x benefit. That is the case with me, I'm using my mother's card who is the AU on my account. If they receive a call and find out the purchaser was not a "she", that could be a problem. But again, I think that's easily explainable to an AMEX rep if they call.
) etc.So you are correct that one or two instances of a random GC being purchased at a gas station (say for <$100) would pass unnoticed and probably not have the awards points clawed back, massive abuse of the above could be considered consumer fraud by Amex, and that is a beheading offense. This would also be the case in grocery stores where there would have to be some justification for multiple store charges of ...say $750 or more (just my guess on the amount
)Credit card companies are not stupid, and in times of economic stress, become much more attuned to things that cost them money. With the advent of AI, anomalies in spending (such as $600 gas station bills) will pop up, and once they do, beady little eyes start to examine why the computer spit out that account.
Oct 17, 2020, 2:13 pm
#45
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 267
The T&Cs for Amex does not allow for any rewards on "cash equivalents" which includes MO's, GC's, travelers checks (tip of the hat to the 20th century ) etc.
So you are correct that one or two instances of a random GC being purchased at a gas station (say for <$100) would pass unnoticed and probably not have the awards points clawed back, massive abuse of the above could be considered consumer fraud by Amex, and that is a beheading offense. This would also be the case in grocery stores where there would have to be some justification for multiple store charges of ...say $750 or more (just my guess on the amount)
Credit card companies are not stupid, and in times of economic stress, become much more attuned to things that cost them money. With the advent of AI, anomalies in spending (such as $600 gas station bills) will pop up, and once they do, beady little eyes start to examine why the computer spit out that account.
) etc.So you are correct that one or two instances of a random GC being purchased at a gas station (say for <$100) would pass unnoticed and probably not have the awards points clawed back, massive abuse of the above could be considered consumer fraud by Amex, and that is a beheading offense. This would also be the case in grocery stores where there would have to be some justification for multiple store charges of ...say $750 or more (just my guess on the amount
)Credit card companies are not stupid, and in times of economic stress, become much more attuned to things that cost them money. With the advent of AI, anomalies in spending (such as $600 gas station bills) will pop up, and once they do, beady little eyes start to examine why the computer spit out that account.