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Last week, it was widely reported that Amex had added more restrictive language to its applications regarding eligibility for the welcome bonus (See: Amex launches a sneak attack in the war on gaming), stating that an applicant may be denied the bonus based on the number of American Express cards they have opened and closed and their history with bonus offers. We wondered whether you would have any way to know your eligibility status before meeting the minimum spending requirements (and Greg wrote his analysis: Estimating risk in Amex’s new rule). We now have an answer: Amex will tell you that you are not eligible for the welcome bonus before you finish submitting the application. JT Genter at The Points Guy reports applying for the Platinum card, which he has had in the past, and receiving a pop-up with the following language:
John, because you have or have had The Platinum Card, you are not eligible to receive the welcome offer.
We have not yet performed a credit check. Would you like to proceed?
There are then buttons to either continue with the application or cancel the application. The option to cancel is said to withdraw the application, though JT reports still receiving an email from Amex stating that his application was under review (despite the fact that he had canceled it). It is possible that the system is not yet perfected.
A similar pop-up is being reported for those who have opened “too many” Amex cards. If that is the case and Amex intends to deny the welcome offer, the following text appears in the pop-up:
[Name], based on your history with American Express welcome offers, or the number of cards you have opened and closed, you are not elgibile to receive this welcome offer.
We have not performed a credit check. Would you still like to proceed?
We still don’t know how many is too many, but this new tool should provide much-needed clarity in terms of knowing where you stand before you even submit your application. That’s a welcome change compared to the thought of applying and spending on the card while wondering whether or not the expected welcome bonus would arrive.
Further, this should add concrete clarity when applying for targeted offers absent the lifetime language and/or when you aren’t sure if you have had a card before or are applying after not having a particular card for many years — you should now know whether or not Amex’s computer identifies you as being eligible for the welcome bonus or not based on whether or not you receicve this pop-up.
It will be interesting to see how reliably this pop-up works and how widely applied the “based on your history with American Express” pop-up is reported. Hopefully, we can piece together rough guidelines based on who sees the new pop-up about having opened and closed too many cards. If you receive the second pop-up (about not being eligible due to your history with American Express), feel free to add your data point in the comments. I’d suggest including the number of Amex cards you have opened and closed in the past year as a starting point in trying to determine a rule.
H/T: The Points Guy
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How reliable is this? No warning so assumed it was good to go. Now no bonus.
While I was just approved for a new AMEX, my wife got the “no points for you” pop-up so we cancelled that application. Our history of opening/closing AMEX accounts has been fairly similar, and although I have probably closed a few more than she has (and she has only closed one or two in the last year or so) I would consider our activity on the low end of the scale. One key difference is that I maintain a number of no annual fee cards on my account and she doesn’t. When we applied, I had a few open AMEX accounts and she had none – perhaps that’s part of the reason she got the dreaded pop-up and I didn’t. I am wondering if anyone has looked into getting back into good graces with AMEX once you are on the no points list? Is it just waiting a certain amount of time, should you open a no fee/no points account and use that for a period of time, etc? Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks
It’s tough to say what to do if she doesn’t have an account open. You essentially have 2 options: let time pass since the last time she closed an account and see if the pop up goes away, or get a card without the signup bonus and start using it regularly. In my case, I have only ever had 2 amex cards and have never closed one. One I opened a few years ago and one I opened over the summer. I just tried applying for a 3rd and also got the dreaded pop up. I’m very sure I got the popup because I hit the spend bonus from the card I got this summer then put the card in a drawer 4 months ago. Through interwebs research, I’ve learned that the popup will likely go away if I just start using the card again and put a few hundred $s of spend on it.
I think it’s important you look at the reasons amex gives you in the popup because those should be unique to the individual and should help your wife decide what to do. In my case, it said it was based on my “history with amex welcome offers, intro apr offers or the # of cards I’ve opened and closed.” The last two reasons definitely don’t apply to me, so it must be the first reason. If you don’t remember the reasons, you could just complete the application again to make the popup reappear.
Denied the 60K bonus on a pre-qualified Amex Platinum offer for “too many”. Had cancelled an Ameriprise Platinum in 2016 as well as SPG Biz. Last Amex opened was Everyday in 2016 to preserve Membership Awards points. Have kept SimplyCash Biz and SPG/Bonvoy personal open for many years. Excellent FICO. Too Many???
I recently applied and was approved for the AMEX Starwood Preferred guest luxury card with the $450 annual fee and one free 50k night each anniversary. I have never had this card before so I thought I would apply. I called before the application and was told I have would be eligible and applied. I was approve instantly. After I received my card and was again told if I spend $5k in three months I would receive the 100,000 point bonus offer. I after spending $5k in 3 months I called and asked when I could expect the 100,000 bonus points I was told it would be after 90 days. After 90 days I called again and was told I would not be receiving my 100,000 point bonus. AMEX stated they exercised there new clause that could decline anyone for any reason. WOW…. Have a hard time believing your posts that say AMEX is the easiest place to get a new card….
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That’s good they changed their Rubbish .About 6 months ago I called they looked never had this card before 2 months later I called . Where are my points I spent enough u had this card before we DON”T CARE U CALLED . It’s in the fine print that covers everything .
Lots of Banks out there and very hard to spend on that high fee card..
CHEERs
This could actually good for churners. Just keep trying different sign up links until you get a sign up that doesn’t show the non-eligibility notice, and keep proof (screenshots, videos) to show that you were not shown an ineligibility notice, as proof to argue with AMEX for the welcome bonus later if needed.