Flyertalk has been lighting up with reports from those who have had their “old” Blue Cash credit card accounts suddenly closed. Some discovered the closure when logging into their accounts. Others received emails like the one posted by silver6054:
Log in to Manage Your Account Online
We are contacting you to be sure you do not have any surprises when you try to use your card. We wanted to let you know we have had to make the decision to close your account listed above.
Please tell any Additional Card Members on this account of this change so they do not have an unexpected inconvenience when attempting to use the Card.
You should also destroy the card(s) and any convenience checks you may have for the account(s).
If you have any recurring charges on these accounts such as cell phone charges, please contact that company immediately to ensure your other bills do not go unpaid.
You will also receive this information by letter, but we wanted to be sure you were aware of this change as soon as possible.Sincerely,
American Express Account Services
To be clear, there are multiple versions of Blue Cash cards. The one affected here is the “old” one that offers 5% cash back for gas, drugs, and groceries after $6500 in annual spend. I wrote about the card quite a while ago, here: Playing 5X everywhere Whack a Mole.
So far, my account is still open. It is unclear whether Amex is shutting down accounts due to “perk abuse” or whether they are simply retiring the card for good.
Developing…
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[…] Big grocery and drugstore spenders (you know who you are) were happily spending outrageous amounts of money on this card month after month until Amex dropped the hammer in October and started closing accounts (see “Amex shuts down “old” Blue Cash accounts). […]
[…] Express customers sprang to online forums earlier this year to discuss why and how their AmEx Old Blue cards have been shut down. Some […]
statement closed yesterday and Got my cancellation notice this morning. Is there any way to get the rewards?
Search the Saverocity forums. I believe someone posted a way to get the rewards there.
I just applied my husband for the old blue cash and got this message.
Your application will be processed as soon as possible, and we will notify you of the decision by mail within 14 days.
NOOOO!!!!!
Now I am wondering if I should let him call recon. Any thoughts?
If you can’t stand the wait, call recon. Otherwise, it doesn’t hurt to wait for the official decision
Got the approval this morning! Woohoo!!
Frequent Miler – Is your old BC account still open after statement close this month ?
Still alive
[…] threshold in these categories every year. I personally have one of these. It seems that Amex has started sending out emails to some members closing their accounts on these cards. My accounts is still intact. Although it’s unpleasant […]
What is the link for the old AMEX blue that still works? Frequent Miler link does not work anymore. My account got close today so I would like to apply for my wife’s account
The link I posted (indirectly through this post) does still work. Make sure to follow the directions on that page carefully! Just clicking the link isn’t enough.
I’m new to these forums/blogs and have just recently discovered that there is a whole culture out there of people MSing and churning (I didn’t know there were terms for these). I have been doing it since 1991. I had my old Blue Cash card changed over to the “new” version by Amex about two years ago. I thought they just killed the “old” version. So, after discovering this blog a week or so ago and to my surprise, I found a link to apply for the “old” Blue Cash card and applied and was notified that I was approved. I have not yet received it. I am a little anxious/nervous to use it now. My plan was to resume as before with this card. Crazy thing is, I use other Amex cards and max the heck out of them taking full advantage where advantage is to be taken and have never had any other issues. Stay tuned…
I haven’t used mine for over a year and about 8 months ago logged in to see it closed. Figured they closed it for a lack of usage, although I did not receive any kind of communication from Amex about it, which is a bit strange.
None of the purported victims have address a very obvious mistake in the fake email they provide. AMEX doesn’t send out convenience checks…like never. So an email from them wouldn’t mention them.
That is simply inaccurate. Doubt the validity of the story but please dont make stuff up. Amex does offer a convenience check.
Here are 2 reports of American Express convenience checks. It looks like they are rare, but they do exist.
http://blog.comparecards.com/tips-for-using-credit-card-convenience-checks/
http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/07/01/us-americanexpress-fine-idUSTRE56003U20090701 They offered them in 2009
I am still alive. $20k/month on $15k CL.
Just about to apply for the card as I have a SPG card annual fee due and will trade my 4th Amex credit card slot for this one. No plans to hit it hard, but lacking other good offers from Amex in a long time, seems good to have before it eventually goes away.
Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered …
FYI -Pigs gets slaughtered as well. Bacon is Bacon dude.
Bacon is bacon. That should be nominated for line of the year if there were such an award. FWIW this little piggy hasn’t yet been shutdown.
I used to spend thousands on the blue cash that gives 6% back on supermarket purchases before they limited it to $6,000 annually. I decided not to apply for the old blue amex because I value my relationship with amex too much to risk it. I have been blacklisted by chase and it wasn’t worth the risk to lose another relationship for even hundreds of dollars of profits. I think people would be wise to slow down MS on this card if AMEX really is shutting people down.
Still alive but know several people who did get the bad news today. But I suspect there’s more to come. This is a shot across the bow.
Got it. That’s why I’m alive. My spent is not all in 5% categoty.
Some of it in 7% category. Whole Foods saves lives.
My last spend was $21 at Wholefoods, which would have earned 7% if they hadn’t closed the card an hour later!
I assume you made your Whole Foods purchase today?