Lain
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2014
That worked! I didn't get the pop-up but it does say on the application about the welcome offer not available if I've gotten it in the past. I'm hesitant to pull the trigger if that's the case... Should I call AMEX and ask?
You won’t get the pop up until you actually hit submit on the application. I’m guessing you haven’t done that yet?
This may be coming a little late, but hopefully it helps now or in the future.
Generally, we try to avoid “calling the bank.” This hobby operates on taking advantage of loopholes in the banks’ own rules and restrictions, and engaging in behavior that may be considered out of the ordinary for 99% of consumers. If you have a question, asking a community like DISchurners will most often get you a better answer than the bank. We often know more than a frontline customer service rep, and we don’t want to cue them into what we’re thinking or doing.
That said, Amex has two pop up messages that warn you if you are ineligible for a signup bonus, which as @elgerber noted pops up after you hit submit.
The first pop up is targeted at those who have or have had that card product before (which is your concern):
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 still like to proceed?
If you do/did not get this message, you very likely have never had the card product for which you’re applying and should be eligible for the signup bonus.
The second pop up is targeted at applicants who Amex has identified as “gamers” (or churners) who based on their history with Amex cards and bonuses, Amex believes is just opening and closing cards for the signup bonuses, putting little to no spend on these cards after meeting the minimum spending requirement, and then canceling them when the next annual fee comes due:
Based on your history with American Express welcome offers, introductory APR offers, or the number of cards you have opened and closed, you are not eligible to receive this welcome offer.
We have not yet performed a credit check. Would you still like to proceed?
The best way to avoid the second pop up on future applications is to be a good customer and continue to put regular spend on your Amex cards even after you’ve gotten your welcome bonus. If you end up on this naughty list, the only known way to get off it is to put spend on your cards, and even that is YMMV.
Both pop ups tell you if you’re ineligible for a signup bonus after you hit submit, but before you actually apply. If you get either message, don’t waste an application and possible hard pull.