American Express Discussion Area

litewait

2 weeks before my next direct debit payment for the full amount of £1400 on my American Express platinum card, I balance transferred the debt to my egg card as it was my anniversary. I unfortunately made the assumption that they would accept this as the payment and not try to take any money out of my account.

Around a week after my direct debit was due I looked into my bank account and noticed that American express had taken the money. I phoned them up and they informed me that balance transfers are not taken as payment and I should have phoned them up to amend the direct debit. Is this the case for all credit cards?

The customer service guy said he would transfer the money back to me straight away. By statement shows the money was "transfered" on 11th Feb but one week later the money had not appeared in my bank account so I phoned them again. I found out that their method of transferring the money back into my account is by sending a cheque to my bank. If they can take it electronically why can't they put it back that way? (so they can get interest on my money probably) They said I now need to talk to my bank to find out what had happened to the cheque.

My bank said they could not trace cheques unless the money had gone into my account. They said if it had been sent 2nd class that could take 2 days to arrive. If it had been sent to a particular place(branch?) it could take 2 days to xray it, then with opening and processing the whole thing might take 10 days.

12 days later still no money in my account. Fortunately I have enough money in my account so this did not make me overdrawn but if it had I could be paying penalties for it.

Does anyone know what would be the best way to get my money back. I don't want to phone up American Express for them to cancel the cheque and repeat the whole process again.

Thanks for any help

Daniel_B

Hi all,
just finished reading this mammoth thread!

Lots of interesting stuff on here though.

I applied for mine last summer, and had the 2% intro offer, so comfortably into the 1% zone now.

The reason it makes so much sense for me, is that I spend about £3000 per year on rail travel, and so does my other half - i was thinking about getting her a second card on my account, but have worked out that if we each spend on average £5000 per year, we won't see the 'benefit' of 2 cards on the same account for 4 years.

As she will shorly be buying a season ticket with a loan from work, this should work out nicely, in that she will get £60 back for the cost of the ticket, and immediately be up to the £6000 spent mark.

Any idea how tricky it is to get the limit upped soon after joining - onlythat my limit was £2000, and had that upped to £3000 with no issues, do you think she can get hers upped to £3500 with out too much problem, or is she best to make sure she uses the card for one month before she tries to get it raised?

If your limit is £1000 for example, and you try and buy something for £3000, can they 'ring it through' for approval like we used to do in the shops if a card limit was exceeded, or is it cast in stone that the limit is what the limit is?

Thanks in advance

Dan

skiman_2

I've just had a fantastic result with Amex Gold, they were offering a really poor rate for balence transfers. I said I was considering canceling this, and to change to an Amex Plat card. They immediately gave me a 0% balence transfer for 6 months, and the offer at the end of the 6 months to contact them again to see what the can do for me. Just goes to prove that you never know until you ask !

Margaret_Millne

American Express have just sent me an application for a Platinum Card, addressed correctly, correct postcode, name etc. Only difference is Ms instead of Mrs. As I already have an American Express Card do you think they know this, or will my application be knocked back after a search. I don't want to waste time on this, particularly as it has taken me 2 years to get my credit limit up from £1700 to £3400. Not the best limits I have.

Galstonian

It is very likely that even if Amex do not associate you with your existing account any credit search would so additional borrowing may not be offered. Is there a reason you need a bigger limit?

Margaret_Millne

No, not really. Just they seem to offer me a balance transfer deal once a year, and as soon as I have taken it up they up my limit. Think I will just wait until around April, which would be after they offered it last year, and if nothing is forthcoming reduce my limit, to enable me to be more likely to be accepted for other offers.

Afahmaep

pin wrote:

When I did it, they transferred my cashback to my Platinum account. However was told I couldn't have a blue and platinum at the same time.

I've had a Blue card since '99 and Platinum card since '02 both currently with £8k limits.
I've just been charged a £15 for not using my Blue card enough during the previous year.
However I've just taken advantage of a 2.9% BT for 6 months on my Blue card offered with my February statement provided I took it up before 15th April for £6000 and also have £5900 Life of Balance on my Platinum since February at 4.9 %
I'm going to transfer both over to my Egg cards both with £7500 limits on the Anniversary Dates.
As with other users I'm unable to get Egg to up limit beyond £15k.

dbhavnani99

Most of the people in the forum have talked about an AMEX blue and a platinum card. I have a non-charge Gold AMEX card. While shopping in Europe, I think, not only are there NO loading charges while purchasing with Gold AMEX card but u can also earn cashback while shopping abroad (but don't withdraw money from a cash machine as there is a huge charge with an AMEX gold card).

So purchasing with Gold Amex while in Europe is the best option as both Victoria Liverpool and Nationwide c/c (though they,like Gold AMEX, don't have loading charge in Europe) do not give any cashback for purchases abroad.

jimmyjim_uk

Hi all,

American Express Blue card are advertising 2.9% interest on all balance transfers within the first 6 months. Min transfer is £100 and you can do upto 12 transfers.

You also get 2% cashback for the first 3 months, 1% thereafter.

American Express Link

If you apply through greasy palm you get £15 cash back. You can get to greasyplam Here

ackers

I have been using a blue Amex card recently to get the intrductory 2% MoneyBack offer. Thank goodness that I've now had my three months and thus the rate is back to 1%, as the card not being widely accepted is a real PAIN!! My latest card is a Morgan Stanley Platinum with 2% cashback until 1st August and is much easier to use.

Also, the Amex statements are really badly laid out, especially if you and the wife have a card each.

Can anyone enlighten me on how I will get my Amex cash back. I believe that it is done by an account credit after the first card anniversary, and as such means that you need to continue the card into a second year to clear the credit. As you then need to spend at least £500 in that second year to avoid the £15 Account charge, there will then be a small amount of cashback credited early in the third year, which again can only be cleared by spending at least £500 in that third year to avoid.....etc...etc

Any way around this??

Many thanks :cool: