Important Amex Warning

KingS6

This is about the Amex Platinum Cashback Everyday Purchases Card currently shown in the 0% spending guide in the Credit Cards section on MSE ,the one with the introductory 0% spending for 21 months. There is also a 1.25% cashback rate.

It is an exclusive MSE sourced deal and is not available anywhere else despite no mention of this in the small print in the credit card information box. The issuer is also incorrect as it is displayed as MasterCard.

If you click on the Apply Now link it will take you to the lender's website (in this case Amex). Again during the landing page or anywhere in the application process thereafter there is no mention of this being an exclusive MSE based deal. When you come to review the Credit Agreement before committing the application, there is still no mention of the 0% period in either the interest rates or promotional rates sections. Throughout the application process you can notice that the name of the card has changed to The Platinum Cashback Credit Card.

Now this name relates to a completely different product and it is the card that is currently displayed as one of the best cashback credit cards you can obtain in the relevant MSE section. This has a different cashback rate of 5% and a 22.9% rate on purchases, coincidentally the same as the rate the originally stated card will become after the 0% period ends.

As I thought the process was botched I closed my browser down and cleared my cookies and cache. Then in true MoneySaving style I visited Topcashback and saw that the same card that I wanted had a cashback deal, the Platinum Everyday Purchases card (displayed as the same one), so applied and was approved forthwith.

To my horror I then received the other Platinum card in the post and I was told this was indeed what I applied for. Amex are not willing to remedy the action and have clearly stated to them there is a potentially huge underlying issue here. They have informed me they are not willing to amend literature on their website to reflect these important discrepancies.

To cut a long story short surely this is a massive oversight by both MSE and Amex. You have to be perceptive enough to spot the difference between the products on the Amex website and then how they are displayed on the MSE website. You have no way of knowing there is a third exclusive product as it is not mentioned ANYWHERE. You would simply not assume there are three different products.

Any remedies for my personal situation and also what steps can be taken to ensure nobody else falls into this potential trap? Any idea of the legalities of what can and can't be disclosed during advertising and during reviewing the actual credit agreement of a card?

[Deleted User]

Have you contacted MSE and told them all this?

fun4everyone

Please provide links to the MSE article you are talking about. I am curious because today I have applied for an Amex card via MSE.

You state

Amex Platinum Cashback Everyday Purchases Card currently shown in the 0% spending guide in the Credit Cards section on MSE

But in that guide http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/credit-cards/best-0-credit-cards I see no Amex listed apart from a small mention at the bottom of the "best buys" table at the end of the article.

I think what I applied for is the same? According to Amex I applied for "Platinum Cashback Everyday Credit Card" - that is what is in their decision email. I clicked the link from MSE on top cashback cards page here http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/credit-cards/cashback-credit-cards

It is the first card listed "Amex Platinum Everyday*" and my decision email says "Platinum Cashback Everyday Credit Card.". Looks the same to me?

KingS6

venison: I have indeed contacted MSE and told them the issue. I have also requested that they open up a dialogue with Amex too. Whilst liaising with Amex I have requested they do vice versa.

fun4everyone: Yes that is the card in question. I applied for that one myself after it came top of my results after using the eligibility checker tool. However would you please take a look again it is actually displayed as Platinum Cashback Everyday Purchases Card. There is no mention of this card being an MSE exclusive deal so you wouldn't assume you could not get the same deal elsewhere.

So this is exactly what I did to get extra third party cashback on top for applying. But if you apply for the Platinum Cashback Everyday Card through any other way you cannot get a 0% deal. Notice how similar it sounds to the Platinum Cashback Everyday Purchases Card. That specific wording is only used on the MSE article to my knowledge and when you actually go through the application process the wording changes. Even in the credit agreement.

roddydogs

? why would Amex give MSE a special deal?

KingS6

You tell me. A call to Amex customer services confirms this. To be fair on their staff they seem to be aware of the special deal but they get easily confused between Money Saving Expert and Money Supermarket. The proof is in the pudding, you cannot find that deal anywhere else.

Fun4everyone: Just to clarify did you want the Amex card with 5% cashback and 22.9% rate or the 0% card with 1.25% cashback rate?

SLZ

KingS6 wrote: »

You wanted the 0% deal or did you want the 5% bonus deal? I can't make heads or tails of what you're asking as to me, it sounds like you applied for and got the card you wanted but thought TCB rather than MSE, can't complain about it being MSE's fault nor AMEX's.

Also on the MSE links, it shows a large logo saying best cash back card on MSE and for the others, you should read through the offer details before applying just as you would any other offer.

KingS6

It was the 0% deal. Basically the 5% cashback deal is for a different card. I'm not bothered about that. It is the 0% card we are discussing not the best cashback card. If you take a look at all the MSE information for that card, the Platinum Cashback Everyday Purchases Card, there is no information about it being an MSE exclusive offer.

SLZ

KingS6 wrote: »

It was the 0% deal. Basically the 5% cashback deal is for a different card. I'm not bothered about that. It is the 0% card we are discussing not the best cashback card. If you take a look at all the MSE information for that card, the Platinum Cashback Everyday Purchases Card, there is no information about it being an MSE exclusive offer.

While it doesn't say that it's an exclusive to MSE it does state at the top, Special Offer: 0%... This isn't featured on any other landing page for this card and it may not even be an exclusive offer but a nice additional bonus that AMEX offered, it's not like they have to offer 0% you know.

I'd put this down to you not reading through beforehand and then going through TCB which I presume netted you £27.50 for the Plat Cashback.

KingS6

As a new member I cannot post links or I would be more than happy to link people to the relevant section.

KingS6

No because the name of the card changes through the application process. I have taken relative screenshots of each process using both TCB and MSE link methods.