Does Amex “really just accept anyone” as some people say?

phillw

DullGreyGuy said:
How long ago is "years" in your mind?

The 80's & early 90's, when American express cards were rather exclusive. Rather than now, when they'll "give them to anyone". Which doesn't mean they'll literally give them to anyone. though twenty years ago it did seem like it, when they started issuing third party cards.

I think I saw the T&C for an American Express charge card back in the late 80's/early 90's where you had to hold £10k of deposit with them. People were ordering limited edition Lambourghini's on them and then selling their place in the queue before their card was charged.

JES_F1

Marchitiello said:

JES_F1 said:

I defaulted on my first American Express card, which was part of my debt management plan that I completed in June 2013. 

I applied for a new Amex card (Platinum Cashback Everyday) in June 2019 and was surprised to get it with a £5,000 credit limit.  After a couple of months, Amex reduced my credit limit to £1,200 - I assume my past had caught up with me(!)  After two years of paying off my balance in full each month, they increased my credit limit to £2,100.

Between the end of my DMP and applying for the Amex, I got a couple of Barclaycards and a Santander Mastercard, all of which get paid in full each month. 

Was the Amex debt eventually paid off or at least partially, directly or via collection agency?

The full Amex debt was paid off to RMA Resolve, which I assume was a debt collection company.

DullGreyGuy

phillw said:

DullGreyGuy said:
How long ago is "years" in your mind?

The 80's & early 90's, when American express cards were rather exclusive. Rather than now, when they'll "give them to anyone". Which doesn't mean they'll literally give them to anyone. though twenty years ago it did seem like it, when they started issuing third party cards.

I think I saw the T&C for an American Express charge card back in the late 80's/early 90's where you had to hold £10k of deposit with them. People were ordering limited edition Lambourghini's on them and then selling their place in the queue before their card was charged.

Mid 90s I remember my mother having a green card and getting very excited when she was invited to upgrade to a gold card. 

I dont think it was just AmEx though... the tiers of cards seemed much stronger back then and into very early 00s. We then got into what's above platinum? White? Black? and soon after Platinum was the entry level card for many providers.