Amex Eligibility vs MSE

ffxmadman

I'm thinking of applying for Amex Preferred Gold card as I have overseas travels within the next 3-6 months, I believe I will be able to get the welcome bonus. I used MSE eligibility checker and I got 90% approval, but the Amex eligibility checker states 1.5/10. I already have an amex platinum every day Cashback with them for more than 2 years and I never am late to my payments. My Experian score is within excellent band, and my clear score and credit karma has been good too. Never had any CCJs. 

With this, what are your experience with this amex eligibility checkers? It is a very resounding discrepancy. 

DullGreyGuy

Always trust the lenders own checker above a third party is the rule of thumb.

That said, I have had ClearScore offer a "guaranteed" rate preferable to the typical APR by a lender whose own checker showed a likely decline at the higher APR. Applying via ClearScore achieved the promised below typical APR.

At the end of the day you may as well apply and see assuming you have no other near by applications. Remember with AmEx that recommend a friend benefits are typically higher for you and them than the standard offering so if you know someone else with. a card you may as well apply via their link for the benefit of both of you.

denow

I don't think you will get the welcome bonus if you already have one of their cards.

ffxmadman

U can get the welcome bonus if you have not had their rewards card before. The three cards that give reward points are Platinum Card, Preferred Rewards Gold Card and their standard Basic Rewards card. 

denow

“I understand I will not be eligible for any Welcome Bonus award if I hold or have held any personal American Express Card in the past 24 months.”

• Am I reading this wrong?

WillPS

ffxmadman said:

U can get the welcome bonus if you have not had their rewards card before. The three cards that give reward points are Platinum Card, Preferred Rewards Gold Card and their standard Basic Rewards card. 

You're mistaken I'm afraid. The only personal cards with differing terms to the above are:

British Airways Premium Plus - which stipulates you must not have held any Avios earning card for 24 months

The Platinum Card - which stipulates you must not have held any Membership Rewards earning card for 24 months

Both have hefty fees (£250 and £575 respectively).

Gone are the days of being able to almost continually churn Amex cards, sadly.

GenieBoy

I got the Amex Nectar with a 5/10 score last year.

Satisfied CCJ and 2 defaults on credit reports. 

cymruchris

ffxmadman said:

I'm thinking of applying for Amex Preferred Gold card as I have overseas travels within the next 3-6 months, I believe I will be able to get the welcome bonus. I used MSE eligibility checker and I got 90% approval, but the Amex eligibility checker states 1.5/10. I already have an amex platinum every day Cashback with them for more than 2 years and I never am late to my payments. My Experian score is within excellent band, and my clear score and credit karma has been good too. Never had any CCJs. 

With this, what are your experience with this amex eligibility checkers? It is a very resounding discrepancy. 

Funnily enough I get a similar scenario - 90 percent eligibility across all the CRA's - and originally 1.5 on Amex - although recently it's gone up to 4/4.5 depending on card.... I'd be interested to hear the outcome of your application if you decide to proceed through the CRA link rather than through the Amex link. I'm tempted to submit an application - but still holding off. 

CliveOfIndia

cymruchris said:

ffxmadman said:

I'm thinking of applying for Amex Preferred Gold card as I have overseas travels within the next 3-6 months, I believe I will be able to get the welcome bonus. I used MSE eligibility checker and I got 90% approval, but the Amex eligibility checker states 1.5/10. I already have an amex platinum every day Cashback with them for more than 2 years and I never am late to my payments. My Experian score is within excellent band, and my clear score and credit karma has been good too. Never had any CCJs. 

With this, what are your experience with this amex eligibility checkers? It is a very resounding discrepancy. 

I'd be interested to hear the outcome of your application if you decide to proceed through the CRA link rather than through the Amex link. I'm tempted to submit an application - but still holding off. 

It will make no difference which route you go through - once you get to the stage of making a formal application, Amex will search your credit file, churn the data through their algorithms and it'll be "computer says no" or "computer says yes".

Eligibility checkers are at best a rough indication of the likelihood of being accepted.  Arguably a lender's own checker should be slightly more accurate than a generic third-party one, for the simple reason that Amex's own checker will factor in (some of) their own particular criteria.

But once you get to the point of application they'll be running a full credit check on you and applying all of their scoring criteria, irrespective of how you arrived at the application page.

cymruchris

CliveOfIndia said:

cymruchris said:

ffxmadman said:

I'm thinking of applying for Amex Preferred Gold card as I have overseas travels within the next 3-6 months, I believe I will be able to get the welcome bonus. I used MSE eligibility checker and I got 90% approval, but the Amex eligibility checker states 1.5/10. I already have an amex platinum every day Cashback with them for more than 2 years and I never am late to my payments. My Experian score is within excellent band, and my clear score and credit karma has been good too. Never had any CCJs. 

With this, what are your experience with this amex eligibility checkers? It is a very resounding discrepancy. 

I'd be interested to hear the outcome of your application if you decide to proceed through the CRA link rather than through the Amex link. I'm tempted to submit an application - but still holding off. 

It will make no difference which route you go through - once you get to the stage of making a formal application, Amex will search your credit file, churn the data through their algorithms and it'll be "computer says no" or "computer says yes".

Eligibility checkers are at best a rough indication of the likelihood of being accepted.  Arguably a lender's own checker should be slightly more accurate than a generic third-party one, for the simple reason that Amex's own checker will factor in (some of) their own particular criteria.

But once you get to the point of application they'll be running a full credit check on you and applying all of their scoring criteria, irrespective of how you arrived at the application page.

Yes I'm aware of that - but interested in whether someone where the CRA shows a high percentage and Amex a low percentage actually gets issued a card. And yes, I also know it's based on individual circumstances, but am interested in the outcome all the same.