Is Your Amex Being Denied?
Has your Amex been denied recently? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. There have been widespread reports of American Express denying charges or asking people to pay their bills early this year. I have only heard this about their charge cards, including the Platinum and the Centurion.
Apparently, due to the tightening credit markets in the US, American Express is becoming more conservative with people’s spending habits, especially if they’re irregular. I had some friends tell me that Amex has been repeatedly calling them and asking for them to pay their Plum bill early. At first I thought it might just be them, but I have recently read about numerous people, across all cards, with good standing accounts, claim to have the same problem. Anyone else been running into this?
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Yes — in fact, just today I looked at my Google Adwords account and noticed my credit card was denied. I promptly logged into my account on the Amex website and learned that my account was under “financial review” and that I need to send them paperwork from the IRS within 5 days or they would close my account!
I promptly did so. I called and spoke to the Amex financial review team manager, Alex Dash, who was very kind and allowed me to continue using my Amex card while my account was under review.
They claim this “review” process happens to all accounts eventually, but I found it crazy that I wasn’t notified (they claim to have sent out a postal mail 2 days earlier) about the inability to use my primary card on my most important business expenditure!
I’m not sure if this financial review process is the same as what other’s are experiencing, but it’s not fun!!
Your situation is not unheard of Josh. I have heard of many people going under financial review. Have you recently changed your spending habits in adwords? Launch any large campaigns or scaled up recently? If so, that can do it. Especially if your charges went up by several grand. Hopefully, once you have gone through the financial review once, you won’t have to do it again.
Ok here’s my 2 cents worth. Well unfortunately this site appears to worship credit card debt and the truth is, credit card companies sap the life out millions of people each and every day. Mostly those who are living well beyond their means, and also those whom live has thrown a few too many curve balls in their direction. The true status of wealth is how much cash you have and not how much money you owe the credit card companies each month.
For “Dave”… Amex is charge card - it’s paid in full monthly.
People who do not have disposable income do not qualify for Platinum or Black Amex.
I see your concern, but you should be posting this on a Providian blog.
As I was driving from Iowa to Chicago, my card was denied at a gas pump in WI. That happened about three weeks ago. I had to call AmEx and a woman said, “We were a little bit scared. We thought your card was stolen”. I drive a lot, often covering long distances. I always buy gas with my AmEx Delta Platinum. Actually, I’ve covered more or less the same route this spring four or five times. So I don’t understand why they got “a little bit scared”.
i’m a newbie to the site and i’d like to thank “Paulie”. (tyvm)
best giggle, i’ve had in a long time! i love it!!
to answer the question, yes, had a problem on friday.
(Centurion cardholder since October 2007)
If I had an Amex Centurion and it was denied, I would be pretty upset!
While working retail recently, I had received a black card when someone was paying. I swiped the card and told the guy it declined just to see his reaction. His friends thought it was hilarious as his jaw it the floor.. But I quickly said I was just kidding. 
Yep! it happened to me. Just got a platinum card a few months ago. I’ve got perfect credit & cash in the bank and charge very heavily on my cards every month. Two weeks ago AMEX called demanding I pay the bill before the due date and they suspended the card till it was paid. I was rather insulted, I must say, and paid the bill. I wonder if it is a sign of the economy?
Amex - bill due in 16 days - they called and froze my account - froze it without reason. I have paid always on time and will continue to do so but they demanded more than this months bill and now….not on the due date but a call on Sunday to have $1200 more than the current balance - basically all outstanding charges paid in full to allow future use of the card…I pulled my credit only to find no changes! My scores are mid to high 750 to 800 and it doesn’t matter!
I’ll use cash from now on…I only used it for cash management…but I can do it with cash…$100 bills make peoples eyeballs pop out but my Amex platinum card doesn’t get a look - sad part is I don’t want others to know my business but they will…
[...] Apparently Amex is cracking down right now. Check out this recent post on Amex-Black.com about this situation. [...]
[...] I reported back in May, Amex is becoming much tighter in their exposure to debt. Share: These icons link to social [...]
same thing with my amex platinum, 2 phone call to pay before statement date, 3rd phone call 8 day after statement (with in 21 days payment time)…next day, invite to Centurion card…that why i’m on this site, i can’t put up with getting 3 phone calls and card not working, when i pay on time
[...] there have been intermittent reports of outages (due to the economy tightening down on the credit industry) among affiliates, American [...]
I have been a member with Amex for over 10 years and have had the Centurion card for 3, my card was declined on Thursday and when I called one of their reps was put on hold for over 10 minutes and transfer to the person who was assigned to my account from the (rude) financila review team. They asked me to fill out and sign a 4506 form which allows them to request a transcript of my 2007 returns from the IRS. This whole process has been a pain in the -ss and I do not know the reason since I have never been late on any of my Amex cards. I will have a fit if my Centurion card is closed due to the decision of the rude agent. I will persue on getting the 7,500$$ annual membership fee they have collected from me for the past 3 years!! We’ll see what happens next week.
[...] now lowering a credit line, where they used to be just 20% before. I reported awhile back about cards being declined (including Centurions) and credit limits lowered, but it appears we could see a new round, or much larger dosage of [...]
I was also denied for $80 charge on centurion…Amex Financial review team wants payment of $61,000 (business charges for the month) which are currently not even DUE yet as well as tax returns for the last 3 years…before they will turn on the cards…They froze My personal card as well with no phone call or notice….Card member since 1992 with a Gold,Platinum and Centurion and never late…
I had just sat down at a local West Hollywood cafe with Wifi, to update my financial blog regarding PLDT Chairman Manuel Pangilinan, and the fraud committed by EVP & Governance Chief David Cases Nugent, when I hear, “Declined, you must call American Express, it is only $12.00 for these lattes and a cookie.” Sure enough it was a Centurion (Black) American Express card member. The cashier called the 800 number to try and “force” the sale but after the customer called the 800 number and chewed out the Centurion Concierge (which also handle Platinum Services, as I had a close relationship with the Boston center), the woman decked in Prada became quiet and polite and asked where a 7-Eleven was to find an ATM. She promised she would be right back, but never came back. She said that it must be a mistake as she had just charged US$5,000 at Neiman Marcus, but apparently it was no mistake. I was about to take out a $20.00 bill and pay for it but after she was so nasty, I took out a US$5.00 bill and gave it to the barristo, for having to deal with such a nightmare. Lady, if you read this maybe you should apply for an Orchard Card or Household Secured Bank card. It is sad that folks in the posh West Hollywood area (thanks to both Paris Hilton’s famous arrest issues in West Hollywood, five blocks from my apartment, it seems as though the Centurion members can still order the CTS folks around but not for long as they are about to have a rude awakening when their leased Bentley are taken away by the repo man. In West Hollywood as in Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines, everything is so dramatic. I prefer the green card, it makes a statement without having to shout that one has “NEW MONEY.” Thanks, Jason Lowen
AMEX has been requesting financials on our business for about 6 years. Prior to that it was never an issue and they actually assign a hard limit on the charge cards - maybe a dirty little secret. on the credit cards there has always been a limit. Some of these cards are funded by their banking division and therefore the need for the financials. They also want tax returns as well. Get used to it. The personal cards they traditionally do not ask for these but bas it on their advertised spending patterns and reviews of your credit histories. Let’s just admit that we all want the points and the perks and if not for these AMEX would be a much smaller company!
My (UK) Centurion card was suspended pending further info - had the card 9 years, great history etc. I supplied and chased and was told they wanted more info.
I said I would complain and the cancelled my other charge card (a Harrods Amex).
But the ts and cs in UK do not state I have to provide ANY info to them.
And section 14 of their ts and cs says that if I owe them money, they can ask to check with my bank or a referee but only with my approval. Which I don’t give. And I don’t owe them money (its a charge card).
Also, they then suspended by Harrods card knowing I was complaining which contravenes the Banking Code (7.7 of their guidnance) as well as the Unfair Contracts Act (eg changing the service without notice).
Not supplying info I am not obliged to supply is not a valid reason for suspense. Check the ts and cs and do not supply them info.
The Credit Dept at Amex is a stand alone one and they are seemingly not ‘evaluated’ so don’t fall for any contrived reasons to shut your ac and review their tsc and cs. They feel they can’t do it with credit cards as regalated in the UK by the CCA 1974 (charge cards are not) and they couldnt get away with it.
I’ve had my Amex Platinum for about a year now. Never had it declined. I just use it for gas and food. Never really break $1000/month. I’ve loved my Amex, but if they started pulling some of the crap I’m reading about, I’d drop my account like a bad habit. Besides, I’m starting to make the move back to paper-money anyway. Depending on what your business is, you may prefer to deal strictly in cash 
Thanksgiving I was in Disney World and I used my Starwood AmEx only to get a call that morning to let me know that my account was under investigation which was shocking since I had a zero balance on all 3 of my Am Ex accounts. They reduced my $10,000 limit to $600 and I was pissed because I was about to use $3000 for the trip. I refuse to use any of the cards again until they put my credit limit back to where it was.
Been a loyal Amex customer since 93. I’ve never been late with a payment. Went to Chicago this weekend and not only was my hotel stay denied at check-in but then they locked the card and asked for payment two weeks before the due date. They have also been calling me almost monthly to tell me that they’ve locked my card and won’t allow charges to pass until I make a payment. Yet the due date hasn’t even occured.
Would have been better for me to left home without it, was very embarrased when the hotel guy told me I was declined. This hasn’t happened to me since I was a teenager.
I refuse to send them a payment until the due date. All my recurring charges, i.e. gym memberships, websites, etc. will be transferred to another card. They are simply not reliable and don’t deserve my business. I’m keeping my part of the bargain up, then need to do the same with theirs.
nope. i have an amex starwood card, haven’t had any issues. although it’s based on credit limit.