I AM BLOWN AWAY RIGHT NOW!!!! JUST CALLED UP AM/EX TO CANCEL MY SECURED OPTIMA CARD AND THE REP STATED THAT I WAS ALREADY PRE-APPROVED FOR EITHER GREEN OR GOLD CHARGE!!!! I COUDN'T BELIEVE IT!!!!!!! HE SAID THAT I'VE BEEN A CUSTOMER FOR OVER A YEAR NOW, THAT I ALREADY CORP CHARGE AND THAT I USE TO BE A GOLD MEMEBER. HE WANTED TO KNOW WHY I DIDN'T HAVE GOLD ANYMORE. I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT I WAS AN AU ON BOYFRIEND'S ACCOUNT AND WE BROKE UP. WE CHATTED SOME AND THEN HE VERIFIED MY INFORMATION AND ASKED ME WHAT CARD I WANTED (EITHER GREEN OR GOLD) AND I TOLD HIM THAT I LIKED THE BENIFITS OF THE GOLD. HE STATED THAT HE WOULD GET EVERYTHING SET UP AND SEND THE CARD OUT TO ME!!!!!! I ASKED HIM IF I SHOULD GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE OPTIMA AND HE SAID TO WAIT UNTIL I RECEIVED THE GOLD....THEN CALL BACK AND CLOSE OPTIMA!!!!! HE ALSO DID NOT ASK ME FOR MY SSN AND STATED THAT NO INQUIRY WAS NEEDED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Congrats MP$40! I think AmEx is great to be so good to its secured card holders. I had just found out about the program when they cancelled it; I didn't have the chance to apply. :-( At any rate, great going,
Be VERY CAREFUL,my dear.... The same thing happened to me & I was preapproved for Gold Charge upgrade from my Green Charge(as told by rep);but 14 days later after NON-RECEIPT of card...I got a VERY different answer from AMEX. I just hope & pray that all goes smoothly & that you were not misled in any way(they ended up giving me a courtesy credit of $100.00 to retain my account). Since you will be going from a credit product to a charge product,seems to me they should have offered you at least Amex Blue(smile). Let us know.... Peace, Sister Girl
Well.....we'll see. I'll report back and let you all know for sure. Maybe it is too good to be true? At anyrate...I hope they weren't BS'n. Have me postin in bold font caps, s*&%..... I told myself that if I got a *real* Am/Ex product, that I would put the breaks on all this credit repair stuff for a while.....my credit is in decent shape and if I utilize what I've got, then I'll be cool.
MP$40, Exactly how long have you had your account? Did you ever notice Amex checking your credit report (Exp.) for an account review. I have had my card since 10/00 and they peeked at my report in Feb and June. Why did you decide to close your account? How much did you open your account with and how much do you currently have secured? Thanks.
One more question. Do you have any negatives on your Experian report? Just curious-I know you said he wouldn't have to pull a report. I hope you do get the card.
I opened my account up in Aug 2000 when I started reading this board. I sent them the minimum $200 and have never sent them more money to increase the limit. I usually carry some sort of balance just to establish relations w/ them although I do have the means to pay off in full each month. I haven't noticed them peaking on Equifax but they might of on Experian I haven't really looked at the inqiries on Experian lately. I'll check when I get recent copies. I didn't see anything on TU either. Why did I decide to close the account? Well.....I read the post by Newcomer2: http://consumers.creditnet.com/stra...ad.php?s=&goto=newpost&threadid=11223&pgnum=1 and decided to give it a try. It worked! I told them that I was thinking about closing the account because the card was doing nothing for me really. That's when he went on and on about how good of a customer I've been, etc. and told me that I was already pre-approved for a green or gold charge card. Then he asked me which one I wanted. I then told him how I liked the benifits of gold and he said that he would set it up and send the card out. he also stated the the yearly membership fee of $75 would be billed on my first statement. But I'll believe the hype when I see it. Then he got all excited when I told him that when I had a Gold Charge that I was steadily charging $2k/mo on it. They know this is true...the can go and view the history of the card. So in their eyes, they are loosing out on $2k/mo worth of charges! I don't charge that now.....I use my other cards. I would prefer to use Am/Ex though and that's what I told him. The reason why my charges were so high was because I was using Am/Ex in place of my visa check card and to pay any other monthly expenses (i.e. cell phone bill, insurance, etc.). That way I wouldn't have to write out a million checks a month.
Superb, MP$40! 1. Call 1800-641-2400 to get a update and see how your application is processing. This is a computer response line; To speak w/ a human, you can also call New Accounts. I imagine it could take some time to update, but on the other hand - my online application was updated in the system within minutes, so you never know until you try. 2. Who exactly offered you the card? Was it the Optima customer service rep, or was it a retention agent you were transferred to after you said you wanted to cancel? Saar
I can't call.....I'M TOO NERVOUS!!!!!! :-O I called (800) 964-8542 which is the number on the back of my Optima card. One of the options was "To cancel a card press -4-" and that's what I pressed. I entered in my account # and then a rep came on the line. Then asked me if I had my card in front of me and I said yes. He wanted the 4 numbers above the account number, then asked me for my year of birth, my home telephone number and full address. Then asked how he could help me and I told him that I would like to close my account. Then he went throught the whole yada yada about being a valued Am/Ex customer, etc. blah blah blah and then asked why. I told him that the card wasn't doing anything for me, etc. and then you know the rest.
I'M THRILLED 4 You I am still not Gold , but - congrats MP! I am delighted for you. Also envious! However I do know the highest I have entered into future spending was $15,200 and was instantly approved! Arf arf arf! That Optima sure turned out to be valuable for quite a few cardholders now. If they do not offer a new secured card, and are getting out of the Optima biz, the good paying customers seem to be getting the CHARGE CARDs without a hard inquiry. AMEX again, as always, told the truth! They used to say on their secured app that after a year or two, you would have built an excellent AMEX record. On top of Twin Peaks flashing my Green at ya! !!! Hey, about that old boyfriend - think he'd make me an AU? c ya dogman
Sister Girl...... yup - same thing happened to me. But it was still less than a year with the Green Card. I am exactly at the year mark now - as of next bill cycle will be 13 months. I will soon ask for the Gold - probably Rewards Card. you speak the truth SG! BUT I bet MP is there! c ya dogman
U GO GIRL What fantastic news MP$40. I am waiting for my one year anniversary to try for unseure card. I recall me and Molly getting our cards back in October and barely making it by "a pray" right at the time they discontinue the card. I woud say we were VERY fortunate. You are "GOLD" now,Flash it girl and have fun doing it. Amex is awsome,doesn't matter if its secure or not. And if Dogman reads this post,just wanted to say "hey guy"!!!!!
Re: U GO GIRL Congratulations MP$40. That is the best news I have heard in a while. You have officially climbed back to the top of the mountain. Bravo! Later.
