I just recieved my blue card from amex on wednesday with a 2000cl. I was sooo happy, I got 0% intetrest untill march and balance transfers @ 9.9 always. When I called to activate I asked for an increase and they moved it to 3000cl. I used the card on Friday for lunch and boy do people get a kick out of this card!!! Anyway on saturday I was declined at the grocery store. I called and they said they could not verify my ID. The lady asked for my current, previous address and even previuos to that. I told her I just closed on my house on the 24th of aug that is why it does`nt show. She even asked me the name of the couple I bought it from, which I verified. I even offered her my mortgage companies 800 number to verify my address....she said she could not call them. The account is on hold untill I fax in a copy of my ss card, drivers license and a utility bill with the new address, it all has to be notorized and she said it must be done at a bank...not my job where I have a notary and the notary name must be clear and with a phone number to verify. Is this normal? When I applied they asked me to fax in a paystub and it had my new address. Sorry so long I just had to vent!!!
That is nuts! "She even asked me the name of the couple I bought it from, which I verified" Why would they need to know who you bought the house from? Sounds likethat rep was overreaching a bit. Just my 2 cents! Cypri
Wierd!! I think I would insist on an explanation - tell them you were publicly embarrassed, and if they have security questions, they should ask them before they give you the card.
It seems that Amex is going to HELL in a Hand Basket. I had the Green tried to upgrade to the Gold. Rep recorded all of my info and said I was approved for the UPGRADE. I checked the online system for the upgrade: DENIED!!!!!!!! how in the hell do you get denied for an upgrade???? So I contacted member consulting and they are re-reviewing the application. During this time.. they cancelled my GREEN card!!!!! :O:O:O I right now, I have no Amex product!!!!! Is so pissed...PFB did not work.... Any suggestions???? Thanks
Wow thats kind of extreme. But look at it this way, If someone was really trying to steal your identity, you would have certainly liked the fact that amex went out of their way to verify that you are infact you. But I do agree that this is a little over the edge.
thats sucks, when amex upgraded me to gold they did not require me to cancel my green. I waited till I received my gold and then ask them to cancel my green. What's going on with amex lately?
My point exactly... I never told them to cancel my Green....with the upgrade...I believe you are suppose to have the card in hand before closure. Evidently NOT!!!!!
I can fully understand AMEX's stance because if someone did in fact steal your card or assume your identity, the first place they would go is to a grocery store to buy mass quantities of consumables. DUH! (I hope you perceive the sarcasm)
I disagree to the extent in which they went too, in order to verify her identity. When I first used my Amex product, I had a similar situation at a clothing store....When I spoke to the Amex rep, I didn't have to go to the 3rd degree like the person above. So I guess your sarcasm is unwarranted!!!! And I was spending in excess of 2-300 hundred dollars on that purchase.
I think the sarcasm is that if you steal someone's credit card, you are not going to go spend that money on groceries.
yes, It happened to me whith my two Amex Line of credit. They deleted the two accounts a month later asking for an original letter from the Social Security Admin. , utility bill and Copy of DR license.
As far as I know...these people "HAVE CLUES"...unlike the CLULESS WONDERS wondering around "CREDIT CARDVILLE"... I CALLED M.O.R.E. TO RE-OPEN AMEX BLUE...
The only problem was they NEVER put in for the NEW card...so I had an account with NO way to use it...BUT THEY WERE NICE AND DIDN'T GIVE ME ANY HASSLES!!!
Sorry - Cannot Resist the TIEBACK: Breeze, I understand your comment about buying groceries (instead of mink coats) - BUT - at the cost of CASCADE DIHWASHER DETERGENT these days..... LOL!...ARF...you might as well buy vitamins to throw in the dishwasher - cheaper - and OK - ONCE MORE - only once a day! LOL Dogman
Re: Sorry - Cannot Resist the TIEBACK: CASCADE has been on sale just about every week at "TAR-JAY" And our "regular" price at WAL*MART is lower than TARGET'S sale price...
I'm not sure what is going on with Amex recently either. I do know that a significant amount of their operations in NYC were disrupted on 11 September, and this might have something to do with it. What surprises me was that they would send out a card if there were ourstanding issues regarding identification. When you get your piece of plastic in the mail, you must activate it by calling the number on the sticker. Normally it says to call from you HOME phone. They use the Automatic Number Identification to correlate with the information they have on file for you. Note the your phone number is passed along whenever you make a call to a toll free number, because they are paying for the call. Blocking your number from Caller ID will NOT block your number from ANI on a toll free number. If you don't call from your home number, you are usually transferred from the automated system to a CSR who will activate the card upon interviewing you and asking identification questions. They always seem to get annoyed because I use a cell-phone number as my 'home' number, because they can't telemarket me on it. If the card was properly activated I can't imagine why Amex would have a policy which resulted in new customers being involved in embarrassing scenes in retail stores. I would write a letter to the customer service department and express my displeasure with your first experience trying to use your Amex card.
Call MORE and discuss it. Amex is very security conscious. I made a change to our accounts (from Paytrust address back to home address) and 2 minutes after I spoke with them, they called the home number to verify it. This was after asking all sorts of background questions (name of your mortgage company, auto loan balance, last few charges & payments, etc.). I lost my wallet this summer in NYC and they were a dream to work with - I had a replacemente the next morning and felt good that if anyone picked it up (with my DL), they wouldn't be able to get access. Side note - I picked up the replacement card at cardmember services in what used to be the World Financial Center). Very freaky to see it all in ruble (the "holy s**t- I was there" feeling). BTW- the whole New York tregedy affected their corporate HQ in the WFC - most of the card services are handled out of Salt Lake City, Phoenix, and Ft. Lauderdale. -mj
mj Amex is very security conscious. I made a change to our accounts (from Paytrust address back to home address) and 2 minutes after I spoke with them, they called the home number to verify it. This was after asking all sorts of background questions (name of your mortgage company, auto loan balance, last few charges & payments, etc.). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I had a credit card company "security" call me and they started asking a bunch of questions...I SAID WAIT A MINUTE!!! YOU ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS FOR ME FIRST...HOW DO I KNOW YOU ARE WHO YOU SAY YOU ARE???? RED FLAG!!!
