The Master American Express BackDating Thread - *Obsolete info*

[Gaby10]

Btw, I wouldnt be totally surprised that credit report changes in a few months to reflect member date. Also interesting question is if new card would behave the same. Since most of backdoor backdating involves just changing member date, could make backdating more difficult if disconnect between member date and reported open date increases. As you need to involve credit report bureau to fix and they are much more difficult to get anything from. Oh and credit bureau unit keeps phone logs. I tried calling them several times for my wife and the au account and they kept referring as we told you in last conversation with us, ...

 

First they told me they can't backdate unless member date reflects 1990. They transfer me to CSR, who says in their records, my card and account both say 1990, same as online. Um, no. Online it says 1990, card says 2012. But I don't care about the card. She offers me a new card anyway. Fine. She does that, and goes back to credit report dept. After several minutes on hold she tells me they said no backdating for me because I burned them. My account will report as is, although my card and internal member date will say 1990.

[BDK]

Back from my self-imposed "I'm tired of all this drama" exile, with a vow to never post when I'm in a really pissy mood, and zip my lip from now on.

 

ANYHOO, just figured I'd update this thread with some useful information that I figure ONLY applies to me because, well, I've been me long enough to know...

 

AmEx will not backdate my account because my previous account was closed with a negative status. So I burned an inquiry and took another unnecessary hit to AAOA for a card I didn't need. YES, I talked to the credit bureau dept., as did the CSR.

 

OK, so I broke my vow already and posted in a pissy mood. But I only did it to add a data point.

 

Gaby, I thought you mentioned earlier in thread that they had already backdated you to 1990? Although you also mentioned you thought your real member date was 1986. Did you try and get them to backdate to 1986?

 

My online date says Member since 1990, but the card reports as 2012. They won't backdate it.

 

I'd suggest keep trying, like Bob said!

[Crashem]

Bad debt king, gaby's case is more complicated than keep trying. Can't talk to random reps and hope they change member date. They already have. Only department that I know that can help is credit bureau unit. The issue is that they keep good telephone records of past conversations. What Gaby is stating as policy is what I have heard from others as well with similar issue.

[BDK]

Bad debt king, gaby's case is more complicated than keep trying. Can't talk to random reps and hope they change member date. They already have. Only department that I know that can help is credit bureau unit. The issue is that they keep good telephone records of past conversations. What Gaby is stating as policy is what I have heard from others as well with similar issue.

 

And that's exactly who I'd focus my attention on. I don't know quit, only try, try, and keep trying!!

 

Is it not possible to escalate to a supervisor within THAT dept.?

 

Write a DETAILED letter, post on Amex's Facebook, PB, ect......

[Gaby10]

Bad debt king, gaby's case is more complicated than keep trying. Can't talk to random reps and hope they change member date. They already have. Only department that I know that can help is credit bureau unit. The issue is that they keep good telephone records of past conversations. What Gaby is stating as policy is what I have heard from others as well with similar issue.

 

And that's exactly who I'd focus my attention on. I don't know quit, only try, try, and keep trying!!

 

Is it not possible to escalate to a supervisor within THAT dept.?

 

Write a DETAILED letter, post on Amex's Facebook, PB, ect......

 

Supervisor in that dept. is who said no backdating of a previously negative account.

[BDK]

Bad debt king, gaby's case is more complicated than keep trying. Can't talk to random reps and hope they change member date. They already have. Only department that I know that can help is credit bureau unit. The issue is that they keep good telephone records of past conversations. What Gaby is stating as policy is what I have heard from others as well with similar issue.

 

And that's exactly who I'd focus my attention on. I don't know quit, only try, try, and keep trying!!

 

Is it not possible to escalate to a supervisor within THAT dept.?

 

Write a DETAILED letter, post on Amex's Facebook, PB, ect......

 

Supervisor in that dept. is who said no backdating of a previously negative account.

 

Then go above them. Ask them point blank why you are being singled out when you know of others who have had success.

[Gaby10]

Bad debt king, gaby's case is more complicated than keep trying. Can't talk to random reps and hope they change member date. They already have. Only department that I know that can help is credit bureau unit. The issue is that they keep good telephone records of past conversations. What Gaby is stating as policy is what I have heard from others as well with similar issue.

 

And that's exactly who I'd focus my attention on. I don't know quit, only try, try, and keep trying!!

 

Is it not possible to escalate to a supervisor within THAT dept.?

 

Write a DETAILED letter, post on Amex's Facebook, PB, ect......

 

Supervisor in that dept. is who said no backdating of a previously negative account.

 

Then go above them. Ask them point blank why you are being singled out when you know of others who have had success.

 

Saying I've heard others have had success is purely anecdotal. My mileage varied.

Edited August 27, 2012 by Gaby10

[Crashem]

Bad Debt King,

 

What you are suggesting hasn't been the method that people sliding by on backdating. Not that I disagree. I had similar situation to Gaby with the AU account, but even a better case as Amex shouldn't have been mad at us for any reason and I pointed out they materially harmed my wife's CR because their new AU policy is so different from every other card issuer. Pushed it up the chain, they basically denied others were getting through, or that they shouldn't, or happened before change in policy.

[SparkyinCA]

Gaby10 - what do your credit reports reflect as an opening date for the Zync? If your member since date is 1990 I thought that's what would be reported to the CRA's is why I'm asking.

 

I've read to not bring up the word "backdating" with Amex. Just request a new card with the right date (play dumb on the phone), but sounds like you've done that already and they wouldn't issue the new card with the old year. Has to be frustrating I'm sure.

 

It's really a touchy issue as they did let you back in, but to push for the BD'ing is probably not in your best interest in the long term. My scores did not change much with my backdating to 1984. My AAOA went from 3 yrs to 6 yrs and maybe I got a 10 pt boost (if that). Too hard to tell as I added 2 TL's at the same time as the Zync. It really depends on how many open/closed accounts you have for it to affect your AAOA a lot. I'm sure when old closed TL's drop I'll finally see a real boost in AAOA and scores. Just have to wait another 2 or 3 years

 

Keep us posted and GL...

[BDK]

Btw, I wouldnt be totally surprised that credit report changes in a few months to reflect member date. Also interesting question is if new card would behave the same. Since most of backdoor backdating involves just changing member date, could make backdating more difficult if disconnect between member date and reported open date increases. As you need to involve credit report bureau to fix and they are much more difficult to get anything from. Oh and credit bureau unit keeps phone logs. I tried calling them several times for my wife and the au account and they kept referring as we told you in last conversation with us, ...

 

First they told me they can't backdate unless member date reflects 1990. They transfer me to CSR, who says in their records, my card and account both say 1990, same as online. Um, no. Online it says 1990, card says 2012. But I don't care about the card. She offers me a new card anyway. Fine. She does that, and goes back to credit report dept. After several minutes on hold she tells me they said no backdating for me because I burned them. My account will report as is, although my card and internal member date will say 1990.

 

If your CARD says 1990, I believe that the system will eventually report that data to CR. How much time has gone by since you have requested the new card?

[Gaby10]

Gaby10 - what do your credit reports reflect as an opening date for the Zync? If your member since date is 1990 I thought that's what would be reported to the CRA's is why I'm asking.

 

I've read to not bring up the word "backdating" with Amex. Just request a new card with the right date (play dumb on the phone), but sounds like you've done that already and they wouldn't issue the new card with the old year. Has to be frustrating I'm sure.

 

It's really a touchy issue as they did let you back in, but to push for the BD'ing is probably not in your best interest in the long term. My scores did not change much with my backdating to 1984. My AAOA went from 3 yrs to 6 yrs and maybe I got a 10 pt boost (if that). Too hard to tell as I added 2 TL's at the same time as the Zync. It really depends on how many open/closed accounts you have for it to affect your AAOA a lot. I'm sure when old closed TL's drop I'll finally see a real boost in AAOA and scores. Just have to wait another 2 or 3 years

 

Keep us posted and GL...

 

 

Reports reflect 7/12 as opening date. Member since date is 1990. New card with 1990 happily issued today, but was told by credit bureau dept. that due to previous negative experience with AmEx, my account will not be backdated like everyone else's and will continue to report as opened 2012.

[Crashem]

The whole point of this there are now scenarios where Amex has divorced the Member Since Date from the Reported open date on credit report. Gaby's situation is one. Newly open AU accounts where AU has older member date is another. In these scenarios, the normal methods don't work anymore as the member date has been changed already both on card and online. The credit bureau unit seems to be the central point at this point for changing the reporting. The problem is this unit keep good phone logs and seem intent on not making changes that result in backdating. The question is there some other method around this.

Edited August 27, 2012 by Crashem

[Gaby10]

The whole point of this there are now scenarios where Amex has divorced the Member Since Date from the Reported open date on credit report. Gaby's situation is one. Newly open AU accounts where AU has older member date is another. In these scenarios, the normal methods don't won't anymore as the member date has been changed already both on card and online. The credit bureau unit seems to be the central point at this point for changing the reporting. The problem is this unit keep good phone logs and seem intent on not making changes that result in backdating. The question is there some other method around this.

 

Yet others whose previous accounts were charged off or discharged in bankruptcy have had no problems being backdated... they didn't even have to ask. Even though their cards were issued with the "new" date as mine was, if their online account showed their original member date, that's what reported. Previous negative relationship and all.

[Crashem]

Gaby this is a recent change. Might as well complain that you didn't abuse the old pre Nov 2011 rule of being able to backdate back to original OC member date. The fact is even a member date of this year will be valuable as it ages which no other issuer can provide. At least you won the Amex Blacklist lottery. There are people with smaller debts and older debts than you that are still on the blacklist.

[Gaby10]

Gaby this is a recent change. Might as well complain that you didn't abuse the old pre Nov 2011 rule of being able to backdate back to original OC member date. The fact is even a member date of this year will be valuable as it ages which no other issuer can provide. At least you won the Amex Blacklist lottery. There are people with smaller debts and older debts than you that are still on the blacklist.

 

I was never an AU, so I never had the chance to abuse that one.

 

I doubt future cards will be backdated if their policy is now "no backdating for past offenders." And frankly, getting this card was more trouble than it's worth, as all it achieved was lowering my AAOA and hitting me w/an EX inquiry. I didn't need this annual-fee card for anything else except the backdating for age, so in the end it was completely counterproductive to get it. I didn't care about being on the blacklist except for the backdating advantage, which I didn't get.

 

Oh, and the new policy (which I'm still not convinced of... others are still being backdated) was not in effect when I applied 2 months ago.

Edited August 27, 2012 by Gaby10

[Crashem]

Gaby, you are likely wrong. Future Amex will get backdated to 2012 as I understand the current policy. Be happy don't be happy about that is your personal choice. Personally I would still be thrilled if I was in your shoes. Amex has great cards and to be allowed back after screwing them out of money seems like a win. But to each their own. Can't convince someone to be happy.

Edited August 27, 2012 by Crashem

[Gaby10]

Gaby, you are likely wrong. Future Amex will get backdated to 2012 as I understand the current policy

 

Can you please point me to these other folks who have fallen victim to this? I still have not found one, so I'm not entirely convinced it's as much a "new policy" as it is "bad luck."

Edited August 27, 2012 by Gaby10

[Gaby10]

Gaby, you are likely wrong. Future Amex will get backdated to 2012 as I understand the current policy. Be happy don't be happy about that is your personal choice. Personally I would still be thrilled if I was in your shoes. Amex has great cards and to be allowed back after screwing them out of money seems like a win. But to each their own. Can't convince someone to be happy.

 

Whatever. But yeah, I reserve the right to be unhappy that I did not receive the same advantage as everyone else who also burned AmEx. If that's unreasonable of me, then so be it. I have nothing to be thrilled about. I got an annual-fee card I didn't want or need, and lowered my scores to get it. Yayyyyyy!!

[Crashem]

Gaby, you are likely wrong. Future Amex will get backdated to 2012 as I understand the current policy

 

Can you please point me to these other folks who have fallen victim to this? I still have not found one, so I'm not entirely convinced it's as much a "new policy" as it is "bad luck."

 

These are people I know personally. Been helping out quite a few people out with their credit. But I seem to remember a few people on myfico that had same problem. In any case, if you want to think of it as "bad luck", I can't stop you.

[SomeGuyInCA]

I have a question about backdating with respect to corporate cards. I stated earlier in another thread that I had no prior relationship with Amex. I just realized that's not entirely true; I have had two separate green cards issued through employers, one around 1995 and the other in the early 2000's. Both of these were corporate cards, but the bills came to me and my name was on both cards. Neither of those cards ever went south, obviously - I obviously surrendered them when changing employment with zero balances on both. It would be fabo to get my member date backdated to one of those dates, but It feels like a stretch to me.

 

I'm not really sure how those corporate cards work, so I'm uncertain whether or not I could potentially get any backdating out of them. As of right now, my member date is 2012.

 

Thoughts?

[Crashem]

I have a question about backdating with respect to corporate cards. I stated earlier in another thread that I had no prior relationship with Amex. I just realized that's not entirely true; I have had two separate green cards issued through employers, one around 1995 and the other in the early 2000's. Both of these were corporate cards, but the bills came to me and my name was on both cards. Neither of those cards ever went south, obviously - I obviously surrendered them when changing employment with zero balances on both. It would be fabo to get my member date backdated to one of those dates, but It feels like a stretch to me.

 

I'm not really sure how those corporate cards work, so I'm uncertain whether or not I could potentially get any backdating out of them. As of right now, my member date is 2012.

 

Thoughts?

 

Some "corporate" cards have been backdated automatically, but those have been with small companies. Most likely if bigger company it will not auto backdate. However, if you have the proof around, you can fight for it. A lot CS reps will tell you they don't count corporate cards. However, if you have old info, just keep trying and forget to mention it was corporate card and just act confident and give them the number. I have seen it work a ton of times.

[Gaby10]

Gaby, you are likely wrong. Future Amex will get backdated to 2012 as I understand the current policy

 

Can you please point me to these other folks who have fallen victim to this? I still have not found one, so I'm not entirely convinced it's as much a "new policy" as it is "bad luck."

 

These are people I know personally. Been helping out quite a few people out with their credit. But I seem to remember a few people on myfico that had same problem. In any case, if you want to think of it as "bad luck", I can't stop you.

 

Try as I might, I can't find any of these instances on either board. And I'm not being facetious or ornery--I seriously want to read their posts to find out how closely their circumstances match mine, how recently the backdating refusal happened, who refused them and what was said, how many attempts they made, and what (if anything) they were able to do about it. I'm the first person I know of to report this happening (or did you report a data point somewhere?), and I've been following every backdating thread very closely for several months.

 

I think we really need to gather some more verifiable data points before we call it a new policy vs. a YMMV situation. That's all I'm sayin'.

[GonnaGetEm]

They do HHI, right?

AmEx usually just wants your 1040 summary, I don't know if the summary breaks things down.

 

Hm, well then they're gonna get two 1040 summaries. Two employed individuals here. (If they ask).

 

I applied for the SPG card because they have a limited time 30K points offer and I never had the SPG one before (my husband did).

 

Nothing instant, the computer took awhile thinking about it and then spit out the following:

 

 

 

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide an Instant Account number at this time.

Your application will be processed as soon as possible, and we will notify you of the decision by mail within 14 days.

Thank you for applying!

 

 

So my hunch is that I'll get a FR letter in the mail that I can reply to, and then hopefully get the card. If my stated income was too low or if I was blacklisted I think I'd have gotten an instant denial, so this will do. For now.

 

UPDATE: Today the page for checking your app status online changed from "In Progress" to "Cancelled".

 

I'm hoping and almost expecting the hard inquiry to disappear from Experian next.

[MMWTHREAD]

I had a green card back in 1993 which I closed due to the fees. I thought the $55 fee was too much for what little I used it.

 

Anyway I am an authorized user on my spouses Zinc card. Today I called to backdate and the rep informed me that authorized users cannot backdate. My spouse had never had a an AMEX prior to the Zync. I was hoping it would work.

 

AMEX has denied my applications several times. Low FICO 677. At least I can piggyback on my spouses.

[SomeGuyInCA]

I had a green card back in 1993 which I closed due to the fees. I thought the $55 fee was too much for what little I used it.

 

Anyway I am an authorized user on my spouses Zinc card. Today I called to backdate and the rep informed me that authorized users cannot backdate. My spouse had never had a an AMEX prior to the Zync. I was hoping it would work.

 

AMEX has denied my applications several times. Low FICO 677. At least I can piggyback on my spouses.

 

Try Zync