American Express, huh?

[stepthirteen]

I applied for the Gold Delta Skymiles on the 11th. AMEX calls me to verify some info, they then even call my work to verify employment and how long I have worked there. Then this letter pops up on the online status page-

 

 

American Express

 

PO Box 31525

 

Salt Lake City, UT 84131

 

(866) 379-3643

 

April 18, 2007

 

Reference: XXXX XXX XX XXXXX USD

 

Dear Stepthirteen:

 

 

 

Thank you for applying for the Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express. It is our pleasure to service your request. We are writing to request your assistance in order to complete the processing of your application.

 

We need to confirm your total annual household income. A letter on original letterhead from one of the following sources, confirming the amount and source of your annual household income and your home address would be sufficient:

 

Accountant

 

Broker

 

Banker

 

Attorney

 

 

Upon receipt of this information, we will be happy to reprocess your application.

 

Note, income from child support, alimony or separate maintenance need not be disclosed if you do not wish to rely on it.

 

An important notice concerning your rights is included. The creditor is American Express Bank, FSBS:TRIM .

 

Please send the requested information to us within 30 days at the American Express office listed above, so that we may continue to process your application. Regrettably, if we do not receive the information within 30 days we will be unable to provide additional consideration to your credit request. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

 

Was this e-mail helpful? Please help us improve our online communication to you. Click here to provide feedback.

 

 

 

 

Thank you for your interest in our service.

 

 

 

Sincerely,

 

S. Smith

 

New Accounts Department

 

SS/ag

 

I sent them a letter from my bank disclosing direct deposit information, four quarterly reports from ADP our company payroll processor, and a copy of my latest bank statement. My question is has anyone had to do this in order to get approved? Secondly would they ever go through all the trouble of gathering this info if it was not pending approval once they get what they ask for? I have nothing to hide and put the correct income when I filled out the app as I always do it just seems strange that they would ask for all this preapproval? Of course they will probably approve me for a $1000 line when all is said and done. Any thoughts or feedback?

 

Stepthirteen

[GEORGE]

F/R

 

[stepthirteen]

F/R

 

 

Well if that is true and since I was honest at least I will get it out of the way before I get the card. Seriously do you think they would ask for all this stuff if they where not going to approve the app?

 

Stepthirteen

[jst300z]

Maybe they are considering you for the black card........

 

Good luck, I hope you get the Delta.

 

j

[GEORGE]

F/R

 

 

Well if that is true and since I was honest at least I will get it out of the way before I get the card. Seriously do you think they would ask for all this stuff if they where not going to approve the app?

 

Stepthirteen

We need to confirm your total annual household income. A letter on original letterhead from one of the following sources, confirming the amount and source of your annual household income and your home address would be sufficient:

 

Accountant

 

Broker

 

Banker

 

Attorney

 

THE ABOVE IN RED IS THE RED FLAG PART........

 

This would be a FIRST...F/R WITH ZERO CARDS

Edited April 19, 2007 by GEORGE

[Sleepless]

F/R

 

 

Well if that is true and since I was honest at least I will get it out of the way before I get the card. Seriously do you think they would ask for all this stuff if they where not going to approve the app?

 

Stepthirteen

We need to confirm your total annual household income. A letter on original letterhead from one of the following sources, confirming the amount and source of your annual household income and your home address would be sufficient:

 

Accountant

 

Broker

 

Banker

 

Attorney

 

THE ABOVE IN RED IS THE RED FLAG PART........

 

This would be a FIRST...F/R WITH ZERO CARDS

 

It least it's BEFORE you get the card.

[Credit Matters]

F/R

 

 

Well if that is true and since I was honest at least I will get it out of the way before I get the card. Seriously do you think they would ask for all this stuff if they where not going to approve the app?

 

Stepthirteen

We need to confirm your total annual household income. A letter on original letterhead from one of the following sources, confirming the amount and source of your annual household income and your home address would be sufficient:

 

Accountant

 

Broker

 

Banker

 

Attorney

 

THE ABOVE IN RED IS THE RED FLAG PART........

 

This would be a FIRST...F/R WITH ZERO CARDS

 

It least it's BEFORE you get the card.

 

Exactly. At least it's before.

[Jen32]

What is an F/R?

 

Tip: Someone might want to add it to the newbie abbreviations thread.

[Sleepless]

What is an F/R?

 

Tip: Someone might want to add it to the newbie abbreviations thread.

 

Finanical Review

[crofttk]

.... A letter on original letterhead from one of the following sources, confirming the amount and source of your annual household income and your home address would be sufficient:

 

Accountant

 

Broker

 

Banker

 

Attorney

I don't have and accountant, I do it all myself.

I don't have a broker, I do it all myself.

I don't have an attorney ever since I finished my last legal business in July of '97.

I suppose there is abanker somewhere at one of my three banks but they don't have a clue what my income is and have no means to verify it.

 

What the hell planet are these people writing these requirements from?

 

They gave me $23k of credit based on a stated income, and won't give me $2k more because I made the egregious error of using my Blue Cash card at a Wawa's and a Turkey Hill to buy gasoline and used it to pay the fee for my online tax returns. I'm just laughing, so far.....

[Shawnee]

Oh, so now they're admitting they want to know the source of your income? What business is it of theirs?

[BobWang]

 

This would be a FIRST...F/R WITH ZERO CARDS

 

Well, hello, [George]. It's so nice to have you back where you belong.

[stepthirteen]

That is what I thought at least it is before the card. Of course they may not even give me a card, right?

 

Stepthirteen

[Xian Zhu Xuande]

My thought was also, ‘at least he’s getting the F/R out of the way before he gets the card…’

 

They gave me $23k of credit based on a stated income, and won't give me $2k more because I made the egregious error of using my Blue Cash card at a Wawa's and a Turkey Hill to buy gasoline and used it to pay the fee for my online tax returns. I'm just laughing, so far.....

Why would they care about Wawa’s (food market, yes?) and Turkey Hill? Did they identify these purchases as a problem to you? And you used the card to pay the fee for your tax returns, not your actual debt to the government (the later of which would be a ToS violation)? What did they say, exactly?

[toopooor]

And you used the card to pay the fee for your tax returns, not your actual debt to the government (the later of which would be a ToS violation)? What did they say, exactly?

 

Huh? The way it was worded on the emails i got from them was that they wanted me to use it for the actual taxes i owed (i almost used delta to pay my DD $104 tax bill but decided to be cheap and save $2.49 so I mailed a check instead). BOA and chase made similar offers.

[toopooor]

I applied for the Gold Delta Skymiles on the 11th. AMEX calls me to verify some info, they then even call my work to verify employment and how long I have worked there. Then this letter pops up on the online status page-

<snip>

 

I wonder what about you triggered a FR before approval?

[MarvBear]

LOL, it could have been something as simple as the Human Resources department not verifying income via the phone.

 

I know my HR dept will not verify on the phone.

[stepthirteen]

LOL, it could have been something as simple as the Human Resources department not verifying income via the phone.

 

I know my HR dept will not verify on the phone.

 

Actually I spoke with our HR department and I think this is exactly what it was. She would not verify my income with them only that I was employed and what my start date was. As I said previous it was no problem because I was truthful about income and my local credit union member services was great she typed up the letter easy as pie. I just hope they are not going through all this to deny my app. Actually no one has answered that question, do any of you think that as long as my documents match my app that they would go through all this trouble if it was not going to be approved. I guess what I am asking is do you all think it is an approval pending these supporting documents?

 

Stepthirteen

[ON-MY_way]

LOL, it could have been something as simple as the Human Resources department not verifying income via the phone.

 

I know my HR dept will not verify on the phone.

BOY im glad i didnt jump the gun and post a reply before reading on down to marv's post... my employer...past and present...have the same policy...

 

that seems to be call for the letter...but who knows why amex put you through income/employment manual review...by which any creditor has the right to know...

 

gl step...

[stepthirteen]

LOL, it could have been something as simple as the Human Resources department not verifying income via the phone.

 

I know my HR dept will not verify on the phone.

BOY im glad i didnt jump the gun and post a reply before reading on down to marv's post... my employer...past and present...have the same policy...

 

that seems to be call for the letter...but who knows why amex put you through income/employment manual review...by which any creditor has the right to know...

 

gl step...

 

Thanks OMW I just hope this turns out with me getting a nice shiny half clear DElta Gold with a decent CL.

 

Stepthirteen

[GEORGE]

MY COMPANY WILL SAY I WORK THERE

 

PERIOD

 

No other questions will be answered

[ON-MY_way]

LOL, it could have been something as simple as the Human Resources department not verifying income via the phone.

 

I know my HR dept will not verify on the phone.

BOY im glad i didnt jump the gun and post a reply before reading on down to marv's post... my employer...past and present...have the same policy...

 

that seems to be call for the letter...but who knows why amex put you through income/employment manual review...by which any creditor has the right to know...

 

gl step...

 

Thanks OMW I just hope this turns out with me getting a nice shiny half clear DElta Gold with a decent CL.

 

Stepthirteen

step..as long as you can provide anything close to what amex requested and it matches or exceeds what you stated on app...your as good as gold...in this case..delta gold!

 

i love the "always double miles" on post office transactions... with all my credit repair and bonus miles...i may be over half way to a free rt trip by now!

[KYBOSH]

I think a financial review when you are apply for the card is better than when you have had it for a while and they cut it off in the middle of a vacation and start asking you for your previous year's taxes. Might as well get it over with now.

 

Has anyone gone through more than one F/R?

 

Or is it just a one time colonoscopy?

[ON-MY_way]

I think a financial review when you are apply for the card is better than when you have had it for a while and they cut it off in the middle of a vacation and start asking you for your previous year's taxes. Might as well get it over with now.

 

Has anyone gone through more than one F/R?

 

Or is it just a one time colonoscopy?

i remember only one member mentioning of a second f/r....that when he/she or the person they knew closed...

[crofttk]

....Why would they care about Wawa’s (food market, yes?) and Turkey Hill?..

I dunno, who says the process is rational. I would hope it is but questions abound about that.

....Did they identify these purchases as a problem to you?

Not explicitly but there was no need. I've had the card activated for about two weeks now. With it, I bought a tank of gas at Turkey Hill, a tank of gas at Wawa (yes, both convenience stores), paid for the filing ONLY of my tax return and paid for the filing ONLY of my son's return. The stated reason, among others, was:

 

"Our credit experience with customers who have made purchases at establishments where you have recently used your card."

 

 

Oh.... excuse me, I just went back and double checked my bill and online card activities: I also boughtt us breakfast at McDonald's on the way out of town for a road trip we wanted to get started early on. That HAS to be the dead giveaway that I am too high a risk to raise my credit from $23k to $25k!