Back in I applied for the AMEX Platinum Delta Skymiles card. Delta is my preferred airline and the benefits to coupling the two was a no brainer. I spend $3000 in 90 days and I get a bunch of Qualifying Miles on Delta. I applied online the 3rd week of October and was immediately approved for an $8600 line. I ran up about $5000 in the first month, on purpose because the card’s benefits encourage you to do that kind of thing. I hadn’t even gone through 1 billing cycle, or at least I hadn’t even had a payment deadline come and go, when on December 7th, I went to use the card and it wasn’t going through. I called AMEX and was informed that my credit line was now $5600 oh and by the way, we are canceling your account.
What followed is still the most confusing way of doing business I have yet to encounter. These things always start with “We are sending you a letter explaining why”, but they can’t tell me why over the phone. These letters, as many of you are aware, are the most pathetically uninformative “explanations” imaginable. They are loaded with unspecified data that is a nightmare to discern or question. It’s absolutely maddening. I was told I could apply for reinstatement. The way to do that is not by phone call and you sure as hell can’t mail your request in. No, the only way it’s possible is by sending your request via FAX to a singular number. At the other end of this number, I am assured, is a small group of people who deal in nothing but rein-statements, so I don’t need to call attention to anyone in particular because it’s all this number leads to. I will hear from them in 3 business days at the latest. I took a couple of afternoons to get as much info on my situation as I could. Going over my credit report, looking at my accounts, my debt and comparing what the reasoning was to what my actual situation was. I broke everything down item by item with the intent to ask for clarification on what the company’s standards were. I wasn’t attacking AMEX, even though I knew what they would answer with as their policy or what their unsubstantiated rational would be I would probably regard as unsatisfactory. Still, at least I would know what I was dealing with because not understanding the “why” of this is the most frustrating thing.
I was most confused on a couple things. One was that my credit score had dropped from the time I had applied to the date they decided to cancel me. It had dropped. 1 point and that was due to their inquiry. Also, somehow, my lack of history with “other” creditors, who were naturally unspecified because I’m sure they couldn’t be talking the credit cards I’ve had for 10 years with not a single late payment on record, became relevant. I don’t understand how, six weeks after the fact, my other relationships suddenly become important. That was just the top of the list of things that were ALL on my credit report when I applied. Why were they suddenly grounds for cancellation? That part was of great interest to me. I mean, what is the AMEX way of doing things where they approve someone without taking a particularly close look at whether or not they are they kind of person who should have their card?
When I didn’t hear from them for a solid month after I sent everything in, I got in touch again and got nowhere. I mean NOWHERE. The only information the customer service reps and their supervisors could offer me was what my balance was and when my next payment was due. Absolutely exasperating beyond words. I intentionally didn’t make my next payment and man oh man did the phone calls come fast and furious. I took great joy in verbally pummeling the person calling me, though I did apologize to them personally for being the butt of my ire as I understood it had nothing to do with them. I just wanted to have a voice of some sort to make my case. My hope was that my calls were being recorded and that MAYBE someone of consequence would hear something I had to say. Failing that, I did strongly urge the person on the other end to take notes and TELL SOMEONE that I was in such a fitful way over this. Yes, shocking to report, that garnered zero response.
I am at the point now where I am ready to pay this thing off. I have a scathing letter that I am ready to send to the many addresses I have for the company. It won’t get me anywhere and I really don’t want any kind of relationship with a company that regards my $8600 of business as unworthy. I do see them as bullies and as a company who feels they are above it all. They don’t care. They don’t have to, really, but why they sucked me in just to spit me out, I just don’t get.
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