10,000 bonus points per 20 transactions

[cardiology]

Anyone who sign in for the promo (either online/over the phone) WITHOUT receiving the postcard got new 5,000 bonus point posted from 24 Sept onwards??
I think AMEX has stop dishing out bonus point for those who actually do NOT have the postcard in their mailbox.

I have stopped receiving any additional bonus points since yesterday:evil:

 

[JohnK]

Presumably it is 14.3 that you are referring to. Note that this term does not even attempt to stake out a position that allows AMEX to retrospectively deduct points. Even if there was such a term, it almost certainly would not be enforceable.

I don't know about deducting MR points but they can certainly change a promotion without prior notification.

Sounds "too good" to be true so it can't be? I am sure Citibank tried their utmost to make this argument stick during the most recent large scale credit card debacle. But they failed, and no ambulance chasers benefited (none of us seem to want that!).

Is this the one where they offered cashback on the Citibank Readycredit account and people were writing cheques to themselves, paying off the balance and then writing new cheques to themselves? If I remember correctly Citibank did not have to payout as people were abusing the promotion.

 

[ColinP]

promotion.

I don't have a problem if AMEX notify me of a cap going forward on the number of bonus points I can earn. This would clearly change my impression/understanding of the terms of the promotion (since the T&Cs says they can change them) and would bring AMEX back into compliance with the TPA.

I agree.

I've signed up for a promotion with clearly defined conditions (5,000 points for every 5 purchases with no cap). I have altered my spending behaviour, in what I believe to be the way the promotion intended me to change it, ie, I am using my Amex almost exclusively and refusing to purchase if Amex is not accepted. I'm not using cash and I'm only using my Visa for existing billers that don't take Amex.
At 4-6 purchases per day, I am not abusing it.

I have acted in good faith and am keeping my part of the bargain and I expect Amex to do the same. If they notify me of changed T&Cs then I guess I will change my behaviour to reflect those conditions.

In the meantime, in the absence of any information to the contrary, I'll carry on regardless and assume the original T&Cs still apply.

If, at the end of 8-10 weeks I find that the points don't post because the T&Cs were changed to include a points cap, I guess I'll be making a phone call to ask why.

 

[Skoogle]

I just got my bonus 5000pts on my Corporate card (which I have responsibility for), and all transactions were from Mexico.

I specifically asked last week and was told 'no' for corporate cards.

Can anyone else confirm the status of their corporate card?

 

[baz123]

Just to let others know, I didn't receive the postcard, signed up for the 5 for 5000 scheme online, was up to 40000 points yesterday and received another 5000 today. I was expecting 10000 today, but just to let you know I have received bonus points today.

Also...came back home today at lunch today and there's an Amex letter about important changes to MR scheme. gulp. But in fact it's all about Qantas dropping out of the scheme blah blah blah - no mention of capping any bonus points scheme. So tentatively good news! Well at least not bad news!

 

[NSWhere]

I don't know about deducting MR points but they can certainly change a promotion without prior notification.


Is this the one where they offered cashback on the Citibank Readycredit account and people were writing cheques to themselves, paying off the balance and then writing new cheques to themselves? If I remember correctly Citibank did not have to payout as people were abusing the promotion.

Now, I could be wrong, but my recollection is different. As I recall, it took nearly a year but eventually the BFSO wrote to all complainants something to the effect of:

"As a result of our investigation it is our view that the bank (Citibank) is liable to credit your account with an amount of $20 for every $500 withdrawn or debited to your account during the promotional period, irrespective of the reason why the withdrawal occurred." It seems that people got paid quite quickly following this letter.

Prior to that of course many people settled for amounts in the vicinity of $500.

Like I said, I could be wrong. Did Citibank appeal the decision and take it through the courts and win? I thought not but I am interested to hear if it went further.

 

[Kazda]

Anyone who sign in for the promo (either online/over the phone) WITHOUT receiving the postcard got new 5,000 bonus point posted from 24 Sept onwards??
I think AMEX has stop dishing out bonus point for those who actually do NOT have the postcard in their mailbox.

I have stopped receiving any additional bonus points since yesterday:evil:

When I tried to signup for 5,000 bonus points today over the phone, I was told that when the promo is 'working' again sometime tommorrow they can only sign up people who received the letter, she also mentioned that she system checks this, she also specifically said letter and not postcard.

 

[Febs]

I specifically asked last week and was told 'no' for corporate cards.

Can anyone else confirm the status of their corporate card?

If it helps, another colleague at work is getting the bonus points on his corporate card.

Note though, our Corporate cards are the type that we have the responsibility to pay off. They're green/gold and say "Corporate", but we receive (and pay) the bills personally. Might be different for other corporate cards.

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[cardiology]

As AMEX might rip off my bonus points (now standing at 15,000= 5,000 x 3), should I redeem them immediately (e.g. Coles Gift Card $100)?

Then AMEX could not deduct points from my MR account in case they cross check whether I've got the postcard/letter actually.

 

[file51]

Personal liability corporate cards are fine.

Company cards are not eligible for promotion

hth

 

[simongr]

Amex can give you a negative balance on your MR account. I have one on my Corporate account due to a trip being cancelled.

 

[cardiology]

A negative balance in MR - any idea on what will happen if I cancel the account with a -ve MR balance?

 

[tscharke]

Personal liability corporate cards are fine.

Company cards are not eligible for promotion

hth

not quite true - my Amex Qantas corp card has been successfully registered, via the spirit program!

You will usually find that it is at the discretion of the company whether or not they will allow staff to link the corp card to a rewards program!

 

[equus]

A negative balance in MR - any idea on what will happen if I cancel the account with a -ve MR balance?

I would suggest nothing - remember the T&Cs of the program that "points have no value" - tends to cut both ways. I don't recall AMEX ever suggesting they would give you something for a positive points balance when you cancel an account.

However, I would also suggest that if you did, and then wanted a new account, there may be enough smarts in the system to match them up.

 

[snufl]

Just a couple of thoughts.

I am sure Amex will seek expert legal advice before we get anything more in writing. I doubt they will leave themselves open for "ambulance chasers".

There has been a lot of talk about using Amex for smaller purchases instead of cash. I suppose a lot depends on what their plans are for this market. Woolworths have just released their Mastercard including Paypass. The card is fee free first year plus 0% till Feb 09. I copied this from the Mastercard website:

MasterCard PayPass™ is a convenient payment program that will allow you to just Tap & Go™ your card wherever you see the PayPass sign. So there’s no need to wait, sign or enter a PIN for amounts that are $35 or less.

I have used tap type cards for trains overseas and they are just too easy and timesaving. My husband phoned Amex to arrange for a pin for purchases and was told it is not available as yet, he has to sign. This means delays at Woolies to use Amex. (Delays we have happily endured the past couple of days).

So I suppose they have to decide if they risk losing market share by not encouraging smaller transactions.

Disclaimer: We have not abused the promo. By smaller transactions I don't mean splitting transactions, I mean simply using Amex instead of cash.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

If it helps, another colleague at work is getting the bonus points on his corporate card.

Note though, our Corporate cards are the type that we have the responsibility to pay off. They're green/gold and say "Corporate", but we receive (and pay) the bills personally. Might be different for other corporate cards.

Cheers,
- Febs.

While I cannot specifically comment on Febs Card.....

In the very brief terms and conditions (and there were not many)

Attached Images

amex-10k-points.jpg (96.2 KB, 181 views)

there were two points of relevance:

1/ Corporate Cards were specifically named and excluded. (It did not differentiate by type and so one would assume if Amex chooses to they can exclude all Corporate cards.

So this may mean that if Amex checks that the points will be reversed.

Or as Feb says (hopes) they might regard his as personal???

2/ It stated that purchases has to be made in Australia in Austrlian $

Feb I think mentions Mexico??

So it would sound like to me that Amex did not put the right filters in place to block Corporate Cards and pssibly ooverseas transactions.

 

[simongr]

I have used tap type cards for trains overseas and they are just too easy and timesaving. My husband phoned Amex to arrange for a pin for purchases and was told it is not available as yet, he has to sign. This means delays at Woolies to use Amex. (Delays we have happily endured the past couple of days).

The main delays I have found are only at the self service checkouts in Woolworths - if I have two or three purchases that are scanable then paying on Amex is a little bit of a pain. I find at the manned checkouts the fumbling for change is not that much slower.

This morning I checked my wallet and found $190 in there - normally I would have $190 in there on a Thursday after having topped up on a Wednesday (I am not a creature of habit honestly) - might reflect how much has gone on Amx this week.

 

[Alanslegal]

Disclaimer: We have not abused the promo. By smaller transactions I don't mean splitting transactions, I mean simply using Amex instead of cash.

Agree, same here.

Once in a while I would donate a few bucks to charities with cash especially those in the shopping centre or malls. With this promo, I have I been able to make a couple of small donations via Amex

 

[beardoc]

My points aren't updating for transactions from 23rd September either.

I tried calling Membership Rewards today - at times the phone would just ring out - at other times it would announced that I've called the Liverpool Street Office directly which I shouldn't do. After 5 attempts, I'm going to stop. I suspect they're having a high volume of calls and they're routing overflow calls all over the place.

Rather than speculate any further, has anyone got through to American Express and got any solid information (rather than speculation) about whether this has been formally suspended, and if so, what conditions they suspended on? I have been trying to get through but just not having any luck on the MR line (1300 363 276 or Sydney 02 9271 8229).

 

[tscharke]

I just tried the 1300 307 493 number - after a short time on hold I was instructed to call back during business hours :shock:

its 3:50pm EST!!!

perhaps I need to find a job at Amex