Virgin Amex Velocity Platinum card now 110k points

[M@rcoPolo]

I emailed Amex about a couple of bonuses which also didn't post to my account. They claim they didn't apply through my link but I know they did because I sat there and helped them do it!

I got a response the same as yours saying they will escalate it to their marketing team.

Weird - did you perhaps reach the max allowed of 200k points from referrals?

It looks like until August 21st referral bonuses were posting promptly for everyone, since then so many people are complaining because of late / missing bonus points.

 

[aaronjames000]

Weird - did you perhaps reach the max allowed of 200k points from referrals?

It looks like until August 21st referral bonuses were posting promptly for everyone, since then so many people are complaining because of late / missing bonus points.

Definitely haven't reached the max as they were only my 3rd and 4th referrals (through word of mouth).

The first two bonuses posted fine, and like you said August 21 my points for spend stopped posting (for a couple of days... they are fine now) but still haven't received the next two lots of bonus points.

After emailing amex, their initial response was that they didn't use my link, I called BS, amex then asked to provide the last 5 digits on their cards plus their name and postcode, they responded again that they didn't apply using my link.... again BS because I helped them do it.

 

[get me outta here]

That offer is STILL on their website. That arbitrary response is completely out of order. Perhaps all of us who are concerned that no bonuses have come through should bombard now with emails.

I emailed Amex about a couple of bonuses which also didn't post to my account. They claim they didn't apply through my link but I know they did because I sat there and helped them do it!

I got a response the same as yours saying they will escalate it to their marketing team.

2 days later I got their response; in summary, they are douchebags.

Dear Mr. aaronjames000,

I am emailing you regarding the referral bonus points.

Our Marketing Team advised that they will not be able to honour the referral bonus points. We regret the inconvenience this may cause.

For assistance in any other way, please let us know.

Sincerely,

Priyanka Saini
Email Servicing Team
American Express Customer Care

 

[get me outta here]

If /when they got 110,000 points they definitely used someone's (your) link as with no link it is only 100K points.

Definitely haven't reached the max as they were only my 3rd and 4th referrals (through word of mouth).

The first two bonuses posted fine, and like you said August 21 my points for spend stopped posting (for a couple of days... they are fine now) but still haven't received the next two lots of bonus points.

After emailing amex, their initial response was that they didn't use my link, I called BS, amex then asked to provide the last 5 digits on their cards plus their name and postcode, they responded again that they didn't apply using my link.... again BS because I helped them do it.

 

[anat0l]

Definitely haven't reached the max as they were only my 3rd and 4th referrals (through word of mouth).

The first two bonuses posted fine, and like you said August 21 my points for spend stopped posting (for a couple of days... they are fine now) but still haven't received the next two lots of bonus points.

After emailing amex, their initial response was that they didn't use my link, I called BS, amex then asked to provide the last 5 digits on their cards plus their name and postcode, they responded again that they didn't apply using my link.... again BS because I helped them do it.

So what is your next step from here?

I feel that a legal or ombudsman approach may be ineffective. The referral bonus scheme is not a central part of the card's function. Amex also reserves the right to say, "Guess what, <expletive> you" and close all accounts, refunding annual fees if it feels like it but forcing one to forfeit all points.

That offer is STILL on their website. That arbitrary response is completely out of order. Perhaps all of us who are concerned that no bonuses have come through should bombard now with emails.

Not sure what email bombardment will do.

I don't know how it all came out rather ineffectively. Obviously, their system of using a token to track "referrals" is rather ineffective.

What really goes nuts is, say you forget your referral URL for whatever reason. You can go through the same process as before to generate the referral URL again, but the token changes. Can you be marked as a referrer from either token, or only the latest token is valid?


My mother and sister has now applied through my referral link. My mother was activated a few days ago; my sister was approved yesterday. No bonuses arising from either has arrived yet. Anecdotal evidence suggests I should be expecting one to have arrived by now.

 

[Jordan613]

If /when they got 110,000 points they definitely used someone's (your) link as with no link it is only 100K points.

This is the exact point I was going to make. If they receive the 110,000 points (which I know they will) then surely they would be able to track who the referer was? I think I might email as well to make sure.

 

[Salem]

Has any east coast person tried to book PER-eastcoast return flights. Want to see if I can book for a friend who is based in perth to come down to MEL.

There is unfortunately no PER-MEL flight option AFAIK. I have booked to Sydney with no problems though.


If anyone is yet to apply please feel free to show my link some love

https://www316.americanexpress.com/...6F25D15A0&mgmerSource&MGMURN=AAAABgQMHRMfBw==

 

[Winston1]

Very convenient marketing on their behalf. Get people to share their link widely on social media, but then not honour their promise of bonus to the referee. Of course we are in the unfortunate situation of not being able to prove a link, and as I mentioned before, even knowing if our links had been used in a lot of cases.
Shame really as I have been generally impressed with Amex up to now.

I guess for all those people out there who feel bad about dumping this card after 1 year, Amex scam the system every bit as much as the worst card churners.

 

[smit0847]

I think everyone should calm down and wait. We dont know anything yet. I suspect theyve simply halted awarding referral points until theyve worked out how ro fix the mess of having a promotion that was far too generous. Amex is not known as a dodgy company.

 

[anat0l]

I think everyone should calm down and wait. We dont know anything yet. I suspect theyve simply halted awarding referral points until theyve worked out how ro fix the mess of having a promotion that was far too generous. Amex is not known as a dodgy company.

Far too generous... interesting statement.

I wonder what liabilities have been generated on the parts of both Amex and Velocity through this, though remember that the liabilities on either part are not immediate on first instance, and only materialise when the user cashes in the points. Outside of this forum, many may just sit on the Velocity points, and others may just get some gift cards. On top of that, as far as I can tell, Amex will pay a nominal price to issue the Velocity points. What a user then does with those points is then on Velocity's books to handle.

Amex (Australia) have run some promotions before which have "gotten away from them". The way they have "extricated" themselves out of one, or some, of them is not elegant; one may think that's a bit dodgy. That said, that behaviour alone is no reason to solely believe they are completely untrustworthy.

It would be interesting to try and think what the "damage" could be to Amex. Mind, they only have about 20 more days to ride this out, not 2 months or something. There might be a last minute rush, but I'm sure we are also running out of friends and friends of friends to try and rack up new apps.

If Amex really wanted to "control" how much it was dishing out through this promotion, perhaps one "legit" way to do it is to be much, much stricter on who they approve for the card. There's also something they could have done (that many of us were scared of) to disqualify several here from netting many points out of this.

 

[robd]

This is the exact point I was going to make. If they receive the 110,000 points (which I know they will) then surely they would be able to track who the referer was? I think I might email as well to make sure.

I know my link was used for Jnr's application, because I did the application. I checked before I did the application, that I had not yet received the maximum referral points (200,000) which I have not.

I guess the error here is that Amex have given sign-on bonus points to existing card members, against their own T&C's, which appears to have created a huge points snowball for them.

 

[Winston1]

I think everyone should calm down and wait. We dont know anything yet. I suspect theyve simply halted awarding referral points until theyve worked out how ro fix the mess of having a promotion that was far too generous. Amex is not known as a dodgy company.

that could be true, but I feel it's probably not the case as they seem to be disputing legit referrals. (Post 699)
my main concern is how they are going to regain trust in the referral system now that they've shown that they're willing to take (card signup), but not give (bonus points)

I don't think the promotion was too generous, as they are still running it, what was too generous in my opinion was the referral scheme. 10 referrals at 20k each is pretty insane and double what the original promo was worth. (100k signup bonus)

 

[psi999]

I’m probably the first person on here to notice points had stopped, daily referral point drops stopped on the 22[SUP]nd[/SUP] of last month.

Putting all my cards on the table (no pun intended) I’ve been running 3 cards for this promotion, trying to hit 10 referrals on each. I ended up racking up quite a few more than 10 on each card:

Card 1: 11 banked - 4 outstanding
Card 2: 11 banked - 3 outstanding
Card 3: 8 outstanding.

Banked is what has flowed through to a velocity account, outstanding is applications I know that have been made but have yet to show up on my AMEX account (or the other cards I’m working, on behalf of other people).

All of my referrals have been spread-sheeted with date of signup and link used – I noticed even before the 22[SUP]nd[/SUP] that some had not been captured so the referral system has been broken for quite a while. I decided not to inquire further because obviously I’d done quite well from the promotion so the 60,000 points that never got credited I simply wrote off.

As for the snowball effect:

I’ve banked 440,000 'referral points' (with 300,000 outstanding) & 330,000 'signup points' on my card and the two other cards i'm working.

My ~40 referrals over 3 cards have generated 4,400,000 points as 'signup points'.

Now I know at least half of them have also generated a referral - 2,200,000 additional 'signup points' (plus 370,000 'referral points')

So all said and done my one card has generated at least 60 cards, which put into velocity points: 1,200,000 'referral points' & 6,600,000 'signup points' - 7,800,000 points in total now in the system from my one card.

I'm amazed this promotion hasn't been pulled, the points that have been created are out of control!

 

[smit0847]

I’m probably the first person on here to notice points had stopped, daily referral point drops stopped on the 22[SUP]nd[/SUP] of last month.

Putting all my cards on the table (no pun intended) I’ve been running 3 cards for this promotion, trying to hit 10 referrals on each. I ended up racking up quite a few more than 10 on each card:

Card 1: 11 banked - 4 outstanding
Card 2: 11 banked - 3 outstanding
Card 3: 8 outstanding.

Banked is what has flowed through to a velocity account, outstanding is applications I know that have been made but have yet to show up on my AMEX account (or the other cards I’m working, on behalf of other people).

All of my referrals have been spread-sheeted with date of signup and link used – I noticed even before the 22[SUP]nd[/SUP] that some had not been captured so the referral system has been broken for quite a while. I decided not to inquire further because obviously I’d done quite well from the promotion so the 60,000 points that never got credited I simply wrote off.

As for the snowball effect:

I’ve banked 440,000 'referral points' (with 300,000 outstanding) & 330,000 'signup points' on my card and the two other cards i'm working.

My ~40 referrals over 3 cards have generated 4,400,000 points as 'signup points'.

Now I know at least half of them have also generated a referral - 2,200,000 additional 'signup points' (plus 370,000 'referral points')

So all said and done my one card has generated at least 60 cards, which put into velocity points: 1,200,000 'referral points' & 6,600,000 'signup points' - 7,800,000 points in total now in the system from my one card.

I'm amazed this promotion hasn't been pulled, the points that have been created are out of control!

Your calculations are incorrect

 

[psi999]

Your calculations are incorrect

Back of a napkin mate, but you get the idea...

Feel free to correct

 

[smit0847]

Back of a napkin mate, but you get the idea...

Feel free to correct

Sorry my mistake- i was thinking your sign up point calculations were referral point calculations

 

[smit0847]

Back of a napkin mate, but you get the idea...

Feel free to correct

One thing I can say with confidence is that they are definitely imposing the 10 referrals per card holder limit now- you will not be getting those outstanding points over the 10 limit.

 

[ninja-tim]

If /when they got 110,000 points they definitely used someone's (your) link as with no link it is only 100K points.

This is probably the easiest way to "try" and prove your friend/family used your link if your referral points weren't posted and they said no one used it.

 

[Winston1]

I’m probably the first person on here to notice points had stopped, daily referral point drops stopped on the 22[SUP]nd[/SUP] of last month.

Putting all my cards on the table (no pun intended) I’ve been running 3 cards for this promotion, trying to hit 10 referrals on each. I ended up racking up quite a few more than 10 on each card:

Card 1: 11 banked - 4 outstanding
Card 2: 11 banked - 3 outstanding
Card 3: 8 outstanding.

Banked is what has flowed through to a velocity account, outstanding is applications I know that have been made but have yet to show up on my AMEX account (or the other cards I’m working, on behalf of other people).

All of my referrals have been spread-sheeted with date of signup and link used – I noticed even before the 22[SUP]nd[/SUP] that some had not been captured so the referral system has been broken for quite a while. I decided not to inquire further because obviously I’d done quite well from the promotion so the 60,000 points that never got credited I simply wrote off.

As for the snowball effect:

I’ve banked 440,000 'referral points' (with 300,000 outstanding) & 330,000 'signup points' on my card and the two other cards i'm working.

My ~40 referrals over 3 cards have generated 4,400,000 points as 'signup points'.

Now I know at least half of them have also generated a referral - 2,200,000 additional 'signup points' (plus 370,000 'referral points')

So all said and done my one card has generated at least 60 cards, which put into velocity points: 1,200,000 'referral points' & 6,600,000 'signup points' - 7,800,000 points in total now in the system from my one card.

I'm amazed this promotion hasn't been pulled, the points that have been created are out of control!

I knew some people were 'working' the system, but that's quite some effort. So yeah, I can see now why they've stopped referral bonuses. Shame for those out there just referring their family or friends.
Though to be fair, even at 100k points for this card, it's still a decent deal to sign up to. ;-)

 

[psi999]

One thing I can say with confidence is that they are definitely imposing the 10 referrals per card holder limit now- you will not be getting those outstanding points over the 10 limit.

I had a feeling that would be the case which is why i was cutting to a new card before hitting the magic 10, unfortunately my link got spread further before i had a chance to update.

I've got a candle burning for the remaining points but agreed, very much doubt they'll see the light of day

Hopefully you blokes with genuine referrals that are not being honored can get it sorted. Its a definite problem that i also experienced so hopefully with enough complaints this will be acknowledged.