SHORT VERSION: AMEX refused to give me my 10,000 bonus points redeemable for a $100 gift card, what can I do?
LONG VERSION: Terms said make "a purchase" so I bought something for less than $1. When I called to ask where my points were they told me it was an "unwritten rule" the purchase must be over $10, so I made a $12 purchase. They still hadn't given my points and my 1 year was almost up, so I cancelled 1 day before the renewal to avoid being charged the annual fee. When I called and wrote them, they said the terms said no bonus will be given if the card is closed. That may be true, however, the terms never said the original purchase must be over $10. How can I get my points? It's unfair that they cite "integrity" in selectively following their own rules. The points should have been given 4-6 weeks after my first purchase in March 2008.
I already wrote to them and they said, "Please understand in order to maintain the integrity of the Membership Rewards Program we are unable to make an exception to our policies. We cannot issue bonus points to your inactive Membership Rewards account xxxxxxx. Our records indicate you cancelled your Membership Rewards account on x-x-x. While this may not be the outcome you expected we hope you understand our position in this matter."
AMEX TRS MEMBERSHIP REWARDS PO BOX 297813 FT LAUDERDALE FL 33329-9785
2Once your application for the American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Card is approved, you can earn 10,000 Membership Rewards® bonus points after your first purchase with the card. To be eligible to earn bonus points, you must be enrolled in the Membership Rewards program at the time of purchase and you must charge your purchase on an eligible, enrolled American Express ® Preferred Rewards Gold Card. Bonus points will be credited to your Membership Rewards Program account 6-8 weeks after your first purchase. Bonus points may be redeemed for a $100 dollar Gift Card or any reward of equal point-redemption value, or retained for future use. This offer is valid for first-time American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Card members only. You are eligible to receive bonus points for only one Card account. Additional Card members are not eligible. Terms and conditions for the Membership Rewards® program apply. Visit www.americanexpress.com/rewards for more information. Bonus ID 4139
Short Answer: Nothing. Take the 10k points as a lesson learned to follow up asap.
Long version:
The problem is that your account is closed. Whether they should have given you the points or not is a different story, but there is nothing they can do for a closed account. If you kept your account open, there is a chance for you to talk them into giving you the points solely for "customer satisfaction".
It sounds like you didn't bother to check up on the status of your points soon enough before the 1 year anniversary for the annual fee. It sucks, but chalk it up as a lesson learned to follow up on it sooner.
I agree except the "nothing they can do" and "whether they should have given the points" part. I made a qualifying purchase, thus was entitled to receive the points. It's more a "nothing they WANT to do." They still have ability to give the bonus or an equivalent gift card. All they have to do is issue it. It's what they should have done all along.
Bonus granted 6-8 weeks after first purchase = rule they didn't follow, where is the integrity in this? Later claimed "unwritten rule" purchase must be at least $10 = rule that didn't exist anywhere, where is the integrity in this? Bonus points not given if account closed = rule they decide must be acted on to "maintain integrity"
It's misguided to expect a consumer to continue with a card and pay an annual fee when AMEX didn't first fulfill its obligations to the consumer.
An analogy would be a consumer who has faithfully paid their homeowner's insurance, meeting all the terms of the policy, then a tornado wipes out the entire house, so the consumer files a claim and stops paying the premiums. The fact that the consumer stopped paying the premiums AFTER the material event of having lost the house shouldn't absolve the insurance company from paying off the claim for the value of the house. The insurer can't fairly deny the claim by saying the consumer stopped paying the premiums, since they only stopped AFTER the total loss of the home.
It's hypocritical to selectively enforce rules that are in their favor, ignore the ones that are for the consumer, and create other unwritten rules that raise the bar to deny the milestones the customer met.
Maybe you could go thru a corporate dispute process and take them to their arbritration to seek justice
Lesson: the written and unwritten rules apply and only AMEX makes the rules... Example ask them what is the due date?.... well there is the due date they tell you and then their is the due date they use to judge if they will slash you CL, and they are not the same...
So this happened nearly 1.5 years ago and you have already closed the account? I'm not really sure there is anything that can be done for you... You should of followed up sooner.
lampy2k4
Senior Member - 1K
posted: Oct. 23, 2009 @ 7:43p
You are no longer their customer, so they are not interested in extending courtesies to you. You should have followed up a month after you made your purchases.
zubba said: They still hadn't given my points and my 1 year was almost up, so I cancelled 1 day before the renewal to avoid being charged the annual feeYou closed your account 6 months ago; MR accounts stay open for at least another 30 days after closure of the primary CC account. You should have kept calling during those 30 days to get this resolved.
zubba said: I agree except the "nothing they can do" and "whether they should have given the points" part. I made a qualifying purchase, thus was entitled to receive the points. It's more a "nothing they WANT to do." They still have ability to give the bonus or an equivalent gift card. All they have to do is issue it. It's what they should have done all along.
Bonus granted 6-8 weeks after first purchase = rule they didn't follow, where is the integrity in this? Later claimed "unwritten rule" purchase must be at least $10 = rule that didn't exist anywhere, where is the integrity in this? Bonus points not given if account closed = rule they decide must be acted on to "maintain integrity"
It's misguided to expect a consumer to continue with a card and pay an annual fee when AMEX didn't first fulfill its obligations to the consumer.
An analogy would be a consumer who has faithfully paid their homeowner's insurance, meeting all the terms of the policy, then a tornado wipes out the entire house, so the consumer files a claim and stops paying the premiums. The fact that the consumer stopped paying the premiums AFTER the material event of having lost the house shouldn't absolve the insurance company from paying off the claim for the value of the house. The insurer can't fairly deny the claim by saying the consumer stopped paying the premiums, since they only stopped AFTER the total loss of the home.
It's hypocritical to selectively enforce rules that are in their favor, ignore the ones that are for the consumer, and create other unwritten rules that raise the bar to deny the milestones the customer met.
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