Update 11/05/2018: Second round of e-mails have now been sent out :(.
Amex just sent out an email to some people indicating that they’ll be clawing back Amex Offer credits for offers which were used on more than one card per SSN. Specifically, the 10% off Staples offer (which goes up to $100 credit) many of us saved on multiple cards under separate logins. (Amex used to allow saving one offer per login, and some people even saved it on multiple cards in the same login using the multi-tab trick.) The emails are being sent out to limit each person/SSN to a single $100 credit, not allowing a second credit on an authorized user card or on another primary card.
We may well see a claw back on the 10% Lowe’s offer too.
Not sure if they are only clawing back heavy hitters or everyone. This whole thing is very surprising since they’d typically only change things going forward, like they did by disabling the multi-tab method. Some people are taking a huge loss on this. 🙁
The terms do state: “Limit of $100 in total statement credits per American Express® Card Member,” but that could easily mean per card as each card is typically treated separately. All other limits work per card, e.g. $1,500 Freedom limit, $200 Amex Platinum airline credit, etc. I don’t think anyone would be surprised to see in the Chase Freedom terms “limit $1,500 per card member” despite it being tied to the card, not the person. Doesn’t seem ethical to enforce vague terms against all precedent without notice.
No charges are actually showing yet in the Amex account, presumably they’ll show up within days or when the statement closes.
All of this doesn’t have much relevance going forward since the Amex system now limits us to one offer per person. For offers already saved, I’d certainly be wary of using more than one Staples or Lowe’s offer going forward. As for regular statement credit offers: I feel like those are more safe – my guess is the 10% Staples, Lowe’s, etc offers Amex is covering some or all of the cost as those are to be the replacement of the OPEN program. Regular Amex Offers the retailer swallows the cost so hopefully they’ll be fine.
Image from a friend:
Update 8/30/18: More rounds on clawbacks have come out. Also, some people are already seeing the clawbacks showing on their Amex statements.
The clawbacks are posting as “Fee Adjustments”? Can that be a basis for contesting?
They are clawing back on closed cards too. How is that OK?
Got the clawback email on a closed account (along with open accounts).
i got clawed back on 3 cards, total used 4 time, nothing i can do about i guess but poor taste.
As long as they don’t claw back the Smart and Final Promo. I will be money ahead for year to come
So even the authorized user card’s credit can be clawed back? I thought an authorized user is a “different” person/ssn.
People really need to stop threatening Amex with closing their accounts over this. You got CAUGHT. Take the L and just move on..
So the takeaway going forward is not to try any tricks to get offers to load to multiple cards. If it loads to one card and then is still available on another card (without any trick) then it’s safe to load it again but otherwise no?
no. amex doesnt make mistakes for offers now. if ur able to load it multiple times, its intentional. furthermore, amex clawback is very specific. they are looking for big hits.
they can figure out who the greedy hogs are pretty darn fast nowadays.
They also can just mess with you and allow you to redeem the ray-ban offer on 2 cards and give you 2 credits. Try the Swarovski offer twice and they may clawback one of the credits. Or maybe both of the credits. But then again they may Allow it 3 times for the lowes offer…or then again maybe they’ll claw all of those back too.
Consult the t/c’s.
We can speculate all night. But ultimately, what are you gonna do about it?
IMHO its pretty simple. for small amex offers, feel free to hit many times if ur able to add it. even the Swarovski offer is only $30. but im sure if you hit that 10 times, then amex may notice $300 in credit. its YMMV and up to ur risk level. but as u said, amex can ID the fat pigs easily now.
The takeaway is that you shouldn’t do it any more. Maybe it could work out for you, and you can get multiple statement credits. but then again maybe you’ll get a clawback with no t/c’s to fall back on.
AMEX can selectovely enforce if they want to and they are protected by the t/c’s.
could someone tell me what subject line to look for? thank you.
“We’ve made an adjustment to your account”
At least for the late-august batch tahts what it was
thanks dude. appreciate it.
If a government set up a speed camera on a major highway, provided no warning, and then mailed tens of thousands of speeding tickets to everyone who went over the speed limit a month or two later, I think people would agree its unfair, even if they were in fact breaking the rules. This kind of retroactive policy enforcement doesn’t feel right.
in your analogy you may consider it unfair, but then why were you speeding. your issue seems to be with the fact that it is unfair that you got caught, not the fact that what you were doing was against the terms. PinchePendejo more like
I don’t think “people” would all “agree” it was unfair.