Topic Wiki

1)   What is a Financial Review?
In short - American Express occasionally freezes the credit card accounts of individuals with high-risk patterns, or for new account holders.
They request a lot of personal information, such as IRS tax returns, bank statements, letters from Banks ect…

Let’s break it down into 2 different types of Financial Reviews
A)   Mini Financial Review
B)   Financial Review

A)   Mini Financial Review

(please fill in info) This form of financial review, is usually a short process, it could be as short as one phone call. American Express might feel a need to verify your finances for whatever reason, and they could call you to verify information. Your accounts could be suspended from using until you get in touch with them, typically they will restore your accounts after a simple phone call.

B)   Financial Review
This type of Financial Review is very common. It often happens when opening a new account for the first time, usually if you are opening a Charge Card, or a Business Card or if on a new account you start off will a lot of high spending.
American Express will suspend your account/s, they will not remove the suspension until the review is over, which takes around 2 weeks.

If you cannot provide the required information, shut down your account right away.

2)   Triggers

Look below for a list of triggers and links.
 
3)   What will happen?
Your accounts will get suspended. You will be able to log in online, and see account activity, but you will get a message that charging is suspended.

They will contact you via phone and email. Once you get in touch with them, (typically) you will be assigned a specific representative to work on your case.

The will require mainly IRS Tax returns. The point of a Financial Review is to verify your income. They may also require Back statements, a letter from a Bank to verify your address, and other documents. People have reported that they did survive a Financial Review with just bank statements.

As long as you could provide the documents they request you will be fine, they might lower your credit lines, but you should be able keep your account open. Even as low as a $6000 tax return people have been able to survive a Financial Review.

In cases of a Financial Review after opening a Business Card, you will need proof of Business income.

If you cannot provide the required information, shut down your account right away.

As long as you could provide the documents they request you will be fine, they might lower your credit lines, but you should be able keep your account open. Even as low as a $6000 tax return people have been able to survive a Financial Review.

4)   What Steps Should I take?

Get in touch with Amex as soon as you could. Send in the request inform promptly. You will have a rep that will be working with you, and telling you what documents are needed. 4506-t is a transcript request from the IRS for you last tax return. You will need to fill out this form, fax it to Amex, it will take them 24-48 hours until they receive this form, they will request the tax return from the IRS that could take about a week.

Important: you only have 2 attempts to send them the fax, if they reject it after 2 attempts you will get shut down. You don't get more than 2 attempts. (source)
You may be able to get 3 attempts if you ask for a manager.

You need to be on top of it, if you don’t follow thru, they could shut your accounts down.


5)   What to do if American Express closed your accounts?

Once American Express closes your accounts, the only way to get back on is if you have the required information needed to pass a Financial Review. They will require you to request a 4506 form from the IRS (which will cost you $57) before they even approve any of your future applications.


To start you may want to read up here:

F/R triggers:
[/color]


Credit line of $25k or more
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=1438.msg10906#msg10906

Family member receiving FR can cause other family members to get Fr'ed as well
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=6223.msg74003#msg74003 http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=8.msg24759#msg24759

Living at same address as someone who was FR'ed
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=8.msg77046#msg77046

Using majority of CL
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=7526.msg87716#msg87716

Large cash advance
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=5908.msg82906#msg82906

Nothing...
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=2723.msg30062#msg30062

Changing name on business card
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=3589.msg38101#msg38101

Mint purchases
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=146.msg22932#msg22932

Amex Gift Card Purchases
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=2422.msg26670#msg26670
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=8.msg40106#msg40106

Unusual spending
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=8.msg7627#msg7627
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=3710.msg39597#msg39597

Amazon payments (possibly)
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=3657.msg88656#msg88656
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=3524.msg42436#msg42436

Using close to reported income
http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/2537

Logging in online too much (!)
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=8.msg13741#msg13741

Prepaying
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=1712.msg13732#msg13732
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=3710.msg39725#msg39725

Adding Cardholders (many?)
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=8.msg49318#msg49318

Refunds exceeding total payments made on the card since it was opened
http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=8.msg845606#msg845606
[/font]
Though not exactly F/R, it's worth mentioning that Amex takes returned payments very seriously.
They often shut all accounts without going through the F/R process.

Author Topic: Amex F/R Master Thread  (Read 1879246 times)

Online CountValentine

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #2580 on: September 02, 2013, 02:39:46 PM »
Don't the reps see what your charge was at cvs if they want to?
They know what you are buying and some will even ask you if this is for GC/reloads to see your response.
Only on DDF does 24/6 mean 24/5/half/half

Offline Super Speed

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #2581 on: September 02, 2013, 02:47:08 PM »
they cannot see an itemized receipt
+1


Offline hertzinstl

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #2582 on: September 02, 2013, 03:43:49 PM »
You don't tell them anything, you change the subject.
The problem is, I was already under F/R.
would another F/R close my account? or do you get a couple of chances . . .?

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #2583 on: September 02, 2013, 04:03:00 PM »
The problem is, I was already under F/R.
would another F/R close my account? or do you get a couple of chances . . .?
I know some members that have went through two FR's with no AA taken. I just went through a FR and will be hitting the card harder than ever.
Only on DDF does 24/6 mean 24/5/half/half

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #2584 on: September 02, 2013, 07:13:24 PM »
They know what you are buying and some will even ask you if this is for GC/reloads to see your response.
true if the total was $503.95 otherwise they can assume but they don't know

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #2585 on: September 02, 2013, 07:16:15 PM »
true if the total was $503.95 otherwise they can assume but they don't know
You can assume they don't know and I will assume they do know.  :)
Only on DDF does 24/6 mean 24/5/half/half

Offline Am

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #2586 on: September 02, 2013, 07:44:32 PM »
You can assume they don't know and I will assume they do know.  :)
if you pay your doctor or pharmacy bill do you assume they can see an itemized bill of your treatment or medication?

Offline Yeki89

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #2587 on: September 02, 2013, 08:33:53 PM »
On a $503.95 tranaction I assume they know too.

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #2588 on: September 02, 2013, 08:44:49 PM »
if you pay your doctor or pharmacy bill do you assume they can see an itemized bill of your treatment or medication?
No. I never said they can see an itemized bill.
Only on DDF does 24/6 mean 24/5/half/half

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #2589 on: September 02, 2013, 10:21:07 PM »
No. I never said they can see an itemized bill.
So what exactly do you think? I know it's hard but try to be clear

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #2590 on: September 02, 2013, 10:48:38 PM »

So what exactly do you think? I know it's hard but try to be clear
Probably times 503.95 by 2 or 3 or more.

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #2591 on: September 03, 2013, 08:39:13 AM »
So what exactly do you think? I know it's hard but try to be clear
When you go through a FR and they ask you about hundreds of 1k charges at CVS do you think they don't know? How about when they say are these for GC's and or reloads? 
Only on DDF does 24/6 mean 24/5/half/half

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #2592 on: September 03, 2013, 09:56:44 AM »
When you go through a FR and they ask you about hundreds of 1k charges at CVS do you think they don't know? How about when they say are these for GC's and or reloads? 
ah.. Didn't realize that they start looking into all your previous charges. I Thought that they just look at the current billing statement.

Offline chamdena

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #2593 on: September 03, 2013, 11:58:59 AM »
I was under F/R for sending $1k through paypal trying to reach a spending threshhold. all i had to do was send in my last 3 banking statements and then it was cleared up. i was recently approved for the SPG card, any ideas how to reach this threshold, $5k in 6 months. would i get another f/r for using AP? or bluebird?
i recently got F/R. a 1k AP may very well have cobtributed to that...

Offline hertzinstl

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #2594 on: September 03, 2013, 03:59:24 PM »
i recently got F/R. a 1k AP may very well have cobtributed to that...
+1

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Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #2595 on: September 03, 2013, 04:29:08 PM »
Just got this message when I signed in online, what does it mean?

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #2596 on: September 03, 2013, 04:32:57 PM »
Did you go over your limit?
Only on DDF does 24/6 mean 24/5/half/half

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #2597 on: September 03, 2013, 04:33:30 PM »
IME That You owe and carried a balance.

I had that and they slashed my limit (depending on how much You pay up You may be able to keep more) Try calling in and see the options they give You.

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #2598 on: September 03, 2013, 04:35:53 PM »
There is no balance due and I wasn't even near my credit limit.

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #2599 on: September 03, 2013, 04:49:28 PM »
Ok, just spoke to them , I paid a bill from an account that wasn't under my name, and apparently with chase bank they put the Amex account holders contact info as the bank account info, and the payment was therefore rejected. Any time Amex gets a returned payment on one card they freeze all spending privileges on the rest of your cards as well, until you pay.