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 1877180 times)

Offline Hellokitty64

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3860 on: April 26, 2015, 08:21:55 PM »
I doubt anyone has really experimented with this at all but do you think that paying down to a negative balance with the RC bill pay feature and then charging FR worthy amounts, would the likelihood of a FR be reduced?

Offline Aj3042

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3861 on: April 26, 2015, 08:39:27 PM »
I doubt anyone has really experimented with this at all but do you think that paying down to a negative balance with the RC bill pay feature and then charging FR worthy amounts, would the likelihood of a FR be reduced?
Firstly, why RC? What about just paying them by check? Second, I doubt that will reduce sounds to me like it would sharply increase.

Offline Aj3042

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3862 on: April 26, 2015, 08:41:33 PM »
Who said I gave out the same code? I get hundreds of these.
You mean to post this somewhere else?

Offline coralsnake

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3863 on: April 26, 2015, 09:42:45 PM »
You mean to post this somewhere else?
Yes. Lol. Deleted.
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Offline Mendy1414

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3864 on: April 26, 2015, 10:12:35 PM »
Been with amex for 13 years with long strong credit with them. But I got a letter for a new biz card i opend requesting I call to give some info on my biz which they are missing, is it anything to worry about?

Offline Hershelsdeals

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3865 on: April 26, 2015, 10:13:39 PM »
Been with amex for 13 years with long strong credit with them. But I got a letter for a new biz card i opend requesting I call to give some info on my biz which they are missing, is it anything to worry about?
Probably not, unless the business is bogus

Offline Dr Moose

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3866 on: April 26, 2015, 10:13:49 PM »


Been with amex for 13 years with long strong credit with them. But I got a letter for a new biz card i opend requesting I call to give some info on my biz which they are missing, is it anything to worry about?
no
Hey there! I am using DansDeals Forums.

Offline TimT

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3867 on: April 26, 2015, 10:19:06 PM »
Been with amex for 13 years with long strong credit with them. But I got a letter for a new biz card i opend requesting I call to give some info on my biz which they are missing, is it anything to worry about?
shouldn't be an issue. Unless if they ask for tax documents for that business & you can't provide it.

Offline jbkr101

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3868 on: April 26, 2015, 10:26:17 PM »
Good guess. No MS causes you know of?
maybe 5k on rc on new personal card and paying back straight to card. but i doubt that caused it because i have done much larger on plat on gold buis cards.

Offline benjie1305

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3869 on: April 27, 2015, 08:33:54 AM »
shouldn't be an issue. Unless if they ask for tax documents for that business & you can't provide it.

So once they ask for further info, it is a lost cause? What then? Can anything be done? Close the account? What if its the first year in business?
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Offline Mendy1414

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3870 on: April 27, 2015, 10:03:36 AM »
Thank you all for your responses.

Offline rileywiles23

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3871 on: April 28, 2015, 09:53:58 AM »
If Amex requests a proof of identity, on my credit cards- notarization from a bank- will the temporary freeze apply to gift card orders, and my red card, or are they separate products ?
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Offline Aj3042

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3872 on: April 28, 2015, 11:24:46 AM »
If Amex requests a proof of identity, on my credit cards- notarization from a bank- will the temporary freeze apply to gift card orders, and my red card, or are they separate products ?
Don't know about GC but RC is totally separate. Why'd they request it from you? You're not referring to an FR issue-just a proof ID?

Offline rileywiles23

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3873 on: April 28, 2015, 11:29:06 AM »

Don't know about GC but RC is totally separate. Why'd they request it from you? You're not referring to an FR issue-just a proof ID?
It's not an FR. It's an identity concern. Might be bec. I call for my wife on her accounts.
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Offline CS91

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3874 on: April 28, 2015, 11:40:55 AM »
Might be bec. I call for my wife on her accounts.

How do you do that? I always have to give my wife a whole detailed rundown of what she has to say on the phone. The only way that they'll speak to me about her account is if she gets on the phone first and authorizes me to speak on her behalf. Massive PITA.

Offline TimT

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3875 on: April 28, 2015, 11:43:08 AM »
The only way that they'll speak to me about her account is if she gets on the phone first and authorizes me to speak on her behalf. Massive PITA.
That's the right way of doing it.

Offline benjie1305

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3876 on: April 28, 2015, 12:08:39 PM »
How do you do that? I always have to give my wife a whole detailed rundown of what she has to say on the phone. The only way that they'll speak to me about her account is if she gets on the phone first and authorizes me to speak on her behalf. Massive PITA.

Ding Ding Ding!
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Offline CS91

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3877 on: April 28, 2015, 12:17:32 PM »
Ding Ding Ding!

Thought that there might be an easier/less annoying way.

Offline rileywiles23

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3878 on: April 28, 2015, 12:20:56 PM »

Thought that there might be an easier/less annoying way.

My wife's English name, can be used for male or female. It's better to just do it the right way....
The only way that they'll speak to me about her account is if she gets on the phone first and authorizes me to speak on her behalf.
Life is as good as you make it...

Offline shulemw

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #3879 on: April 28, 2015, 12:52:03 PM »
a little of topic. but didn't want to open a new thread for this.
if I got approved for Amex gold and then Amex called me with questions so I told them to drop it and cancel it.
the card was never activated and never linked to a MR account.
can I apply now for that card again or its called that I had it already.
as the language on the application says that you need to never had enrolled this card in a MR account.
any help will be appreciated.