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 1816267 times)

Offline mmgfarb

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Re: Please give your advice.Amex is requesting a financial review of my account
« Reply #7540 on: February 10, 2017, 02:28:46 AM »
Also can you tell me if I shut down my account before they officially suspend me will I get rewards points?meaning I have 75k pending on my gold rewards business acct and it did not post yet will it post next cycle if if I close my card today?also if I have small bank statements like 2.5k In Charles Schwab brokerage Acct and 1500 in  an Hsbc acct can that suffice to pass a financial review?? I have 7 cards 2delta 2 spg biz plat and gold biz  thank you Again
That should be sufficient to pass, your credit limits will be reduced though. The hard part is convincing the rep to accept the bank statements. Please continue this conversation in the FR thread that was linked above.
"JS [is] a fetid cesspool of unvarnished linguistic manure, with lots of useless drivel and post-padding." -Moishebatchy

Offline shulem92

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Re: Please give your advice.Amex is requesting a financial review of my account
« Reply #7541 on: February 10, 2017, 02:45:49 AM »
Mr smith my father pays taxes for the whole family I'm under household income
I'm just trying to help, if you're not going to answer my questions, then I'm out
What did you tell them when they asked about your income? How much? If you said over 10k, you're probably toast already

Offline PillanSmye

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Re: Please give your advice.Amex is requesting a financial review of my account
« Reply #7542 on: February 10, 2017, 11:17:49 AM »
Mr smith my father pays taxes for the whole family I'm under household income
How old are you?

Offline chinagel

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Offline mmgfarb

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"JS [is] a fetid cesspool of unvarnished linguistic manure, with lots of useless drivel and post-padding." -Moishebatchy

Offline chinagel

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Re: Please give your advice.Amex is requesting a financial review of my account
« Reply #7545 on: February 10, 2017, 12:56:42 PM »

Offline mmgfarb

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"JS [is] a fetid cesspool of unvarnished linguistic manure, with lots of useless drivel and post-padding." -Moishebatchy

Offline PillanSmye

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Re: Please give your advice.Amex is requesting a financial review of my account
« Reply #7547 on: February 10, 2017, 02:16:39 PM »
i know who he is
OK.  Just trying to determine if he was actually eligible to claim HHI

Offline chinagel

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Re: Please give your advice.Amex is requesting a financial review of my account
« Reply #7548 on: February 10, 2017, 02:17:16 PM »
OK.  Just trying to determine if he was actually eligible to claim HHI
it wont help him for an fr eitherway

Offline PillanSmye

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Re: Please give your advice.Amex is requesting a financial review of my account
« Reply #7549 on: February 10, 2017, 02:43:43 PM »
it wont help him for an fr eitherway
No it won't,  but it will make a difference as opposed to fraudulently misstating income

Offline knowitall

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #7550 on: February 10, 2017, 04:19:21 PM »
No
Actually you can be approved for a card while under F/R.
Just got approved! (Was a biz card if that makes a dif)

Offline mmgfarb

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #7551 on: February 10, 2017, 04:19:58 PM »
Actually you can be approved for a card while under F/R.
Just got approved! (Was a biz card if that makes a dif)
First biz card?
"JS [is] a fetid cesspool of unvarnished linguistic manure, with lots of useless drivel and post-padding." -Moishebatchy

Offline knowitall

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #7552 on: February 10, 2017, 04:24:11 PM »
No

Offline Hamavin

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #7553 on: February 12, 2017, 11:31:18 PM »
What does it mean if you log into account and it just says NOT AVAILABLE by each account?

Offline David Smith

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #7554 on: February 12, 2017, 11:37:46 PM »
What does it mean if you log into account and it just says NOT AVAILABLE by each account?
System error. Log out and log in again.
Who do you think you are fooling? You think you are going to pull a quick one on your Creator? Good luck with that.
JTZ

Offline grodnoking

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #7555 on: February 12, 2017, 11:40:17 PM »
What does it mean if you log into account and it just says NOT AVAILABLE by each account?

System error. Log out and log in again.
I'm getting error messages too, must be system wide.
I'm not who you think I am.

Offline Hamavin

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #7556 on: February 12, 2017, 11:41:14 PM »
I'm getting error messages too, must be system wide.
It says not available all over the place?

Offline grodnoking

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #7557 on: February 12, 2017, 11:42:35 PM »
It says not available all over the place?
Not even letting me sign in.
"Our system is not responding, please try again later".
I'm not who you think I am.

Offline David Smith

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #7558 on: February 12, 2017, 11:43:25 PM »
It says not available all over the place?
Yes for me. System error. Nothing to do with FR.
Who do you think you are fooling? You think you are going to pull a quick one on your Creator? Good luck with that.
JTZ

Offline mmgfarb

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #7559 on: February 12, 2017, 11:45:36 PM »
I can log in but it says "not available" by the payment amount and payment due date.
"JS [is] a fetid cesspool of unvarnished linguistic manure, with lots of useless drivel and post-padding." -Moishebatchy