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 1817240 times)

Offline SamCan

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #8040 on: January 09, 2019, 04:37:15 PM »
I bh survived the Canadian fr. They placed no limits on the cards even though the income was less than reported on application.
They warned me if I keep on churning they will close down my accounts. They didn't define churning. Is it possible to go on an amex blacklist, and if i open another account will they close down my accounts?

Offline tzifanya54

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #8041 on: January 09, 2019, 04:43:00 PM »
I bh survived the Canadian fr. They placed no limits on the cards even though the income was less than reported on application.
They warned me if I keep on churning they will close down my accounts. They didn't define churning. Is it possible to go on an amex blacklist, and if i open another account will they close down my accounts?
They used the word churning?

Offline Z56

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #8042 on: January 09, 2019, 05:03:50 PM »
asking for a friend, got  shut down no F/R just phone call and closed (due returned payments)

He claims he cant access his points in his accounts, anyway to get the points back or reopened ?

anyone with info on this?
“I have nothing in common with lazy people who blame others for their lack of success. Great things come from hard work

Offline Yhgfkj

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #8043 on: January 09, 2019, 05:08:05 PM »
anyone with info on this?
IME you lose access to the points online, but you should be able to redeem points by calling the MR deportment .

Offline Z56

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #8044 on: January 09, 2019, 05:15:40 PM »
IME you lose access to the points online, but you should be able to redeem points by calling the MR deportment .

and they can transfer it anywhere?

“I have nothing in common with lazy people who blame others for their lack of success. Great things come from hard work

Offline Yehuda25

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #8045 on: January 09, 2019, 07:49:37 PM »
and they can transfer it anywhere?
no, only to already linked FF or in ah name
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Offline Savingsbeast

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #8046 on: January 10, 2019, 10:18:51 PM »
Friend tried to do a CLI on Amex card and got FR'ed. Is this usual behavior? Hadn't used the card in 2-3 months and only 10K limit.

Offline shulem92

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #8047 on: January 11, 2019, 12:32:17 AM »
Friend tried to do a CLI on Amex card and got FR'ed. Is this usual behavior? Hadn't used the card in 2-3 months and only 10K limit.
are you sure its an FR? because sometimes they ask for the 4506T just for the purpose of determining if you are eligible for a CLI

Offline ludmila

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #8048 on: January 11, 2019, 12:39:12 AM »
are you sure its an FR? because sometimes they ask for the 4506T just for the purpose of determining if you are eligible for a CLI
+1 I think it is for the CLI.
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Offline chbochur

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #8049 on: January 11, 2019, 04:28:27 AM »
anyone with info on this?
I have a friend who called and emailed corporate a few times till they eventually (took a few months) reinstated his accounts and points

Offline Savingsbeast

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #8050 on: January 11, 2019, 08:37:43 AM »
are you sure its an FR? because sometimes they ask for the 4506T just for the purpose of determining if you are eligible for a CLI
Thanks, I'll let him know. Any idea how long it should take? Will they accept stubs, his 2018 incomeis significantlymore than 2017.

Offline Joel

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #8051 on: January 11, 2019, 08:41:14 AM »
Amex doesn’t care where the payment comes from.
Not true, from my experience.

Offline shulem92

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #8052 on: January 11, 2019, 09:27:06 AM »
Thanks, I'll let him know. Any idea how long it should take? Will they accept stubs, his 2018 incomeis significantlymore than 2017.
not sure. its probably easier to max out your credit line for a few months in a row, and then they usually raise the CLI by themselves

Offline refoelaron

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #8053 on: January 15, 2019, 10:19:13 AM »
what does this mean?

Offline SamCan

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #8054 on: January 15, 2019, 10:29:03 AM »
They used the word churning?

No they just said that I am opening and closing cards to quickly.

Offline drone

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #8055 on: January 16, 2019, 07:13:33 PM »
Does anyone have any recent experience with an F/R that they took Bank Statements instead of tax return?
Yes, just got the call... The rep told me that if I will swipe again this large amounts of money at this place/congregation they will close it completely, but they will reopen it, but I need to send in my bank statements from the last 2 months, I went ahead and provided 6 months, which has much more money, I'm a bit nervous because money comes and goes, nothing really stays, but I think it might not be a difference, and my second problem is, that I'm paying with someone else's account via the routing numbers, and I can't provide this statements, but I'll hope your there best, fire someone have experience with this situation?

Offline shmielyosef

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #8056 on: January 16, 2019, 07:15:41 PM »
Yes, just got the call... The rep told me that if I will swipe again this large amounts of money at this place/congregation they will close it completely, but they will reopen it, but I need to send in my bank statements from the last 2 months, I went ahead and provided 6 months, which has much more money, I'm a bit nervous because money comes and goes, nothing really stays, but I think it might not be a difference, and my second problem is, that I'm paying with someone else's account via the routing numbers, and I can't provide this statements, but I'll hope your there best, fire someone have experience with this situation?
I had some payments from someone else’s account, they made me send in my bank statements and that person’s as well. (In addition to a tax return that i was listed as a dependant)

Offline shmielyosef

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #8057 on: January 16, 2019, 07:17:30 PM »

Offline drone

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #8058 on: January 17, 2019, 09:27:29 PM »
BH I passed the FR now... In just one day, and I didn't have too much money in my account, plus all the money were withdrawd each month anyway, but passed with no issues

Offline pointer

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Re: Amex F/R Master Thread
« Reply #8059 on: February 16, 2019, 08:09:54 PM »
PLZ HELP!

Amex closed all of my accounts, after submitting the required documents >:(

(actually i did not send in the form, I told them that i provided the doc. when i was  previously FR'd, 8 months ago, they told me they see the documents and they'll get back to me with the results. if it makes a difference)

Is there anything I can do, anybody I can talk to to get my accounts reinstated?

any help is greatly appreciated, tnx!