10,000 bonus points per 20 transactions

[simongr]

Good on you anat0l.... That makes 10K points for you so far. If you dont get any more points for next 10T then I would worry a lot . :mrgreen:

Also if you have moles that seem to have grown in size or are rough then worry, or if there is water damage in your roof worry or if anything else unusual happens - worry. If however the recently demonstrated activity happens then dont worry.

aamex no longer read this thread.
the last 2000 posts have been repeats of the 1st 500 posts.
only about 10 posts with any new content exist there.

Hmm - thanks for the inside track on Amex and their review of this thread. It really helps to have clear and authoritative information based on facts in the thread. If only you and your inside knowledge of Amex's working had posted sooner then so much misinformation would have have been eliminated.

Just for clarification - if 2000 posts are repeats, 500 of the first posts are standalone (which I would dispute given the number of "thanks - how can I sign up?" and "is this promo open to all" posts exist as duplicates) and we have 10 "new" posts - what about the other 400 in this thread?

If you are going to critique something - understand it first, then seek to correct misinformation or add information.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Oh dear.. I have also returned home to find such a letter awaiting me. Very disappointing. While I have a lot of transactions, I have no hesitation in being able to justify them (thought there are a lot and it will be a bit painful -
...

FWIW, there is no indication of which particular transactions may have attracted attention (my guess is perhaps it is just because we spend a lot at present and have done as AMEX asked and started putting almost 100% of this on AMEX instead of a mix of AMEX, other cards and cash).

I doubt it could be just spending a lot...as I would imagine that many of us are spending a lot. I know I am. If it is...then "a lot" of us will get similar letters. Besides there is nothing in the T&C against spending alot.

Is there some activity that may look like bill splitting....including many transactions on the one day from the one business?

 

[Masonic Phantom]

Also if you have moles that seem to have grown in size or are rough then worry, or if there is water damage in your roof worry or if anything else unusual happens - worry. If however the recently demonstrated activity happens then dont worry.



Hmm - thanks for the inside track on Amex and their review of this thread. It really helps to have clear and authoritative information based on facts in the thread. If only you and your inside knowledge of Amex's working had posted sooner then so much misinformation would have have been eliminated.

Just for clarification - if 2000 posts are repeats, 500 of the first posts are standalone (which I would dispute given the number of "thanks - how can I sign up?" and "is this promo open to all" posts exist as duplicates) and we have 10 "new" posts - what about the other 400 in this thread?

If you are going to critique something - understand it first, then seek to correct misinformation or add information.

Well Simongr.
Once again very good advice.:shock:

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Apparently a power company is investigating if their computer caused $1 payments: somehow people were overpaying and will be getting lots of credits next month. Did you know they don't use deciminal points so a keyboard entry of $100 is actually only $1.00!!!. I bet they use Windows Vista too.

I wonder if this was part of your suspected "recent unusual" etc...???

 

[JohnK]

I actually paid 4 or 5 telstra bills in one day after suddenly realising I was 4-5 months behind in my home line. I wouldn't be surprised if they suspect these are split bills. I have evidence to prove they are not, but who knows with AMEX. Any info you get Vet, please pass on

Please do not take this the wrong way but I would be interested to know why you paid these bills separately. If it were not for the current promotion you would have paid the last bill with the latest amount outstanding. This is what I would call abuse. And by the way this has happened to me a number of times and I have paid the last bill when I have fallen behind not each individual bill.

Also do take into consideration that spending patterns are closely scrutinised on a regular basis which is another reason they have imposed the 6-8 week waiting period for points to post.

As for abuse there are a number of ways to determine abuse. If for argument sake you have been shopping at Woolworths once a week for the last few years and all of sudden you shop at Coles and Woolworths on alternate days then this would be classed as abuse. And please do not use the silly excuse that I forgot the bread and milk so I go back into Woolworths to get these. Not everyone in marketing is stupid and most analyst/programmers are actually quite smart and can suggest ways for the company to monitor transactions.

 

[oz_mark]

As for abuse there are a number of ways to determine abuse. If for argument sake you have been shopping at Woolworths once a week for the last few years and all of sudden you shop at Coles and Woolworths on alternate days then this would be classed as abuse.

Problem is that you may have been shopping the same, but only put the bigger shops on the card, and paid cash for the smaller shops. Now you put the lot on the card. I don't see this is abuse.

And please do not use the silly excuse that I forgot the bread and milk so I go back into Woolworths to get these. Not everyone in marketing is stupid and most analyst/programmers are actually quite smart and can suggest ways for the company to monitor transactions.

Better to go back to the supermarket to get them than to pick them up at some inflated servo price

 

[pomjim]

I virtually always get two bills at a time when shopping at Coles/Woolworths, simply because I am a smoker, and cannot get them at the normal checkout.

 

[js]

Is there some activity that may look like bill splitting....including many transactions on the one day from the one business?

I'll have to go through the full list over the weekend and try to figure this out. At this stage, there is one cafe we ended up with 4 transactions at in one day (as it was isolated and no other choices).

There is also one communications company with 8 in one day, which I suspect is the most likely trigger for the "abuse" claim. These are all separate legitimate invoices for separate services (and different end users, I just happen to have responsibility for paying for them). They were automatically billed by the provider and I had no control over date/time of payment but it's quite likely they were processed only seconds or minutes apart as part of a batch run.

 

[one9]

I'll have to go through the full list over the weekend and try to figure this out. At this stage, there is one cafe we ended up with 4 transactions at in one day (as it was isolated and no other choices).

There is also one communications company with 8 in one day, which I suspect is the most likely trigger for the "abuse" claim. These are all separate legitimate invoices for separate services (and different end users, I just happen to have responsibility for paying for them). They were automatically billed by the provider and I had no control over date/time of payment but it's quite likely they were processed only seconds or minutes apart as part of a batch run.

Out of curiosity, how many transactions did you do in total for one month on your Amex?

 

[oz_mark]

I virtually always get two bills at a time when shopping at Coles/Woolworths, simply because I am a smoker, and cannot get them at the normal checkout.

Same deal if you want to pick up some beer/wine - can't really do it it one transaction

 

[beardoc]

Given that we're now starting to see Amex go down the "suspected fraudulent activity" path with regard to transactions, I'm wondering if it might be worth contacting Amex and having notes left on my account to ensure that I am making the transactions at the moment - sort of like what I do with Citibank when I go overseas (otherwise they cut your card access when transactions from the US start turning up).

Would there be value in pre-empting Amex here?

 

[holo]

As for abuse there are a number of ways to determine abuse. If for argument sake you have been shopping at Woolworths once a week for the last few years and all of sudden you shop at Coles and Woolworths on alternate days then this would be classed as abuse.

I disagree completely.

People can shop how they like as long as it is legitimate everyday spend, everyday....geddit

Who are Amex to say you have to shop monthly/weekly, that is just silly.

 

[NM]

As for abuse there are a number of ways to determine abuse. If for argument sake you have been shopping at Woolworths once a week for the last few years and all of sudden you shop at Coles and Woolworths on alternate days then this would be classed as abuse. And please do not use the silly excuse that I forgot the bread and milk so I go back into Woolworths to get these. Not everyone in marketing is stupid and most analyst/programmers are actually quite smart and can suggest ways for the company to monitor transactions.

With a large(ish) family to feed, and regular short-notice visitors for dinner, we never get away with a single weekly shop. For years we have had multiple supermarket visits each week, sometime well in excess of 7 visits between Mrs NM and I.

The difference in our shopping pattern since joining this promotion is that we now use the Amex card for all supermarket visits. In the past we would use the Amex for anything over about $30 and cash for less than that amount. We would also use some other brand supermarkets in the mix of shopping who do not accept Amex and so would use Visa.

So I do expect to see more Amex transactions as I convert my "everyday spending" to the Amex card instead of using cash and Visa. How can this possibly be considered abuse? This is precisely what the promotion was asking me to do. My pre-promotion Amex statement is not an accurate view of how regularly the NM's visit a supermarket.

I could go through a typical week in the NM household. But suffice to say that in the space of a week we have had in excess of 40 extras to feed and Tuesday being the only day that we had no extras at the meal table. Very few of these were planned more than a day or two earlier and each required an extra pop into a supermarket to collect the necessary food and service items.

Oh, that reminds me, we have an unknown number of people coming this evening for a BBQ and swim (kids youth group). Someone else if providing meat, bread, salads, drinks etc, but we will still need enough paper plates, cups, ICE etc. And we'll make sure there are some extra packets of chips etc in the pantry in case there are some extra hungry teenagers. So back to the supermarket at least once today.

Overall, I think we visited supermarkets at least 10 times this week. This is not different to what would have happened without the promotion. The only difference is that it resulted in 10 Amex transactions, when previously some would have been cash and some may have been to the local IGA (which does not accept Amex).

So the difference in supermarket transactions on my Amex statement does not indicate a change in shopping behaviour, but a change in payment behaviour. This is not abuse, but what I would expect was Amex's primary desired outcome from the promotion.

 

[Masonic Phantom]

Given that we're now starting to see Amex go down the "suspected fraudulent activity" path with regard to transactions, I'm wondering if it might be worth contacting Amex and having notes left on my account to ensure that I am making the transactions at the moment - sort of like what I do with Citibank when I go overseas (otherwise they cut your card access when transactions from the US start turning up).

Would there be value in pre-empting Amex here?

Getting Paranoid again people :shock:

 

[rodgerbranch]

I Think that at this point in time, people should protect their rights.

If AMEX is not lessening and they use brute force to change you to another rate or POC you or cut you off the promo, then wait until you transfer all your Bonus points OUT of MR.

After your points are out of MR, everyone who believe has been abused by the way AMEX is conducting this promotion, should JOIN FORCES and present a Group complaint to the Authorities. I am sure that 20 individual complaints have way less weight than a Group complaint where 20 customers sign at once. :evil: :evil:

As we have seen, AMEX will cut you off immediately if they can. People should not take the "acceptance mode" with respect to POC and Promo changes just because they are still getting something out of it.

In my view AMEX is using (points-posting delay) and (scare tactic) to limit the whole bonus points to a small number for everyone.

Remember that in a way we are doing their door by door marking by asking if we can use their Card. The extra exposure they are getting is proportional to the number of transactions we are doing during this promo period

All those who have no extra hope in this promo should go a head and present a Group Complaint.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

If for argument sake you have been shopping at Woolworths once a week for the last few years and all of sudden you shop at Coles and Woolworths on alternate days then this would be classed as abuse. .

With the greatest respect....this is not at all correct.

1/ The last few times I have shopped at Chadstone Shopping Centre I am greeted with a plasma screen with an Amex ad on it extolling me to now by my milk ( a daily item) on Amex.

In the newspapers there are similar adds. The postcard that they sent me for this promo has a coffee cup on it!!!!!! So all of a sudden YES I am buying coffee from businesses that accept Amex to pay for a cup of coffee and most are businesses where I have either not bought from before, or where I would have used cash.


2/ New stores open. ie at Chadstone they have just opened a new food centre which includes I think Victoria's first Woolworths Grocery store (only Safeways up to now in Vic). It has just opened and I now shop there every second or third day. It was not there to shop at pre-promo!!!

3/ Near my work there are Safeways and Coles Supermarkets.
The local cake shop does not take Amex and I would pay cash. Most times in the past if buying my lunch I would buy it from the Cake shop. I now buy lunch (food or drink) from these Supermarkets.

Similarly I now buy morning tea etc from places that take Amex.

Amex has promoted to me to do this...and I have. If they try and state that this is abuse I will certainly be contacting the ACCC etc for false advertising.

Not everyone in marketing is stupid and most analyst/programmers are actually quite smart and can suggest ways for the company to monitor transactions.

Personally I do not care if they are stupid or bright...Amex has put a set of rules into play and as long as I adhere to them I expect them to honour what they have promised.


The Bonus promo is but a small slice of a HUGE push by Amex at present to get people using Amex MORE and for SMALLER purchases.

Past patterns of spend are quite frankly completely irrelevant. The current advertising of which the promo is but a small slice is all about changing patterns of spend on the card.

INDEED....this promotion and advertising is quite clearly one aimed at increasing use of the Amex Card...making more transactions.

Increased use therefore cannot in itself be termed abuse...as it was actually quite clearly a goal of this whole campaign.

Just think about what this campaign is called... "Everyday". Amex wanted me to spend everyday and I am.

But yes visiting Woolworths a dozen times in one day may have them terming it abuse.

Visiting Woolworths everyday..or every second day quite clearly cannot be. After all I am just doing what they promoted...buying everyday....and am now also using it instead of cash...as they promoted!!!

 

[lovetravellingoz]

There is also one communications company with 8 in one day, which I suspect is the most likely trigger for the "abuse" claim. These are all separate legitimate invoices for separate services (and different end users, I just happen to have responsibility for paying for them). They were automatically billed by the provider and I had no control over date/time of payment but it's quite likely they were processed only seconds or minutes apart as part of a batch run.

Sounds like to me JS that you will get back in then.

I would guess that everone who has been sent one of these "abuse" letters has something in their statements that "looks-like" bill splitting even if it was not.

Large numbers of tx in iteself could not be termed abuse.

As for everday spend..

This is what Amex amongst other things has stated:

Membership Rewards Everyday Spending Bonus Points Offer

The offer provides Cardmembers, who received the invitation in the mail to participate, with the opportunity to earn bonus points for simply using their American Express Cards for their everyday purchases.


and..

Don't change the way you spend, just the way you pay
You don't have to increase your spending to earn Membership Rewards points. Just use the American Express Card for your daily purchases instead of cash, cheques or another card. That way you'll maximise your points - and your rewards.

Add to that what it promotes on the postcard...to spend on your Amex DAILY up untill Dec 31 to earn unlimited rewards...and you get the answer that daily spend is not just ok...it is desired by Amex!!!!! It is what they wanted us to do.

 

[oz_mark]

With the greatest respect....this is not at all correct.

1/ The last few times I have shopped at Chadstone Shopping Centre I am greeted with a plasma screen with an Amex ad on it extolling me to now by my milk ( a daily item) on Amex.

I should pay more attention. I have not seen it, but then given the shambles that Chadstone is at the moment, this may not be a surprise.

In the newspapers there are similar adds. The postcard that they sent me for this promo has a coffee cup on it!!!!!! So all of a sudden YES I am buying coffee from businesses that accept Amex to pay for a cup of coffee and most are businesses where I have either not bought from before, or where I would have used cash.

Indeed, a large part of the promotion was to encourage this.

2/ New stores open. ie at Chadstone they have just opened a new food centre which includes I think Victoria's first Woolworths Grocery store (only Safeways up to now in Vic). It has just opened and I now shop there every second or third day. It was not there to shop at pre-promo!!!

The Safeway in docklands must have just missed out on getting called Woolworths. While called Safeway, transactions post as Woolworths. They will all be rebranded. And for me starting to shop there was simply a co-incidence that it started at the time of the promo.

 

[JohnK]

Who are Amex to say you have to shop monthly/weekly, that is just silly.

Who are Amex? Well Amex are the ones organising the promotion and they are the ones setting the terms and conditions we have to abide with for the promotion.

Other than that I have to say there have been very unusual posts on AFF, and who knows what is happening in the real world like the person who purchased 9-10 beers individually with Amex one night, of how to take advantage of this promotion and some of these could be construed as abuse. The challenge has been set by Amex and now it is up to the individual(s) to prove otherwise.

 

[wiz]

I received a 3rd batch of 5,000 points yesterday (so far this month). My account now appears to be getting the bonuses on a regular basis. I'm curious as to why only a few others have reported similarities...