10,000 bonus points per 20 transactions

[hairykewell]

"Loyalty program promoters risk misleading consumers and breaching the fair-trading provisions of the Trade Practices Act 1974 if they:

• advertise awards that are not available as represented

• hide in the fine print or fail to disclose the truth about the restrictions imposed on the redemption of those rewards

• seek to retrospectively change programs or offers to the disadvantage of consumers.

"The ACCC will continue to monitor consumer complaints received about the operation and conduct of loyalty programs".

I'll be putting that in my letter to Amex!

 

[simongr]

Amex have posted a little earlier than recently so now the confirmed (by me) liability for Amex is 146K

 

[mathiex]

ASIC and the Trade Practices Act rarely secure big wins for the average punter on the street.

Unless there is someone with greater legal knowledge of the financial services sector or in general, people may find greater remedy through common law, as this sounds like a unilateral reward contract.

see h t t p etc - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contract

Read thru this to see where you each stand in terms of offer, acceptance and consideration (as we are all different)

Possible remedies if there is a breach (damages or specific performance) and possible defenses by Amex (mistake, severance and repudiation).

 

[simongr]

If you have complained to Amex and not had an adequate resolution then you should complain to the Banking and Financial Services Ombudsman that has been referred to multiple times in this thread.

Just to reiterate - B F S O ...

 

[snufl]

I just received by snail mail an offer for 2,000 bonus points if I direct debit the Telstra phone on amex.

The terms say the offer is only to the addressee and there's a 'limit of one bonus per cardmember'. The terms say ''please allow 6-8 weeks for points to appear from the date of enrolment"

It is extremely rare for me to receive any targetted promo from Amex so I was excited to get the Telstra offer today. I am not a fan of direct debit but for 2000 points they had me.

I read it once.. I read it twice... Three times...:evil:

What do I get, normal points, no bonus, just the "convenience". Well whoop-de-doo and thanks for nothing. Please save the cost of glossy printing and the postage and put it toward the points owed to people in this thread.

 

[glass]

Just had a chat to the Amex CSRs in the Platinum Credit card services - they had a lengthy delay talking to MR and they said that all points under the promotions for September transactions will be completed by the end of next week. That for me is the date that I will lodge the complaint with the BFSO - if they do not arrive in my account by Friday. I've now raised my concerns with Amex, and if they miss this deadline, then I have a trigger for the BFSO.

Hm. they're buying time 1wk at a time!

 

[file51]

The fair trading provisions of the TPA do apply to loyalty programs (remember this: ACCC ends investigation of proposed retrospective point value changes to the NAB Rewards Program)

Thank you oz_mark.

There are several areas under various acts and laws that could be persued in regards to retrospective changes to T&C, I have just quoted an umbrella clause that a lot of other government bodies would have a version of specific to their requirements.

In short, regardless of who may be prosecuting, ACCC, ASIC, BFSO etc etc there is a provision in multiple statuatory acts that state that retrospective changes are deemed illegal. Notice of such changes must be provided at the time of implementation.

 

[beardoc]

Hm. they're buying time 1wk at a time!

Yes, I thought that as I was writing it - I may lodge over the weekend, in preparation as I haven't really accepted "the points will be there in a week" to be adequate resolution.

 

[futago flyer]

I was given the following transaction on my account:
Date Description Amount spent Points Earned Bonus Points Total Points
10/12/2008 Bonus Points 0 5,000 5,000

Here are some info about me:

• I have the lowest 1:1 qantas amex card (not a MR card specific card)
• I was not targeted for this promotion.
• I called amex on 20 sept, I thought I had signed up for myreward promo... however later called and was told I was never registered and could not register.
• 5000 bonus points have turned up (10/12) copy and pasted above.

Question:

• Has anyone else got a bonus for no real reason?
• Should I think this is linked to this promo?

 

[Danger UXB]

Has anyone else got a bonus for no real reason?

I signed up for 20/10 (postcarded and reg before 20/9 I think)and should have accumulated 40k points to end Novemeber. I now have 80k bonus points all in 5k lots except for 30k put in the other day when everyone started to receive them. I have not contact AMEX to find out which bonus they think I should be on I'm just happy I'm ahead
Cheers Amex
Danger UXB

 

[lovestotravel]

Just had a chat to the Amex CSRs in the Platinum Credit card services - they had a lengthy delay talking to MR and they said that all points under the promotions for September transactions will be completed by the end of next week. That for me is the date that I will lodge the complaint with the BFSO - if they do not arrive in my account by Friday. I've now raised my concerns with Amex, and if they miss this deadline, then I have a trigger for the BFSO.

First it was 8-10 weeks from transcations
Then it was 8-10 weeks from end of each month
Now it's 11 weeks from the end of September
Next it will be 8-10 weeks from the end of the promotion

etc etc

As you have said, don't hold your breath

 

[vet]

Well my card stopped tonight, first at Target for $30 and at Hoytts for 3 movie tickets and a "Twilight" mega box deal. So I rang Amex and I'm told that if there's lots of small pays in their 'pending box (eg for dinner last night $45, $45 at a haberdashery, $13 at a tennis club bar, etc,). Then the machine turns the card off. Now I have to ring a dept called"Fraud" and say if the payments are mine. Hmmm. Could this be some way to turn an unlimited promo into a limited one????

 

[straitman]

Well my card stopped tonight, first at Target for $30 and at Hoytts for 3 movie tickets and a "Twilight" mega box deal. So I rang Amex and I'm told that if there's lots of small pays in their 'pending box (eg for dinner last night $45, $45 at a haberdashery, $13 at a tennis club bar, etc,). Then the machine turns the card off. Now I have to ring a dept called"Fraud" and say if the payments are mine. Hmmm. Could this be some way to turn an unlimited promo into a limited one????

From my experience this is totally normal if it is any different from your regular spending patterns.

It's a nuisance but you would be less happy if they let it go and it was fraud :!:

 

[oz_mark]

I seem to recall the problem of numerous small transactions getting cards put on hold was discussed early in this thread.

 

[beardoc]

From my experience this is totally normal if it is any different from your regular spending patterns.

It's a nuisance but you would be less happy if they let it go and it was fraud :!:

Fortunately my spending on Amex included lots of small transactions prior to this promotion, so this is characteristic for me.

 

[vet]

Fortunately my spending on Amex included lots of small transactions prior to this promotion, so this is characteristic for me.

They didn't stop the urban legend 1 cent Vodaphone payments (assuming that really went on) and never queried a balding guy's $990 bill from a hair salon. But they turn off the tap for $20 to $50 pays for dinners, lunch, movie tickets etc during the Xmas shopping rush.

 

[straitman]

But they turn off the tap for $20 to $50 pays for dinners, lunch, movie tickets etc during the Xmas shopping rush.

Do they :?: .... or is that urban legend also :?:

 

[oz_mark]

They didn't stop the urban legend 1 cent Vodaphone payments (assuming that really went on) and never queried a balding guy's $990 bill from a hair salon. But they turn off the tap for $20 to $50 pays for dinners, lunch, movie tickets etc during the Xmas shopping rush.

At least they haven't put your card on hold, twice, due to their own internal errors (and have never come through with what they were going to give for the inconvenience).

So have you rung "fraud", or do they not work on the weekends?

 

[bambbbam2]

With one of our work corporate cards, last month 8k of fraudulent charges were put through, including a 6k restaurant/function centre booking.

Was very odd according to the statement, the card was physically being used in Sydney and Perth at the same moment and nothing was picked up by the card issuer.

 

[vet]

At least they haven't put your card on hold, twice, due to their own internal errors (and have never come through with what they were going to give for the inconvenience).

So have you rung "fraud", or do they not work on the weekends?

I called the normal call centre number and they say the 'credit dept' will turn it back on today. Apparently their 'pending' screen doesn't show shop names or even $A amounts so they have to wait overnight before asking if one bought this or that at the petrol station, poolshop, safeway, aust post shop tatts ticket queue, stamp booklets, kmart, liqour barn, $2 shop, haberdashery shop, chemist gift shop stuff, another chemist for beauty products, Bunnings, tennis club bar, restaurant dinner, lunch, flower shop, and officeworks.