Amex "I'm going to cancel my card" - bonus points given thread.

[Bell21]

For me the agents always need you to say "I want to cancel" then it weirdly like... Must unlock something on their computer? The last agent literally "helped" me into saying the words haha. Just a pov!

Thanks - I was pretty direct in my choice of words re cancellation and the only way I would've found out if points offered was to actually cancel and see if I could then re-activate card. I don't think 'the words themselves' are necessarily 'the determining factor - I think it's the right language in combination with decision criteria in their algorithim that determines if bonus points offered - I strongly suspect RAM is on to something with supps / dds etc _ commercially you're not too generous to someone who looks like they will use your product anyway --- well done to you btw!!

 

[SOPOOR]

12 months ago the general advice on here, was to NOT use the "cancel" word as the staff had to start the cancellation process straight away due to policy/law ,
I tried it but it didnt work for me, so I just paid the annual fees,

it seems now is a different strategy, which I will be trying next month

 

[DC3]

For me the agents always need you to say "I want to cancel" ....

Dancing with the Call Centre staff.

 

[benjy]

In my situation, I have 1 x Supp on both my cards, Amex Edge & Amex Premium. Only have 1 Direct Debit on the Amex Premium.
Amex Edge had been opened for a year, Amex Premium opened since 2017, yes, I know, bad churner!

I use Amex Premium heavily that has a high credit limit, hardly use the Amex Edge with a low credit limit.

Annual Fee for the Edge had just posted, so I called up with the intention to cancel. I first asked a couple of questions about the annual fee and if I had to pay if I cancelled. Was happy with their answer and said "GREAT! Please cancel my Amex Edge card, I don't need it anymore"

After a minute or so, the computer come back with the 200k bonus points offer which I gladly accepted to keep the card open.

 

[Poojou]

In my situation, I have 1 x Supp on both my cards, Amex Edge & Amex Premium. Only have 1 Direct Debit on the Amex Premium.
Amex Edge had been opened for a year, Amex Premium opened since 2017, yes, I know, bad churner!

I use Amex Premium heavily that has a high credit limit, hardly use the Amex Edge with a low credit limit.

Annual Fee for the Edge had just posted, so I called up with the intention to cancel. I first asked a couple of questions about the annual fee and if I had to pay if I cancelled. Was happy with their answer and said "GREAT! Please cancel my Amex Edge card, I don't need it anymore"

After a minute or so, the computer come back with the 200k bonus points offer which I gladly accepted to keep the card open.

Computer says.... yes?? Congrats!!

 

[lilkid28]

In my situation, I have 1 x Supp on both my cards, Amex Edge & Amex Premium. Only have 1 Direct Debit on the Amex Premium.
Amex Edge had been opened for a year, Amex Premium opened since 2017, yes, I know, bad churner!

I use Amex Premium heavily that has a high credit limit, hardly use the Amex Edge with a low credit limit.

Annual Fee for the Edge had just posted, so I called up with the intention to cancel. I first asked a couple of questions about the annual fee and if I had to pay if I cancelled. Was happy with their answer and said "GREAT! Please cancel my Amex Edge card, I don't need it anymore"

After a minute or so, the computer come back with the 200k bonus points offer which I gladly accepted to keep the card open.

Amex Premium = Platinum Charge?

 

[benjy]

Amex Premium = Platinum Charge?

The Qantas Premium card: The Qantas American Express Premium Card | AMEX Australia

 

[M@rcoPolo]

In my situation, I have 1 x Supp on both my cards, Amex Edge & Amex Premium. Only have 1 Direct Debit on the Amex Premium.
Amex Edge had been opened for a year, Amex Premium opened since 2017, yes, I know, bad churner!

I use Amex Premium heavily that has a high credit limit, hardly use the Amex Edge with a low credit limit.

Annual Fee for the Edge had just posted, so I called up with the intention to cancel. I first asked a couple of questions about the annual fee and if I had to pay if I cancelled. Was happy with their answer and said "GREAT! Please cancel my Amex Edge card, I don't need it anymore"

After a minute or so, the computer come back with the 200k bonus points offer which I gladly accepted to keep the card open.

Nice! Did you have many points in your account? I have north of 1 million points, not too keen to play the cancellation game in case the go up in smoke...

 

[pyusha]

Anybody used the $450 and then cancelled the Platinum and received a full refund of $1450?

 

[rzr]

Anybody used the $450 and then cancelled the Platinum and received a full refund of $1450?

I think they pro-rata the refund based on how many months have passed since you renewed the annual fee irrespective of what benefits you use. I recently cancelled my Platinum after renewing in October, used up the $350 groceries offer in November and was refunded $1329 ($1450 less one month pro-rata'd fee).

 

[Welsh-Kiwi]

I had an interesting call with Amex last night. I’m NZ based and I called up around 10pm and spoke with an overseas operator - I think Manila. I advised that my fee was due this month and wanted to know if Amex would provide a retention bonus to help me decide to keep the card. The operator advised that I had to start the cancellation process first and then the system would advise if a retention bonus could be paid. I advised that I was NZ based and not Australian. The operator said that I was NZ based I didn’t have to start the cancellation process and offered me 20,000 points there and then. Accepted - better than nothing as I was keeping the card anyway.

 

[tinkybelle]

I have 4 carfs called twice They offered me a green card started the cancellation i asked should i use my flight credit first she said yes offered nothing told.ne i could receive a letter just ignore
no offer

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Called the other day about my Plat Charge.

Spoke to 2 people, no offer at all. Said they couldn't do anything because I was already grandfathered on a few things not available to new customers (e.g. lower Plat annual fee than currently advertised, with free companion Reserve card with the $400 travel credit included that's no longer available to new cardholders, etc).

All they could offer was a change to the Gold charge card, but it has separate annual fees, rewards fees, additional cardholder fees and doesn't give the free Reserve, so the cash saving in my circumstances wouldn't have been significant versus Plat, and with an earn rate less than I can get on non-Amex cards, so I can't see when I'd use it.

Instead, speaking to them about bonus points, I was able to get an upgrade on my QF Discovery card to Ultimate with 40k bonus points (has $450 annual fee but with $450 QF travel credit, so the points are basically free after meeting the minimum spend). Will probably downgrade the card after a year - really just wanted some bonus points.

Will likely keep the Plat for the next year now, but I'm mindful that the annual fee is very high to cover travel benefits, which aren't really being offered right now. If that isn't addressed in the next 12 months, I may as well move to Diners for points, and that's saying something!

 

[tlam]

Just called the Platinum line and straight telling them I am thinking not continue to use the card and not travelling anywhere this year, I asked for the annual fee waived (I knew that the annual fee is not negotiable). He told me that he can’t waive the annual fee, but looking at the computer and offered me 200,000 points. He advised me 200k points can convert to $1000 to offset the annual fee, so I only pay $450. I immediately agreed and accepted the offer. happy evening!

 

[lilkid28]

Is anyone getting any offers for the Amex Explorer or Platinum Edge card?

 

[Matt_01]

Just called the Platinum line and straight telling them I am thinking not continue to use the card and not travelling anywhere this year, I asked for the annual fee waived (I knew that the annual fee is not negotiable). He told me that he can’t waive the annual fee, but looking at the computer and offered me 200,000 points. He advised me 200k points can convert to $1000 to offset the annual fee, so I only pay $450. I immediately agreed and accepted the offer. happy evening!

Well that is good to know as my membership fee on the plat charge will be due in early Feb. In preparation to sustain my Amex points, I called amex the other day to send out a replacement platinum reserve card as the original card was put through the shredder. I was planning on changing all the monthly charges to the replacement reserve car. If Amex are offering 200K MR points to retain the Plat charge I may keep it.

 

[fantastikforce]

Just called the Platinum line and straight telling them I am thinking not continue to use the card and not travelling anywhere this year, I asked for the annual fee waived (I knew that the annual fee is not negotiable). He told me that he can’t waive the annual fee, but looking at the computer and offered me 200,000 points. He advised me 200k points can convert to $1000 to offset the annual fee, so I only pay $450. I immediately agreed and accepted the offer. happy evening!

Wow that's a great outcome! How long have you held the Plat Charge card for?

My annual fee was due last week and I've called a few times and also spoke to Amex via live chat and they couldn't offer me anything apart from downgrading to the Gold Charge card.

 

[tlam]

Wow that's a great outcome! How long have you held the Plat Charge card for?

My annual fee was due last week and I've called a few times and also spoke to Amex via live chat and they couldn't offer me anything apart from downgrading to the Gold Charge card.

Since 2013, and “new” card member again in 2018. I am holding 4 cards Plat Charge, Plat Edge, Explorer and Plat Reserve.

 

[Poojou]

Is anyone getting any offers for the Amex Explorer or Platinum Edge card?

I just had yet another chat with Amex Platinum cards, this time was to legitimately change addresses on all my cards.

I then got into a bit of chat about the overlapping benefits of the reserve and the edge and said to the agent yeah nah cancel it. She then went through the actual cancellation process, read the disclaimer out then was like - oh actually sir American Express would like to offer you 200k to not cancel.

Needless to say I accepted. She then told me to ignore all the messages saying the card was cancelled and "we aren't allowed to offer points to get you to stay, only after we cancel we can bring the card back"

Pretty nifty trick haha. Might just call every 3m across my cards now....

 

[h10]

I just had yet another chat with Amex Platinum cards, this time was to legitimately change addresses on all my cards.

I then got into a bit of chat about the overlapping benefits of the reserve and the edge and said to the agent yeah nah cancel it. She then went through the actual cancellation process, read the disclaimer out then was like - oh actually sir American Express would like to offer you 200k to not cancel.

Needless to say I accepted. She then told me to ignore all the messages saying the card was cancelled and "we aren't allowed to offer points to get you to stay, only after we cancel we can bring the card back"

Pretty nifty trick haha. Might just call every 3m across my cards now....

I tried to get some retention bonus as my annual subscription is now due and went through the cancellation dance but was flatly told due to change in change in Australian Law Amex (and others) are forbidden from offering retention bonus points. But I think if have a charge card then there is a good chance of getting bonus points.
Did you by any chance get her name? Were you talking to an Australian or Filipino call centre?