This is an old thread but I thought I'd post my experience after getting a card during the most recent 150K offer. After activating my new card on the day it arrived, I decided to use it to take advantage of the "Spend $300, Save $30" OM/OD offer that expires today. The first two transactions (6 $100s + a small item in the first purchase; 6 $100s in the second purchase) went through fine. The third purchase at another OM for 3 $200s required me to call in and confirm it was me making the purchase. The call was fully automated. The final attempt to buy 3 more $200s was declined.
I called in and was transferred to someone in Fraud. She was overseas and after a lengthy hold, said she "couldn't get into the record" or perhaps "the record was locked" and that someone would call me within 72 hours.
A bit worried, I shared this privately with a few folks and the consensus was I was about to get a financial review. The fact that the person couldn't access the info to clear the fraud alert was the basis for the speculation, as well as other peoples' experiences when they made big purchases using a brand new card.
This morning I received both an email and a voicemail from Amex. When I called in, it was very simple. I had to key in the code on the account (like a pin; it must have been selected with another Amex card since I never set one for this account; luckily I used my usual PIN and it worked), and then provide the CSR who came on the line with my business phone number and business address.
I was not asked what I bought or why, and the gentleman was very apologetic. I told him that I had gone to the second store since I'd wanted to buy more items after the store ran out with my purchases. I said that I often batch my errands and shopping. Would this just happen again if I do multiple big purchases on the same day? Here's what I learned:
1) Does calling in ahead of time help; that is, advising them I was about to make a big purchase or multiple purchases. The answer is: NO! "It is all," he said, "done by computers." He explained that a note added to the account will not stop the computers from jumping on something they interpret as questionable. "In the old days," he said, "we could notate the account. Now it makes no difference."
2) The multiple charges at two stores in quick succession was what tripped it up and then the concern on the part if the human who looked at it was that someone other than me had applied for and was now using the card.
3) He suggested I download the Amex app which will allow quick confirmation that I am me and that the charge is OK.
4) It will not happen
this way again because this time they were concerned that someone other than me had applied for the card and was using it. Any future decline at the register should be quickly correctable via the app or by calling in. I won't have to await a call back. But whether or not a charge goes through is up to "the computers."
5) The operators in Wherever, Overseas - I don't know the airport code
- are told to say "72 hours" but Amex tries to contact the card holder much more quickly. This kind of issue is something that must be researched by someone above the overseas operators' pay grade and so they are just reading from a script.
So, some of the speculation based on the wording the overseas CSR used was not right (for example, "can't get into the record" indicates a FR is coming). I was berating myself for not calling in beforehand, but that apparently makes no difference. The best way to avoid it completely would be not to do multiple transactions.
And no, I am not on my way to OM to buy those VGCs! After the stress around this from yesterday - Yikes! a FR? Really? - I'd rather have a break than save the money! The minimum spend will just have to wait.
Be careful out there!
