Apr 7, 2010 - American Express is one of the more difficult credit cards to obtain. Express web site about the Oasis repayment program or the Optima card. May 11, 2008  Oasis with American Express FYI Sign in to follow. I was in the program in 1999 and made one late payment. Amex cancelled the Oasis Optima card for me. I called them and they were nasty. No more Amex for me. So, keep that in mind. It's a really good look if you do the right thing with it. _____ Tsd tactical grenade.

• Amex Optima/oasis Program
• Optima Oasis
• Amex Optima

Amex Optima/oasis Program

Optima Oasis

• • Join Date:Jun 2009
  • Posts:916
  • State:California

  American Express & Credit Reporting

  I have not been on the boards for quite some time, but have a question maybe some of the BK Forum Veterans might be able to help with.
  I changed jobs after 25 years and have gone to a law firm that I worked at many years ago. I am the Office Manager in my new position. The Manager Partner of the firm contacted American Express to have me be authorized to access the account. In today's mail, we received a letter from American Express stating that they could not grant this request at this time, and that should he want to know why, he can call in.
  As you know, my discharge was final more than 3 years ago. My question is, can American Express divulge any information about my BK, or that their debt was discharged in a BK??
  It's very strange about 2 months ago, I got a letter from them stating that they were reporting my account to the credit bureaus, whatever that means. It shows that it was discharged in 2009 on my credit report.
  Thanks for the help!
  2manybills
  Discharged: December, 2009

  Filed Chapter 7: 7/3/09
  341 Hearing: 8/6/09 - Went Smoothly!
  Discharged: 11/30/2009
  Closed: 12/16/2009
• • Join Date:Nov 2010
  • Posts:191
  • State:Florida

  I wish i knew the answer to that. I will saw that i did bk amex for quite a lot of $$. About 8ish months later, i got a secured usaa amex (i thought that was interesting, but not managed by amex directly, so that could be why) and was also added onto a company card with no issues. I even gave them my ssn and dob.
  So dont panic just yet.

  Comment

• • Join Date:Jun 2009
  • Posts:916
  • State:California

  I just received a letter today. I am the account manager, but they will not give me a corporate card. I'm going to call them this afternoon. US Bank gave me a corporate Visa. I really don't need a card, except for when I pick up supplies for the firm. I will just use the Visa. I do believe they have a black list.

  Filed Chapter 7: 7/3/09
  341 Hearing: 8/6/09 - Went Smoothly!
  Discharged: 11/30/2009
  Closed: 12/16/2009

  Comment

• • Join Date:Apr 2008
  • Posts:8396
  • State:Florida

  I have read on here that Amex does blacklist people. We had our two credit cards with someone else, so have no experience with Amex.

  'To go bravely forward is to invite a miracle.'
  'Worry is the darkroom where negatives are formed.'

  Comment

• • Join Date:Aug 2010
  • Posts:871
  • State:Florida

  i second the black list with AE. I have heard that before also.

  Comment

• • Join Date:Jun 2009
  • Posts:999
  • State:Arizona

  AmEx likes to think of themselves as the Card for the Elite. Once you earn the privilege of their Unobtanium Card, you are master of the universe and can leverage the national debt.
  Just as long as you pay it off every month.
  AmEx has a long and storied history about not issuing credit until at least 5 years (7 seems to be the sweet spot) after a Ch 7.
  Now, a simple charge card billed to a company account may be different, but unlike many other providers, I do not think that AmEx has such a 'rollup' of responsibility, even under a corporate account. Tough and rare to get an AmEx after a Ch 7 while it is still on the credit report...
  Experience: I was in a Costco the other day. Almost 4 years post-discharge and my DW and I have credit scores in the low 700's. Applied for an AmEx line of credit with the store...instant turndown. Used cash to pay for the $2300 TV we bought (first new TV in 15 years - old one finally died). Have enough in primary savings to buy a nice car for cash. Have enough in investments to pay for a nice 4 year college for both daughters. Still, AmEx is tightfisted and therefore lost the processing fee that they so adore.

  Comment

• • Join Date:Jan 2009
  • Posts:2684
  • State:New Jersey

  Amex has a lifetime blacklist unless you payoff the discharged debt.
  I was able to get a corporate card as an employee of huge national corporation.
  But they won't issue one with personal responsibility.
  As a side effect they don't sell your debt to a junk debt buyer.
  Amex is such a 'fair weather friend' company I don't miss them at all.

  filed chapter 13..confirmed...converted to chapter 7...DISCHARGED!

  Comment

• • Join Date:Nov 2011
  • Posts:35
  • State:New Jersey

  I have heard of people paying Amex debt that was charged off but how do you go about paying Amex for debt discharged in BK. Isn't it $0 at that point?

  Comment

• • Join Date:Oct 2012
  • Posts:474
  • State:Texas

  Originally posted by spydcView Post

  I have heard of people paying Amex debt that was charged off but how do you go about paying Amex for debt discharged in BK. Isn't it $0 at that point?

  You can pay off any creditor you wish to, even after bankruptcy. One famous example is Dave Ramsey. He filed for BK and once he was re-established, he paid every dollar he had discharged.
  Very few people do that, and you are under zero obligation to do so, but some people do.
  AMEX is known for their blacklist. If you ever apply for an AMEX card after discharging them in BK, they will decline you because of the BK. You can then voluntarily pay off the amount they lost in discharge and they'll remove you from their blacklist and approve you for a limit AMEX card. I believe the program is called the Optima Oasis, or that's what it used to be called at least. After you've proven yourself on their probationary period, you're then allowed to apply for regular AMEX cards and are treated as a normal consumer.
  I don't think it's a good deal for the consumer to do the above, but it's your money.

  Chapter 7, above median, no asset. Discharged with no UST involvement.

  Comment

I made a post about this a few months back, but didn’t really get much response from people with actual experience. Is there anyone here who currently has AMEX’s Optima rebuilder or who has had it in the past? I’m just trying to find out what I can expect from it/AMEX over the next few months, as I am approaching a full year with the card.

Amex Optima