Q: I was thrilled that American Express pre-approved me for a credit card. But despite this, the company later denied my application. What happened, and what can I do now?
A: Don’t ever trust those mailers that credit card companies such as American Express send to you stating that you’ve been pre-approved for one of their cards. The truth this, these are just advertisements. Most times, the company behind these “pre-approval” notices have no idea if you do have the financial background needed to qualify for their cards.
Qualifying for an American Express card is usually a more difficult task than is applying for other brands of credit cards. American Express simply has higher standards. You’ll need a strong credit score, solid gross monthly income and a nice long history of paying your other credit card bills on time.
So if you do open your mailbox and find a pre-approval letter from American Express, don’t get your hopes up too high. You still might not posses the financial qualities that the company seeks.
However, don’t give up, either, if American Express denies your application. Instead, apply for one of the many other strong credit cards on the market. And once you do earn approval, make your payments on time each and every month. You might be able to build up your credit score to a level that’s high enough to earn approval from American Express the next time you apply.
