Anti-gun Companies

[Dave_in_GA]

I receieved a letter from American Express which informed me that my credit limit had been reduced "for the following reason(s):"

1. Our payment history with clients who have made similar purchases at
certain places of business.

After a call to their customer support, they gave me the following line:

"We have a bad payment history with customers who make purchases at
certain types of stores"

My reply was " OK, since I bought a gun at a gun store, you are tracking my buying habits, reducing my credit limit, and probably reporting this to someone else.

They said "We track everyone's buying patterns"

After reminding them I have been a cardholder for ten years, never had a late payment, and always paid my balance; I told them to cancel my card. -


Is there a list of this type of companies out there where we could find out which ones to avoid doing business with?

Maybe better... A list of "Good-Guys"

 

[shooter503]

Whoa.
"Certain types of stores". Did you actually establish that it is gun related purchases that are causing this problem?

This attitude is in line with that of the insurance companies. Sure they will insure you - if you are in a catagory that is likely to never make a claim.

I use Wells Fargo for my business credit card. A number of purchases are firearms related, you can tell that from the sellers name. No complaints so far. Since I use the card a great deal I also collect credit points. I might just call and ask if they intend to institute a similar program to your company.

 

[Big Calhoun]

WHAT!?!?!? Can you absolutely establish/get them to verify that because of a firearm purchase, that was the basis for their decision? If so, The Amex is going in the garbage and I'll also be cancelling.

I've never heard of such foolishness. I used my CitiBank Visa last year to purchase 5 firearms...not even a peep other than obligatory 'insurance' promotions that come with my bill and in my inbox. This is just garbage!!!

 

[K-Romulus]

never got that call

Amex has never done that with me. And I've bought a l-o-t of stuff over the years.

 

[HMMurdock]

Intersting. I'm a habitual American Express user and I have purchased many a firearm with em and they've never given me any problems.

You'd think we were buying and selling obscure pornography by the way some places treat us...

 

[MD_Willington]

Don't use credit cards anymore, but I've never been called up when I did use the cards to buy a firearm...

AMEX, VISA, MASTERCARD, had all 3, all 3 were used at one time or another... Don't have them anymore... like it that way too.

 

[RavenVT100]

What seems more likely is that you may have done business with a vendor that has somehow been flagged as being high risk for some reason.

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

I'm sorry, I'm not buying that they reduced your credit simply because you made a purchase at a gun store. Even more strange, I can't find any web search hits about people having their credit reduced due to purchases at certain stores, even using the phrases you quoted above.

I think RavenVT100 may have a more likely explanation. Did you only spend money at a gun store or did you buy anything else? I would think that rent-to-own places and pawn shops would be more likely to flag you than gun stores.

"We track everyone's buying patterns"

You'll find that everyone does this.

 

[30 cal slob]

funny thing is, all the gun shops and related merchants in my neck of the woods have dropped amex. i guess not because of politics, but economics. amex charges too much.

HOWEVER - if amex is really antigun, we need to know this. we should urge a public boycott.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

The wave of the future.

I haven't heard of this before but it doesn't surprise me at all. It is probably the the early stages of commercial engineering.

 

[ShelleyB.]

I don't believe this is as strange as it sounds. Amex, or any other credit card issuer certainly is not stupid enough to actually admit they are targeting people who use their cards for firearms or related merchandise.

Just last week, we also received a letter from our card holder, a bank, raising our interest rates to shark loan numbers. We also always pay on time and have held the card for about 12 years or more. However, only in the last 3-6 months have we used it for firearms and related items. I suspected when we got the letter that it may have been the result of profile targeting purchases.

No problem here. We gladly canceled the card! No problem going back to just one, or using money orders. I would not be surprised if there are numerous subtle and illegal ways to make it difficult for gun supporters.

 

[Dave_in_GA]

Quote:

Whoa.
"Certain types of stores". Did you actually establish that it is gun related purchases that are causing this problem?


Yes, it is established ( at least to me) that the only purchases on that card over the last 6 months have been Legal, New, In the box, Wooden Grip, Non-Auto-Loading, Period Correct, Cowboy Guns!.

However, I did make my last purchase at one of the area's best firearms stores, which just happens to have the Legal Name of " Twin City Pawn ".

BTW, Twin City is a great place to do business.


I think I will go ahead and lay down the card for the Rock River "EvilBlackGun" before I shred it...

 

[SWMAN]

Get the NRA Mastercard from First Bank of Omaha. They won't question your firearms related purchases.

 

[ialevy]

The Business was a PAWN SHOP!!!!

I think that raises more flags than Gun Shop. I have put a lot of guns on my Amex, and they just keep INCREASING my limit!!!

 

[bg]

You'd think we were buying and selling obscure pornography by the way some places treat us...

Going off-topic a bit, I tend to believe most Dems think dabbing in the firearm hobby is porno..

 

[kellyj00]

"After reminding them I have been a cardholder for ten years, never had a late payment, and always paid my balance; I told them to cancel my card. - "

They don't want you to pay your balance. if you don't pay anything in interest, you are a bad customer. THEY want you to run up a balance.

Get a VISA, I buy all kinds of 'controversial' stuff (and also a few gun related things ) and they have yet to say anything to me.

 

[USMC - Retired]

Is there a list of this type of companies out there where we could find out which ones to avoid doing business with?

Yes there is....