Sooo... I just accidentally got an Amex Platinum Card

Holy crap. So I just got home, saw I missed a package of wine (more on that at a later time), and grabbed the mail out of the box. Something from Amex. “Oh great,” I thought. “Must be my new Platinum Delta Skymiles card.” 

I set it down on the counter and went out again to walk Fenwick. When I got back, I poured myself a nice rum & coke, slipped my finger under the flap of the envelope, and almost dropped my drink. Holy shit. It wasn’t a Delta Skymiles card at all. They sent me the wrong Platinum card. They sent me THE Platinum card. Oh my mother fuck. 

HOW?

I currently have the Gold Delta Skymiles card. Last week, on September 13th, I called to upgrade after seeing an offer on the Amex website. I’m pretty close to making Silver Medallion status on Delta this year, and if I got 5,000 MQMs, it would very nearly push me into Silver territory. Knowing all my MQMs will vanish on December 31st, I rang them up to get the Platinum version of the card. Gold—>Platinum. A bit more of an annual fee, but so what. Worth it for the MQMs. Easy, right? 

The CSR and I talked about the new annual fee, the upgrade bonus including the MQMs, and how my account number would remain the same. I’d get a new card in about a week, she said. Cool, fair enough. I confirmed with her that upgrading would NOT trigger a hard credit inquiry, just a soft one, and that the annual fee would be prorated for the rest of the year. I also confirmed that the MQMs would post before December 31st so I could get status. Fine, fine, fine, she assured me. Yes, yes, yes. Great. 

Flash forward to today. It was a Platinum card alright. But it was THE Platinum card. With a new account number. A quick check of credit report indicated that a hard inquiry had recently posted. On September 13th. Fuck. And what about the MQMs? The annual fee on this shiny new piece of plastic? To keeping the same account number? 

Did I even get a signup bonus for this card? Is there a way to add one? Can they remove the credit inquiry? Am I stuck with it? Of course I would like to keep it: I’m well aware of the benefits. But it wasn’t what I was expecting. If I wanted this card, I would have at least waited for a big signup bonus. 

So what’s the next step? I’m hoping I can get them to throw me some MR points, waive the annual fee, and ya know, give me the card I originally wanted so I can get the MQMs. AND take the inquiry off my credit report. I confirmed multiple times that upgrading would NOT incur a hard pull. 

I’m honored to have the card… and surprised… and also feeling a little… BAITED. Anyone else ever dealt with something like this? 

I’ll call them tomorrow and try to get it straightened out. I have a feeling it will be a long conversation, and I have to finish watching “Drag Me To Hell” tonite. Oh, and have another rum & coke. Major first world problems.

Damn you for sending me this beautiful card, Amex! It’s like someone handing you something really expensive that you didn’t ask for, and hearing them say, “D’ya like it? It’s expensive. Not what you wanted, but still pretty, right? DO YOU WANT IT? DO YOU?!?”

Werd. Thoughts, anyone?