When you start signing up for credit cards to get loyalty points, there are seemingly endless cards. Besides the personal cards, there’s also a large number of business cards (if you have a legitimate business). Once you’ve been doing this for a while, you start to run out of good cards to apply for. Each bank has different rules about how often you can earn a signup bonus and how many cards you can have.
For American Express cards, you’re only supposed to get a signup bonus once per lifetime. There’s a question on how long AMEX considers a “lifetime,” but that restriction limits how many bonuses you can receive. There are only so many cards that offer Membership Rewards.
People try to stretch the rules to earn as many points as possible. AMEX has fought back by creating a Rewards Abuse Team (RAT), which actively searches for cardholders they think are abusing the system. They warn applicants about this on new card applications.
If we in our sole discretion determine that you have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with this offer in any way or that you intend to do so (for example, if you applied for one or more cards to obtain an offer(s) that we did not intend for you; if you cancel or downgrade your account within 12 months after acquiring it; or if you cancel or return purchases you made to meet the Threshold Amount), we may not credit, we may freeze, or we may take away the Membership Rewards® points from your account. We may also cancel this Card account and other Card accounts you may have with us.
A question often asked about business credit cards is if a person can apply for multiple numbers of the same card if they have more than one business. There are many reasons for wanting to do this; the most important would be to keep the expenses from the two businesses separate. In addition, you could also earn more than one signup bonus on the same card.
But will American Express allow it? Apparently so. But only if they target you for an offer. Here’s an email Sharon recently got, offering her the ability to “add an additional card” for her “other business.”
If you just apply for a second AMEX Business Platinum card (or a second of any AMEX business card), you will most likely be denied or ineligible for another signup bonus because of the once-per-lifetime rule. However if AMEX targets you for a second card, either by email, snail mail or through the AMEX app or website, that offer will be without the “once per lifetime” language. If so, then you’re able to apply for a second card and earn another bonus. Just make sure to read the offer carefully, making sure there’s no mention of previous cardholders being ineligible.
At least AMEX is open to the idea, actively promoting the opening of an additional card for your other business. The most important thing you’d need is a Tax ID Number for each company. Without that, convincing AMEX that you have two businesses may be challenging. However, I’ve read reports of people having more than one of the same AMEX business cards.
This is the first time I’ve seen AMEX advertising applying for cards for different businesses.
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