AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY

2018-06-24

Heidelberg, MN

Advertising and marketing, including promotional offers

Credit card or prepaid card: General-purpose credit card or charge card

Didn't receive advertised or promotional terms
Company Response: Closed with non-monetary relief

Timely Response

2018-06-24

San Francisco, CA

Problem with a purchase shown on your statement

Credit card or prepaid card: General-purpose credit card or charge card

Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement
Complaint: Per XXXX Submitted to the CFPB on XX/XX/XXXX. American Express did not not update me in the 60 days, by XX/XX/XXXX, in which they stated they would do in their first response. In Summary of the complaint : In the Month of XX/XX/XXXX I made two payments to American Express for the amount of {$3700.00} and their records have not credited me for one payment. It is found that the payment of {$3700.00} was moved to an interest pay overtime account., so now Im paying interest for money I payed to American Express in addition to them stating I owe {$3700.00}. The cause is that in XX/XX/XXXX I paid twice, one manual and one auto-pay both for {$3700.00}. I asked for one payment of {$3700.00} to be refunded back to me, and it was refunded, but their processing of this refund seems to be placed in their pay over time account, so I am now paying for monies on the refund and this is an accounting error on the American Express side. This error can be clearly shown in the American Express provided XXXX which is the accounting ledger file and if you compare the numbers amounts to that of the statements we see inaccuracy. The discrepancy occurred in the Month of XXXX and I think it may be been one of these two transactions : 1 ) XX/XX/XXXX per Reference : XXXX for XXXX and listed as a credit balance refund. The odd note here is that this refund is listed as a charge to the account. 2 ) XX/XX/XXXX per Reference : XXXX for XXXX and listed as an ADJUSTMENT TRANSACTION PROCESSED BY AMERICAN EXPRESS EXTENDED PAYMENT OPTION. I have called American Express several times to explain the situation and they only seem to send me my complete XXXX statements. Unfortunately, they will not look at the XXXX file as proof of this error and they only rely on their Statements which are part of this error. To further my troubles the American Express agent told me that there is nothing I can do to fix the discrepancy between the XXXX and the PDF 's and I should just pay the amount they see as owed. I estimate that I have spent 11 hours on the phone with American Express and 5 hours on my own time figuring out what the root cause may be. At this point I would like American Express to find where the discrepancy is between the American Express statement and the American Express XXXX file. I do have a statement from my certified public bookkeeper that supports my case in the American Express has performed an accounting error.
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2018-06-23

MI

Other features, terms, or problems

Credit card or prepaid card: General-purpose credit card or charge card

Problem with rewards from credit card
Complaint: I participated in the refer a friend offer from American Express for my XXXX card. I was to receive XXXX points per friend referred up to XXXX points per year. I referred a total of 4 friends and the XXXX points appeared on my XXXX and XXXX statements. They never were deposited into my XXXX XXXX account though. I have called 4 different times and have been told there was an issue with referral points posting properly and that they should be deposited within a few days. Each time nothing happens. The terms clearly say that the points should be deposited in my account within 8-12 weeks. Those dates have come and gone.
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2018-06-22

Fithian, IL

Advertising and marketing, including promotional offers

Credit card or prepaid card: General-purpose credit card or charge card

Didn't receive advertised or promotional terms
Complaint: On XX/XX/2018, I was checking my American Express offers in their website. It said a {$150.00} dollar statement credit after {$1000.00} dollars purchase before 90 days. I started the application and then I realized that I may not be eligible for the bonus offer. So I did not finished the application. The next day I've got a call from a AMEX marketer saying why I did not finish my application and I told him about the bonus. He told me that I was indeed eliglbe for the bonus, so I finished the application. Now I've compain about it and the told me that I was not eligible regardless of what the rep told me. I asked for the recording and it were denied.
Company Response: Closed with monetary relief

Timely Response

2018-06-22

Allenwood, NJ

Advertising and marketing, including promotional offers

Credit card or prepaid card: General-purpose credit card or charge card

Didn't receive advertised or promotional terms
Complaint: I opened an American Express business platinum card with a promotional offer of XXXX bonus points after spending {$20000.00} in the first 3 months. I completed the spend. However, American Express isn't letting me use the points. They claim they need to make sure my purchases qualify. They say it can take 6 months until they " release '' the points. It never said anything like this in the terms and conditions.
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2018-06-22

Warrenton, VA

Threatened to contact someone or share information improperly

Debt collection: Credit card debt

Talked to a third-party about your debt
Complaint: American Express has repeatedly called at least two of my relatives or associates without my consent. These tactics began aoproxinately XX/XX/XXXX and continue through today, XX/XX/XXXX. I lodged a complaint on the American website approx. XX/XX/XXXX, directing them to stop the communications to others, searching for me. I noted that I was not sure if the calls came from Amex or an impostor. Calls continued after XX/XX/XXXX, clearly stated by the caller, XXXX, from Amex, from XXXX, and also from XXXX. I spoke verbally with XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX, directing him to end the communications to others in search of me. XXXX was hostile, continuing to talk over me as I was telling him to stop the hostile tactics. I stated that a complaint was being lodged against him and his company on this matter. His response that any complaint did not matter.
Company Response: Closed with non-monetary relief

Timely Response

2018-06-22

Irvine, CA

Other features, terms, or problems

Credit card or prepaid card: General-purpose credit card or charge card

Other problem
Company Response: Closed with non-monetary relief

Timely Response

2018-06-22

Bennett Springs, VA

Attempts to collect debt not owed

Debt collection: Credit card debt

Debt is not yours
Company Response: Closed with non-monetary relief

Timely Response

2018-06-22

Lodi, CA

Closing your account

Credit card or prepaid card: General-purpose credit card or charge card

Company closed your account
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2018-06-22

Castle Point, NJ

Other features, terms, or problems

Credit card or prepaid card: General-purpose credit card or charge card

Other problem
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2018-06-21

Problem with a purchase shown on your statement

Credit card or prepaid card: General-purpose credit card or charge card

Card was charged for something you did not purchase with the card
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2018-06-21

W Des Moines, IA

Problem getting a card or closing an account

Credit card or prepaid card: General-purpose prepaid card

Trouble getting, activating, or registering a card
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2018-06-21

Pasadena, CA

Problem with a credit reporting company's investigation into an existing problem

Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports: Credit reporting

Their investigation did not fix an error on your report
Complaint: AMEX Card Ending : XXXX I closed one of my Blue Cash preferred account. I paid my membership fees for the year, when I cancelled the card, it wasn't the end of the year, so when I closed it, they prorated my membership fees and I ended up getting a refund of about {$100.00}. Everything was good and there was no issues. Few months after, I get a letter from them saying that I owe {$6.00}, called them, they said it is interest, from here to there, they said they are going to waive it and they did. Few months after, I get a notification from XXXX that a delinquent account was added to my record and when I checked it was the AMEX closed account. How did this affected me? my credit score declined by 90 points. I called AMEX multiple times, they transferred me from one line to the other and nobody helped me, I was caught in a limbo. Please assist me with this, I don't know where to go with this. Help!
Company Response: Closed with non-monetary relief

Timely Response

2018-06-21

Bloomington, MN

Other features, terms, or problems

Credit card or prepaid card: General-purpose credit card or charge card

Other problem
Complaint: American Express has the wrong social security number listed on my American Express credit card account. XXXX isnt my correct msocial security number. My correct social security number and date of birth is : SSN : XXXX DOB : XX/XX/XXXX.
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2018-06-21

Great Neck, NY

Problem with a purchase shown on your statement

Credit card or prepaid card: General-purpose credit card or charge card

Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2018-06-21

Arcata, CA

Problem with a purchase shown on your statement

Credit card or prepaid card: General-purpose credit card or charge card

Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2018-06-21

Fremont, CA

Advertising and marketing, including promotional offers

Credit card or prepaid card: General-purpose credit card or charge card

Didn't receive advertised or promotional terms
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2018-06-21

Moapa, NV

Incorrect information on your report

Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports: Credit reporting

Account status incorrect
Complaint: I am having a serious problem with American Express every time I send a dispute out regarding accuracy of account they retaliate and put a charge off on my account for that month of the dispute they put one on my account for the month of XX/XX/XXXX and another charger off for the month of XX/XX/XXXX this account has been closed for three years. I do have a small balance on the account and they keep updating with a charge of ding. This charger off update reflect on my credit as an actual charge off currently for that month not the original charge off and closing date which was three years ago this is seriously affecting my credit. I believe they are in violation of FCR rule 609 and 623. They are update my account with a " Charge off '' and it reports as a Recent Charge off this is NOT ACCURATE AND VERY MISLEADING on my credit report. Amex is using the right to update clause to report negative and inaccurate Charge off dates monthly as RETALIATION for my disputes. First they added a negative remark " Bad Credit '' and then a " Fail to Pay '' and " Charge Off ''. My Acct. was close XX/XX/XXXX. i am paying off my debt with Amex debt regularly directly to them. My balance is {$250.00}. Which will be paid off soon.I wish to file a complaint regarding accuracy of the Charge off date reporting on my credit report and the RETALIATORY effort by American Express to purposefully assassinate character through negative reporting to the credit bureaus.
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2018-06-21

Arsenal, PA

Other features, terms, or problems

Credit card or prepaid card: General-purpose credit card or charge card

Other problem
Complaint: Please provide policy guidance regarding the Consumer Review Fairness Act ( https : //www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/consumer-review-fairness-act-what-businesses-need-know ). On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a phone call from the Executive Offices group of American Express, threatening me to delete a meme ( https : XXXX ) I had posted on Twitter, which's my honest review regarding the execrable overseas Customer Care of American Express XXXX which has been, and is expressed by thousands of people on Twitter. I also have a recording of that phone call, in which the caller, identifying himself as XXXX ( didn't get his last name ) from the American Express Executive Offices, claimed that the meme I had created, which is based on a popular XXXX XXXX XXXX a famous American comedian ) meme theme ( https : XXXX ), is related to XXXX XXXX, and American Express doesn't want to be associated with violent images, so it won't tolerate such memes. American Express ' desire to have that meme deleted seems to stem from the fact ( https : XXXX ) that people are more likely to share memes on social media, than they're to share tweets without images, such as this one ( https : XXXX ). In retaliation for posting screenshots of chats that portray one of its overseas XXXX XXXX XXXX being highly unprofessional & XXXX, the XXXX team ( XXXX XXXX ) of American Express has also been denying Customer Service to me since XX/XX/XXXX. Does the right to refuse service hold sway over the Consumer Review Fairness Act if a company 's punitive sanctions against a customer are guided by posting honest reviews online? I hadn't even been remotely rude to the XXXX team since when it has been refusing to serve me. The caller had also lied to me that the XXXX team would resume providing customer service to me after I'd delete those tweets. Since consumers ding their credit for getting credit cards, being denied customer service is a huge issue! I had raised CFPB complaint XXXX in this regard ( denial of customer service ). American Express ' punitive sanctions against me go a lot further than this. It has frozen my Membership Rewards points, although they're listed as available. I've been told by multiple American Express supervisors in no uncertain terms that it'd take 6-10 weeks and no less, for the points to actually be available for redemption, but not a single reason has been provided as to what triggered this action. Such actions are usually taken if American Express suspects fraud, but all my transactions are legitimate, and despite my requests, American Express hasn't even deigned to explain which transactions it suspects to be fraudulent. From what I gather from the CFPB complaint database, I'm far from the only one to have faced such an issue with American Express. In fact, this practice by American Express satisfies the enforcement-action criteria for FTC Act 's Section 5 ( Unfair or Deceptive Acts or Practices ), because there's no way customers can avoid freezing of Membership Rewards points without being given as much as an explanation, so I'm not sure why the FTC/CFPB are reluctant to take any action against American Express. I had raised CFPB complaint XXXX & FTC complaint XXXX in this regard. I'll send another email to relevant FTC & CFPB officials regarding how exactly American Express ' practices meet the stated criteria for enforcement-action, quoting other CFPB complaints on this issue, although I do understand that I'm not in any position to call the shots. Coming back to the issue raised in this complaint, if the FTC & CFPB determine that American Express is right to force me to delete that meme, I'll delete it. But please also provide policy guidance regarding other issues in the email as well, as they seem to lack any precedent. This complaint will also be emailed to relevant FTC & CFPB officials.
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2018-06-21

Maplecrest, NJ

Managing an account

Checking or savings account: Savings account

Funds not handled or disbursed as instructed
Complaint: I am writing about the worst banking experience I have had with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. I have been a customer with XXXX XXXX for several years with no problem. So, you can only imagine my disbelief after hearing that my savings account was being closed for a single check being returned. I had no idea the check was going to be returned. I had no intention of committing any fraud or anything like that, especially with an available balance over 80 thousand dollars. I was told my account was being closed and that any remaining funds ( over {$80000.00} ) would be returned to me. OK I had no say in the matter so I guess I had to live with their decision to close the account. To my surprise I've waited for weeks to receive my money back, but I never did. I called countless times and spoke to customer service ( who were nice ) but It's the back office banking operations who were completely unhelpful. Every-time, I was told that my money would be returned. I have been waiting for YEARS now, and still have not received a cent back from that godforsaken, distrustful, disgrace of a bank. If you are looking into a savings account, look far away from XXXX XXXX XXXX, they are disgraceful and will use every trick in the book to weasel their way into stealing your hard earned money.
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2018-06-21

TX

Trouble using your card

Credit card or prepaid card: General-purpose credit card or charge card

Can't use card to make purchases
Complaint: I have been an American Express card holder since XXXX, and a Platinum card member since XXXX. American Express pulled a " bait and switch '' in their issuance of a Platinum card to me. An employee/agent of American Express stated to me that upon the condition precedent of having to pay the entire balance of the card every month the quid-pro-quo is that there is no spending limit on the card. My wife of XXXX years XXXX XXXX in XXXX, XXXX after a long and anguishing XXXXXXXX. I made arrangements with a XXXX XXXX for the XXXX XXXX and the service. The XXXX XXXX advised me that they accepted American Express and therefore not to worry about the charge. However, on the day of the XXXX American Express refused the charge, I was shocked and enraged beyond words. During this time of immobilizing grief I had to suffer the further embarrassment of having to tell the XXXX XXXX that I was not able to pay on that day. Fortunately the XXXX XXXX was understanding, and I wired them the money a few days later. I was marketed and induced to pay additional monies for an American Express Platinum Card on the assurance that there would be no spending limit as long as I paid my bill in full each month, which I did for over 40 years.
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2018-06-20

Granada Hills, CA

Attempts to collect debt not owed

Debt collection: I do not know

Debt was result of identity theft
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2018-06-20

New Rochelle, NY

Other features, terms, or problems

Credit card or prepaid card: General-purpose credit card or charge card

Problem with rewards from credit card
Complaint: This is the second CFPB complaint I am filing because I have not heard from American Express and my second try at coming to a resolution with customer service was unsuccessful. I recently tried to transfer XXXX membership rewards points to a partner airline program, but my request was rejected by the system. The system notified me that my point transfer was denied because my account was membership rewards were under review. I contacted membership rewards and a representative tried to help me transfer the points over the phone. They were unable to transfer the points and received the same message about a review, so they transferred me to customer service. A customer service representative then told me that membership rewards had to help me with membership rewards-related issues, so they transferred me back to membership rewards. The new membership rewards representative again tried to transfer the point over the phone, only to be met by the same notification that my points were under review. After a lengthy hold, the representative was able to explain to me that my membership rewards were undergoing a " standard review '' and that this was normal. I have never heard of this happening to anyone else I personally know who has American Express membership rewards. For context, I earned the XXXX membership rewards after meeting minimum spend requirements as part of a promotional sign-up bonus. All of my spending has been through legitimate purchases and I have never participated in manufactured spending. My understanding is that American Express has stated in its promotion terms that it reserves the right to review the promotional bonus in the 6-8 weeks after the bonus posts to the account. My XXXX membership rewards bonus posted on XX/XX/XXXX. It is now XX/XX/XXXX. We are well beyond that 6-8 week period. I find it extremely unfair and disturbing that American Express would arbitrarily choose to freeze what a customer does with their legitimately earned membership rewards after the standard review period has passed, under the guise of a " standard review ''. I am very disappointed in American Express ' business practices regarding this issue, especially considering that I wanted to transfer these points before a significant loyalty program point devaluation. American Express was unable to provide me a timeline as to when the " standard review '' would be completed, but I have read online from other victims ' experiences that this process can take up to 2 months. The only reason I even signed up for the American Express card in question was to use the promotional sign-up bonus to transfer to points to the loyalty program before the devaluation. Clearly that is no longer a possibility and I feel as if I have been duped by American Express into signing up for one of its high annual fee credit cards after being offered a misleadingly restrictive rewards program.
Company Response: Closed with non-monetary relief

Timely Response

2018-06-20

Bloomington, MN

Took or threatened to take negative or legal action

Debt collection: Credit card debt

Threatened to sue you for very old debt
Complaint: On XX/XX/XXXX, I was contacted by XXXX XXXX from XXXX in regards to an American Express debt that was charged off in XXXX. Her company is called XXXX XXXX and she said a lawyer from XXXX XXXX is going to call me very soon. The lawyer called me from a blocked number ( first red flag ). He wouldn't tell me his name. I told him I can only settle a debt if I am provided with a letter that defines the actual account number that this debt refers to, otherwise there is no way to prove what account was settled. I can guarantee 100 % that I have never had an account of the numbers he provided. He got upset and told me he is going to lie to a judge that he has tried numerous times to settle this debt with me and here this is the first time I've ever spoke with him or XXXX. He says a payment of {$36.00} was made on the account in XXXX. I never made a payment on such an account after XXXX, he is either lying or a previous collector paid to keep it alive because the Statute of Limitations was running out. They plan to win a judgement by default. They won't tell me the court date or try to serve me. They have never sent me a letter and XXXX keeps saying she doesn't have to provide me any information and Liens of my auto, home and finances are in the works now. I'm supposed to pay these people who can't authenticate their ownership of a debt of mine and they are behaving like fraudulent collectors who might pull off a judges order to ruin me. 4 other companies have recently called to try to settle this same account with me and they threatened judgments that they never carried out and they all called each other fraudulent when I told them about each other and they all present the incorrect account number.
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2018-06-20

Richmond, TX

Problem with a purchase shown on your statement

Credit card or prepaid card: General-purpose credit card or charge card

Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response