Preview Review

Next Review

American Express Platinum Cards Consumer Reviews

Most Popular | Newest | More Options >
More filter options:
American Express Cut My Credit Limit And Damaged My Credit
By -

FLORIDA -- I would like to file a complaint regarding American Express. I am a small business owner and I am extremely particular about my credit. With a lot of hard work, years in the making, my credit score was nearly perfect. Because of the flexibility of the American Express Platinum card and it's advertised “no preset spending limit”. This is advertised on all of their websites, TV and print advertising.

(COPIED FROM THEIR WEBSITE)
Airport Club Access
Exclusive amenities at boutique, resort, and luxury hotels
Platinum Travel Service
No pre-set spending limit
The Membership Rewards First® program
Platinum Card Concierge Service
By Invitation Only® Events

I applied for and received this card and paid a very high annual fee ($450.00 PLUS $250 for each additional card holder) for this privilege so that I could use it for larger purchases. Later, because we are launching a new business I also ordered anther American Express revolving card and a line of credit account. All accounts were solely based on personal credit and I was told that up front.

American Express extended numerous solicitations on the platinum card to pay some of my purchases over time. You were instructed to request to pay over time and then they would take several days to approve. In order to help finance my new business, I also took advantage of that offer. I paid fully and on time according to the terms of my agreement. I never made a payment late. I had only used a percentage of the credit available to me on the line of credit and the revolving card as they came with a preset limit that I was given in writing.

I purposely kept my spending below the max available so that it would not adversely effect my credit score. Bait and switch... I was shocked when my Platinum card was declined for a small purchase. I contacted American Express and was told that they had decided to give me a “credit limit” that was less than my current balance on the card and that I was over their newly imposed limit. They gave me no reason for doing this and gave me no advance notification.

I had recently written a check from the line of credit to cover some other purchases. I had checked the available credit prior to doing this and it was sufficient to cover the check. Several weeks later I received letters in the mail saying they had reduced my limit on my revolving card and my line of credit account.

I called and asked if the check would be honored as I had written it prior to them reducing my limit. They refused to honor it and returned the check. (costing me fees) Their reason? Because I didn't have a Dunn & Bradstreet number. I've requested a number from Dunn & Bradstreet and have never received one. Yet remember that my line of credit was secured off of my personal credit, not my business credit worthiness.

This matter has had a severely negative impact on my credit score. By reducing the credit limits, it looks as though I was maxed out on my available credit which causes your score to drop dramatically. Not only has it limited my credit line with American Express but has caused me to be declined by others because of the negative impact on my credit.

Not only is this False and deceptive advertising and “bait and switch”, this is an unethical practice and I feel American Express should be made to honor their agreements. Especially with regard to the fact that they charge exorbitant membership fees for the “privilege” and then renege on the original offers.

I would like my original terms restored immediately and the information corrected with all credit bureaus. I have attached my most recent statement that shows on page 1 the new "pre set line". This was not on any prior statements but completely contradicts their advertising. Why would a company focused on customer service treat their best customers this way?

Replies
Amazingly Bad Customer Service
By -

In September 2007, I notified American Express that I was defrauded by a counterfeit sales organization known as "€œE Profits Seminar"€. I asked that an investigation be made and to withhold payment until this inquiry could be concluded.

Your investigation; woefully inadequate and poorly executed was in a word: laughable. This inquiry consisted of a letter to **, the principal of the firm. This mode of inquiry was so incredibly sycophantic I am surprised you were able to pry your nose out of the company'€™s backside.

Had you not been kissing this company's ** so thoroughly, perhaps you might have contacted the Utah Better Business Bureau, searched public records or possibly even Googled them. However, if you had actually performed the job that I have been paying you to (via my exorbitant membership fees) you might have stumbled upon the ongoing, widely reported, blatantly obvious serial fraud this company has been perpetrating throughout the United States.

The company has been trading under the following aliases: Online 2 Income, Global Marketing Alliance, WP Coaching, Unim Business Development and my favorite: E Profits Seminars. I have been a loyal American Express Platinum Card member for a number of years clearly larger than your IQ point totals can calculate.€“ So let me put this to you simply: Customer service dates back to the Bible (or the Koran, or the Talmud) "€œTreat Others As You Would Like To Be Treated"€. This is also known as "The Golden Rule". Please read up about it€“ as you obviously have never heard of it.

I know your marketing department cooked up that genius idea that you propagate in your advertisements that you stand behind your customers and always rectify any problems. This is also known as misrepresentation. You should look that up too,€“ as you will see that word in a great number of lawsuits that are in no doubt headed your way.

Let me state for the record,€“ I received NOTHING from E Profits Seminars. NOTHING. NADA. NIET. ZERO. ZILCH. I was charged (and you authorized payment for) $1995. For nothing. I didn'€™t get ANYTHING. And you paid them. Thanks for nothing, bozos.

You even (ILLEGALLY aka WITHOUT MY CONSENT) took credited funds from my account and paid these charlatans. This was AFTER I informed you that I was seeking a legal injunction against this company. I have now involved The Utah Better Business Bureau, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Utah Bureau of Investigation, and local law enforcement in an effort to rectify this injustice done to me.

I want an IMMEDIATE refund of the $1995. Seeing as I closed my American Express Platinum Card you will be unable to credit this amount to my account, however I will accept this in American Express travelers'€™ checks, a cashiers'€™ check, money order, or even cash.€“ I do not trust you so do not send me a personal check.

I hope you enjoy the over 10,000 credit points you usurped from my account, that was an especially nice touch. Much like a kindergartner in a sand box wrenching toys out of the smaller kids' hands.€“ You stay classy, Amex. Lastly, let me advise you to pull those mendacious ads we discussed earlier. As my mother said: "€œLiars never win€." I hope you rot in H***, you thieving **. I'€™ll be the 66 year old Granny throwing apple cores at your head as the hungry swine circle your inflated heads. Happy Holidays!

Replies
Account Verification Nightmare
By -

ARCADIA, CALIFORNIA -- A few weeks ago I applied for and received an American Express Corporate Platinum card for myself, and my three adult children whom manage and operate both of my businesses. About two weeks after activating the account, I received a call from American Express Financial Review.

The woman I spoke with informed me there was a problem in regards to the identity of my business, and I must submit documents/verification or the account would be canceled. They also said that if my card were canceled it would go on my personal credit record. All this is just a simple procedure,and can take up to 7 days to review. In the meantime, I my account is on hold and I cannot use this account.

I realize identity theft is an issue these days,and was more than willing to cooperate. After all, this was for my protection,right? I faxed over what they requested a couple of days later... I then received another phone call from this woman, who said she received the fax. She then began to ask me if I was calling from my business. I said, "No, this is a cellphone." "Well, why are you using a cell phone?" she asked.. and why when she called my business, nobody answered?

I was slightly appalled at this questioning, yet let her know this cell phone was listed on the original application, and my business, a tea house, did not open until 11:00 am, nobody would pickup the telephone until then (it was around 10:30am.) I also let her know she was more than welcome to call me at my home phone number, the same number I have used for over 18 years. She said she would call me back, which she did at my home number.

As I had satisfied her request regarding my business, she then started a line of questioning about my identity. I would now need to fax over (not mail) documents to confirm my personal identity. I asked her, "If American Express had all these questions about my identity and about if I actually had a business,etc, then why did they send me a pre-approved offer, in my name/business name?" Nevertheless, I made a copy of my Driver's license, social security card, last month's bank statement, a recent invoice from my business, current months cable bill, electric bill, car insurance,registration..

Three days later, this woman called back, and said now I would have to go to my bank, and fax over to them a notarized (by the bank) statement regarding my account. Now I have had enough of this, I believe I had given more than enough documentation proving I was who I am, and my patience was wearing thin. Why should I have to furnish a Bank notarized letter with my personal banking history to this so-called company? Couldn't you just call the bank or find it on your computers or such? No. Can't I just go to an American Express office and sort out this mess? No.

Well my friend, I pretty much had it with American Express, and I told the woman I provided more than enough proof regarding my business, myself, and I have never been put through the wringer like this by any bank, credit card, anyone.. ever. I no longer wish to be your customer, and I simply want to close my account, this should settle this. This woman then let me know I COULD NOT CLOSE my account! I had until the 16th to provide this information, or American Express would cancel the account themselves.

Now I have never heard of one not being able to cancel a credit card account at any time (just as the card company has this right also.) I asked to speak to her supervisor, which she simply said "My supervisor will tell you the same thing" and she refused to transfer me. Upon my calling her back, just as I was letting her know I -planned on filing a complaint with the service I received from this Company, she hung up on me.

Now in all my years, I have never thought that a well known corporation would dare to mistreat a customer in this manner, but American Express has opened my eyes a little. They did go ahead and cancel my account as they threatened to do, and I intended to file numerous complaints with anybody who I can regarding this so-called Company's business antics.

How dare American Express be allowed to do this to honest, hardworking customers? I still don't feel this so-called company has any right to keep harassing me for more and more documentation, after I repeatedly satisfied their requests. This is outrageous behavior. Now I am just an old man, but for however much longer I have on this Earth, I will be sure to warn others of what I was put through by American Express. I am 56 years old, and my blood pressure has skyrocketed throughout this all. A lot of sleepless nights thinking about all this.

Replies
American Express Grossly Mistreating Customers
By -

I have had an account with American Express for 6 or 7 years. I switched out of other credit cards to join the Starwood Preferred card, as the benefits were advantageous to my traveling and hotel use. Just before Thanksgiving I made a large payment to Am EX, $15,000.00. I am not late with payments, and I always pay more than the minimum, but I use the card to get my Starwood points...That's why it was designed that way right?
Anyway, within days of making the $15,000.payment, my credit was reduced to just over what I still owed. They left me about $600. worth of credit to play with.

I was out of town at the time and staying in a hotel w/a rental car. The timing wasn't good and customer service at AM EX was at a abysmal. When I called to ask what was going on, I got a complete runaround, was told that my credit had had a significant change and that I had to address it and get back to them. I was on the phone with my 4th service agent by the time this info came down the pipe, and was looking at my credit report as she spoke to me.

Well there were no changes, and my rating of 750 seemed to be completely lost on all of the people I spoke with. I asked if I could email the report, and was told no, that I would have to fax it. It is a 17 page report, and even then, despite what my eyes were telling me, they acted as if there were something that they knew about me that I didn't know. As if I had some huge black mark against me, and only their computer was showing it.

So I faxed the report, but not after having lost an entire day on the phone and trying to research what the hell they were talking about. I did manage to speak with a supervisor, who suggested that I take some money and pay down my remaining balance in order to access any further credit. That's helpful, when you are out of town. Essentially, this company left me high and dry, out of state, and was extremely flippant and unconcerned about my situation.

A month after I faxed that credit report I called, as I had not heard back. I was then informed that their faxes only take 4 pages, and that they never received the info because the machine shut off after the 4th page. Nobody bothered to follow up with me, and considering I had called at least 6 times on the day of my credit reduction, I was shocked at their ambivalence.

I now only use my card if there is an emergency, and last week paid off an additional $21,000. My balance on this card is now $1,700 and I got a call last night from AM EX...guess what? My new credit line with them is $1,900.
I went from having close to a $50,000.00 limit, to 1900 and I bet if I pay another $50, my line of credit will go down another $50. This was my work card, my husband had a card on this account and I have never missed a payment. I was late once, 3 years ago, when my father died. They don't care. This company is saving its credit for the $$$ it's going to need to pay top executives when they threaten to go work at AIG. It is THAT kind of operation.

Replies
Advertisement
AMEX SUX
By -

DALLAS, TX, NEW YORK -- October 8, 2008. I cannot begin to express the unbelievably poor service I have received from American Express in the past month. I have been a card holder for 14 plus years and the actions taken by American Express are reprehensible. My Platinum card has been shut off without warning, my credit lines reduced to almost nothing, not to mention rude and unhelpful representatives, etc.

In early September AMEX reduced my credit lines due to an inaccuracy on my credit report, which by the way had been on the report since September 2007 and in dispute. I have worked feverishly to have the inaccuracy removed, which it was on September 5, 2008. When I explained to one of the AMEX agents that the derogatory information had been removed, the agent I spoke with accessed my credit while I was on hold. When she returned to the phone she conveyed to me that the inaccurate credit information was no longer there and she would restore my credit lines to the original amounts, which took two (2) weeks and more phone calls.

My next problem came when I tried to use my Platinum Card for a purchase and the charge was declined. I contacted AMEX and they advise me that until my balance was reduced, no further charges would be accepted. We have had balances in excess of $90,000 or more with not one complaint from AMEX ever. In early October 2008 our outstanding balance on our Platinum Card was $66,000. I immediately made two (2) payments totalling $15,000. I then spoke with another agent at which time she reinstated my charging privileges.

On October 6th and 7th, 2008 another two payments totalling $25,000 were made, which reduced the total amount owed to approximately $20,000 which is what AMEX has requested we do. I accessed our account online on the evening of October 7th to check if the payments had posted. I was shocked to see that there was a foot note “$564 available credit” at which point I called AMEX again for the 20th time. I spoke with a very condescending woman named ** in Canada (employee # **). She informed me that there was derogatory information on my credit report and that our spending limit had been reduced to $20,900 on a card with no pre-set spending limit.

I requested several times that she either read the previous notes and/or access my credit report and that she would find no such information existed, she refused to do so. She explained that the account would be reviewed again in 90 days which I told her was unacceptable! The above employee was so unaccommodating that as the conversation went on and on and I grew increasingly upset (understatement)! I explained to her, if this is the way AMEX treats 14 plus year perfect customers I was not interested in continuing my relationship with AMEX.

Much to my surprise when I logged onto my account via the internet, I found that all my accounts have been closed. Further calls to AMEX on October 8th for an explanation yielded nothing, no managers available, etc.. I am so thoroughly disgusted in the way I have been treated. In the last month, I have spent in excess of 10 hours on the phone discussing all the above. I have never missed or even been late on a payment that I can remember in 14 years and my credit score is 773.

After spending over $2,000,000 or more since 1995, and all of the interest and card fees I have paid, I would expect much, much better treatment than I have received. What am I to think of American Express, I thought I would always be treated fair and my long tenure with AMEX would be appreciated? I was wrong!

Update, Nov. 12, 2008! On Monday November 10th I called AMEX headquarters in NY and spoke to the VP of credit, all four (4) cards have been reinstated, which I was told could not be done. Also, once my Platinum account was reinstated, I used the 1,100,000 Reward points in my account ($5,500) to pay the account down even further. Who knows if Membership Rewards will even be around in a few months, and if it is, your points may be worth even less or nothing!

I now owe AMEX less than $15k and yet my available credit on my Platinum card is still $20,900. We will have AMEX paid in full by late Nov. or mid Dec. We added up all payments from November 07 to November 08, the total was $227,200 (just AMEX Platinum). For the time being, we will not be using any of our AMEX cards for anything (we owe $900 on Optima, 0 on AMEX Blue, and $4000 on my business card). This means, no interest (14.99%) for them and no merchant fees to collect! Please tell me if AMEX is full of BS or not!

Replies
Be Careful Platinum Customers... Cards Not Working All Over Town....
By -

CHICAGOLAND SUBURBS, ILLINOIS -- Just for your information our credit rating 785. Almost perfect. We load this card with everything, including quarterly taxes. We have 25 years of paying every month the total amount due. We have always paid our account on the same day for 25 years. The final day of the 5 day grace period after the due date. We have paid our accounts the same way for 25 years. It's when we get paid and American Express has always said, "No problem. We love your business."

For some reason something has changed in the last month. We did have a high balance which is the same balance we have every quarter. But this year we started getting calls from them. Every day right after the bill was sent. The first calls were cordial and as the due date on the account arrived they became increasingly increasingly aggressive and nasty.

We were not late but they were treating us like we had been late for 6 months or so. Apparently, the grace period will not be allowed anymore and we need to call to get our account billing cycle changed. But we have been busy and would do this after we paid this bill. This simple change has put us into a late cycle. What they should have done was call us make us aware of the situation, give us a month to adjust our payment cycle and then they would have a happy customer.

Instead twenty days before the payment was due they have called me every day. Calls were at first cordial and then turned mean and rogue closer to the payment due date. I am being called before my billing date is due. It makes you feel like you are late and yet you are not. I told them that we will pay them on time, like we have for 25 years. "Please stop harassing us."

At the same time halfway through the month my accounts were frozen. Charges were denied in embarrassing situations. The clerks told me that they expect the AX cards to not go through anymore. That all over town they were getting denied. At gas stations and grocery stores. We have all gotten used to using them for everything. So apparently we are not alone.

I googled the financials. Apparently AX has lost 25% of their net worth( WSJ-IBD). They made a flat statement that they were cracking down and lowering limits on certain card holders. I guess we are the certain customers.

Today I paid my accounts off like I always do. However, I am scared to use them again. I have other options and cash can always been used. I just got an announcement that the buy one-get companion ticket free option is canceled. So now they are the same as the Citibank Platinum American Airlines card. We will switch. If this can happen to customers like us.. it can happen to you. It's a shame-they gave us no credit for all those years for paying as agreed. A1 credit. Don't assume anything anymore. Pay in cash it is always cheaper.

Replies
Shelly from the New Delhi, India office was Excellent.
StarStarStarStarStarBy -
Rating: 5/51

NEW YORK, NEW YORK -- She gave me Top Class, First Rated Platinum American Express Customer Service who listened and understood all of my needs and was able to address them and take care of them in a timely and comfortable manner. I more than highly commend and recommend Shelly to any American Express cardholder seeking out Outstanding Customer Service! Thank you.

Replies
Credit Line Decrease - Amercian Express Platinum Credit Card
By -

Last week I received a letter from American Express saying that my credit line had been decreased from $7,000 to $6,300. I have never even heard of such a thing and I am still in shock. I've had the card for over 2 years and have never paid my bill late. About 75% of the time I pay MORE than the minimum payment; and when I can I pay off the entire balance. The first "reason" American Express gave for the credit line decrease was that I recently had a "high utilization" of my other credit cards (which I have been using recently to pay for my own health insurance and other bills after the place I worked for the last 5 years closed down in February.)

I'm writing this so that others know that if they run up high balances on other credit cards even for a short period of time (and even when you're paying all bills on time!) they may find their line of credit decreased by American Express.

The second reason given for the credit line decrease was that my credit card balances "have exceeded [my] demonstrated ability to pay." None of the FOUR American Express staff members I spoke with on the phone thought that THE FACT THAT I HAD PAID MY BILL ON TIME EVERY SINGLE TIME (and most of the time pay MORE than the minimum amount) DEMONSTRATED MY ABILITY TO PAY. No I'm not kidding.

The people I spoke with at American Express were awful. They all repeated the same unhelpful garbage (you can ask for an increase in 6 months, etc.) and were very reluctant to transfer me to supervisors. They also lied to me ("there's only one supervisor on duty so you might be on hold for a while" then by the same person "well I don't know which supervisor you'll be talking to"), etc. etc. I was also disconnected twice.

I am looking forward to the day that I can pay off this card and close it permanently. I'm never going to use an "American" Express card again in my life. I can't believe how they treated me. It might have been different if someone had called and asked me some questions about high balances on other cards, my current financial situation, etc. if they were so concerned. But to do something in such a disrespectful way with no notice at all is terrible customer service. Please tell everyone you know how American Express treats good customers. Thanks.

Replies
Advertisement
Accepted By The Office Shredder Everywhere
By -

WAYCROSS, GEORGIA -- I had an American Express card for 7 years-never missed a payment, never late. I decided to take my wife's family to a fancy restaurant in Savannah. I filled up the car at the gas station and the card was accepted. On we went to our meal. In the two hours it took us to get to Savannah, get seated, enjoy our meal, and get the bill Amex put a freeze on my card. There are, of course, other means of paying for a meal and I assumed that this was just some mistake.

I spent the next two days calling the Amex "help line." After being repeatedly told that "I'm sorry but our computers are down so we can't tell you what is happening with your account" I finally got through to **. Every American knows **. He's that guy in Bombay who speaks pigeon English. ** informed me that "very sorry, but we have found bad debt on your record." ** couldn't tell me who claimed I owed them money (in fact, to this day, American Express hasn't been able to tell me who is making this claim) but helpfully suggested that he could unfreeze the card to pay this debt, whatever it was, in whatever amount, and to whomever was claiming it.

I told American Express to cancel my card immediately and paid them their balance. About a week later I received a letter from Amex saying that my credit with them had been reduced to $5,000.00. Really? My balance at the time of the cancellation was about $3,000.00, so why the immediate freeze? Their letter followed their card into the shredder.

A few more days later Amex sent me a new card which excitedly proclaimed "Activate your new card immediately! We'll put the $150.00 activation charge on your account!" Let's see first, what makes Amex think that unilaterally freezing my account with no warning might be a way to inspire me to continue doing business with them? Second, since they froze my account, how can I charge $150.00 on it? Wouldn't that somehow cause me to go over their cap? Third, when the hell did Amex come to believe it was empowered to collect debts for third parties that it couldn't even identify to their customer?

Do they really think that someone is going to pay a $150.00 activation feel for the privilege of carrying a multi-colored ice scraper? Yep, American Express-accepted by office shredders everywhere. For everything else there's Master Card.

Replies
American Express - Bad Attitude and Miserable Customer Service
By -

EL PASO, TX, TEXAS -- I've been a champion of American Express cards since I'd opened my first business accounts in the 80's, recommending them to all of my business clients and associates. I'm a small business entrepreneur and have started, owned and operated 11 businesses since my first in the 70's.

I used to love the services available on my several platinum accounts for travel, concierge and other benefits and took full advantage of these... Now as I'm approaching retirement, American Express has taken on a darker and even abusive face... If they were a person, I'm sure they'd be taken to court many times each day for abusing their "children". In short, a company that I've supported in all of my retail stores, and in all of my internet businesses, has chosen to ignore my near perfect payment history, and has restricted my charging, and started to make amazingly hostile phone calls to my home when an account was one day past due.

I'd scheduled automatic payments to occur for each account on the due dates earlier in the month, and apparently something happened to their online system and it lost these instructions hence a missed payment?? Anyway, this rant has been building over the past 5 or even 10 years since something changed in the attitude and policy at American Express resulting in this mistreatment of their good long term business customers... I for one will now speak out against this terrible turn in their attitude...

Replies
Top of Page | Next Page >

American Express Platinum Cards Rating:
Star Star Star Star Star
5.0 out of 5, based on 1 ratings and
22 reviews & complaints.
Contact Information:
American Express
World Financial Center, 200 Vesey Street
New York, NY 10285
212-640-2000 (ph)
212-619-9802 (fax)
www.americanexpress.com
Product/Services
Compare Banks