American Express Consumer Reviews - Page 4

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND -- My company decided to give Amex gift cards to employees as a year-end thank you. I tried to use my card at a major retailer's website. The card was denied. I called the retailer and told her I was having issues and she said that she also could not verify the card. She asked if this was a gift card or actual credit card and I told her a gift card. She tried to process payment both ways - both failed.

I called Amex's 800 on the back of the card and after entering the gift card number a recording told me I had $200 available. The next day I tried the online sale again and it failed again. I called Amex again and after hitting a bunch of numbers on the phone I was finally transferred to a human. The guy said I had to register the card first before using it for online retailers. Neither the Amex website or information that comes with the card says this.

He also told me that a sale was pending on the card (the failed sale). I told the representative that the sale never was processed by the retailer. He told me to call the retailer and tell them the card was working and that Amex has approved the amount. I explained that I didn't have an order number to reference because there was no sale. He said in 8-10 business days the amount that has been reserved for the failed sale would be re-credited back to the card.

I asked for a supervisor because I felt this was ludicrous since there was no sale and the supervisor said, "I apologize for any inconvenience but there's nothing we can do; you'll have to wait for the 8-10 business days even though there was no sale because we have reserved the funds for that sale...” So I repeated, “You're holding funds for a sale that never took place?” And he "Joy" his name was Joy, said yes that's our policy...epic fail on American Express' part. They are a horrid company with laughable customer service.

EVERYWHERE, ALABAMA -- I am requesting your assistance with a matter that has apparently developed from new credit regulations resulting from the 2008/2009 credit crisis. American Express has unnecessarily and inappropriately lowered my line of credit (LOC). This has caused a lowering of my debt to credit ratio and decreased my credit score as a result. If this is not illegal, it should be.

Unless a person has exhibited a problem with their ability to pay the bill. ie, not paying bill or habitually paying bill late then they should NOT be able to lower your LOC based on some "hunch" that you are no longer able to maintain this LOC. American Express hides behind so called changes in laws and regulations as a result of the 2008/2009 credit meltdown and refuses to reinstate former LOC.

I'm sure it was not the intention of these laws to damage a persons credit, especially someone like myself who has a credit file since the mid 70's with no late payments to American express and only two late payments ever and those were due to the bank dropping the ball with electronic payments and not making the payment, not because I couldn't or didn't make the payment.

As soon as I discovered this issue, I immediately corrected it. I have also tried to get that removed from my credit file without success. What can you do to get laws passed that make this practice illegal AND penalize the company and pay the consumer punitive damages?

I want to see some fast action on this! If this has happened to you, won't you join with me and other consumers with this problem and complain long and loud to the legislatures in your area and get these laws repelled and replaced with strong consumer advocacy laws and regulations.

EVERYWHERE, ALABAMA -- I am requesting your assistance with a matter that has apparently developed from new credit regulations resulting from the 2008/2009 credit crisis. American Express has unnecessarily and inappropriately lowered my line of credit (LOC). This has caused a lowering of my debt to credit ratio and decreased my credit score as a result. If this is not illegal, it should be.

Unless a person has exhibited a problem with their ability to pay the bill. ie, not paying bill or habitually paying bill late then they should NOT be able to lower your LOC based on some "hunch" that you are no longer able to maintain this LOC. American Express hides behind so called changes in laws and regulations as a result of the 2008/2009 credit meltdown and refuses to reinstate former LOC.

I'm sure it was not the intention of these laws to damage a persons credit, especially someone like myself who has a credit file since the mid 70's with no late payments to American express and only two late payments ever and those were due to the bank dropping the ball with electronic payments and not making the payment, not because I couldn't or didn't make the payment.

As soon as I discovered this issue, I immediately corrected it. I have also tried to get that removed from my credit file without success. What can you do to get laws passed that make this practice illegal AND penalize the company and pay the consumer punitive damages?

I want to see some fast action on this! If this has happened to you, won't you join with me and other consumers with this problem and complain long and loud to the legislatures in your area and get these laws repelled and replaced with strong consumer advocacy laws and regulations.

TEXAS -- I have been an American Express cardholder since 2009. Tonight, I went to pay my bill and I checked my statement. Late charges and finance charges were included for paying one day late for a total of over $40.00. I always pay my balance in full. I called customer service and said, "I am calling to see if the charges can be reversed as a courtesy due to being a long standing customers, my payments are rarely late, and I pay in full."

I get put on hold. The customer service representative comes back on and tells me, "sorry, you had a late payment in June 2011." It's February 2012, folks. I cancelled the card. I guess they don't need my business. Hope it was worth the $40.00 to them to lose my business. And, also have me share my experience with them on the internet for all to see.

Note to All Credit Card Companies: if a customer takes the time to call you to reverse late charges, they pay in full, they haven't had a late payment in over EIGHT months, if you want to keep their business and not have them think ill of you for the rest of their natural born days, I recommend you give them the benefit of the doubt and reverse their charges. Especially in these times, when companies aren't giving raises, Americans haven't seen an increase in disposable income in five years, and the cost of living is skyrocketing. Are you kidding me?!

Don't go with American Express. There are other credit card companies out there who want your business and will treat you as a valued customer. **** There is a note on this page saying American Express might try to contact me to resolve my issue. Don't bother. I am not interested.

I've been an Amex customer for over 15 years and spend about $70,000 a year on a personal card. My bill gets paid on time every month. I recently booked a 3 night stay at Treasure Island Resort. The Amex reservation clearly stated that I would receive a $50 credit that could be used to pay a number of hotel charges, including TI's Resort Fee. Unfortunately, the hotel would not honor the credit for Resort Fees. Amex admitted that they made the offer before the dates authorized by TI. No big deal right? Amex should simply issue me, a great long term customer, a $50 credit. Well, that's not right. I spent 30 minutes on my original phone call to customer service.

They couldn't issue the credit because the charge hadn't posted yet. They said I would have to email the request in later, which I did. Bill comes, no credit. So I call customer service again. They won't issue the credit, even though there are notes all over the account that say it is owed to me, and my bill reflects that I incurred the charge. They wanted me to make physical copies of the hotel bill and Amex reservation (which ironically they sent to me) and physically mail them in to their corporate office. Finally, I spoke with a supervisor that told me, "think if 50,000 Amex customers requested credits of $50 with no verification or paperwork." Are they kidding?

This is the first of this sort of credit I've ever requested. I spend a ton of money on their cards, each purchase generating merchant revenue for Amex. The original customer service representative actually spoke to the supervisor at TI and confirmed that they were not honoring the credit and that I would be charged. The charge appeared on my bill. And somehow they need more documentation as if there is some remote chance that I'm pulling a scam for $50 on a $70,000 a year account. Finally, when the supervisor realized he was a bit outmatched in the debate, he agreed to issue the credit. All that ** for a simple $50 credit. It's amazing they still have any customers.

American Express travel agents don't know what they are doing. Don't air transit through China, in fact don't fly in China at all. Had a horrible experience trying to get from Osaka to Cairo. American Express routed me through Beijing. China has not figured out "transit."€ First you can'€™t book your luggage straight through. You need to pick it up in Beijing. The really is not concept of transit, no box to check on the immigration form. Yes you have to go through immigration and out, not once but twice. We had a stop in Quandong first. They did not have a procedure for any of this. I finally got a Visa, was paraded around the airport and got back on the plane.

In and out of immigration, customs, security. Then Beijing the same thing, push getting my luggage through customs. No transit desk still. I stumbled around and found people at Korean Air who were so helpful and told me I had to go to another terminal. That was twenty minutes on a bus not build for luggage. Arrived at the second terminal but still no transit desk. Finally found Egypt Air with a sigh of relief. Another round of immigration, health checkpoint, security, customs out. China Eastern Airline needs its own comment. Awful. Terrible food, no mileage, homophobic and other offensive TV. Nowhere were we told we had a stop between Osaka and Beijing till we checked in.

And again the stop was on and off the plane, in and out of immigration, customs, health checkpoint, security, with no assistance on how to navigate this. I felt very sorry for the staff who tried to help, but they spoke no English that helped. The people were very polite. I am a pretty seasoned travel and have a low bar having traveled so much in Africa but China is the worst. With the glare of the Beijing Olympics behind us we can see China is still totalitarian and does not want to change. Google got it right. Japan is a traveler dream, even if no one speaks English. China is not.

The worst of it all was that American Express is supposed to route you conveniently and efficient. A collage on this trip traveled directly from Osaka to Cairo on Egypt Air, the same days, two hours earlier. It cost less and would not have created the horrible experience. They had seats. American Express does a bad job. They don't really have any skill or knowledge. You might as well do it yourself. They are no travel agents, but button pushers. Yuk

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH -- Before I start this post you might want to read my previous review titled "AMEX Knows How To Cover Their Asses - Traveler's Checks". If you read that review you can see I have encountered some problems (buck passing). At first I tried to file a complaint against AMEX with the Attorney General for the State of Utah. The attorney general dismissed the complaining because I am not a Utah resident.

I then filed a complaint against AMEX with the attorney general for the state of New York where I am a resident. The attorney general said we can only resolve disputes if both parties wish to do so voluntarily. This is a joke. If both parties were able to resolve the dispute voluntarily one party wouldn't have to file a complaint with the Office of the Attorney General.

The attorney general for Utah said to me that I should file my complaint against AMEX with the FTC (Federal Trade Commission). The FTC told me that they only handle class action lawsuits and not suits involving individuals. They said the proper place for me to go to would be the OTS (Office of Thrift Supervision). When I went to the OTS the OTS said AMEX is a bank and that I should go to the FDIC. Then when I went to the FDIC they said that AMEX is not a bank and I should go back to the FTC. Then the FTC sent me back to the OTS. The OTS sent me back to the FDIC and the FDIC sent me to the FTC.

So I got rather frustrated. On this site a few weeks ago someone suggested that I should contact the OCC (Office of the Comptroller of the Currency). I contacted the OCC and they said the FDIC or the OTS were the proper agencies for me to file my complaint with. Once again passing the buck. So, as you can see I am getting a big runaround. Does anyone have any suggestions on how this buck passing can be stopped? One idea I thought of is that I could try to contact the Secretary of the Treasury. I haven't tried that yet. Anybody have any other ideas?

INDIANA -- I've read so many of the other complaints against American Express - now I'm ready to add my 3 cents (literally). Towards the end of last year I received a letter from AX advising me that they lowered my available credit. I was furious to say the least, so I pick up the phone and call them. They put me in touch with the RLA Department. To say the least they were worthless. I told them I had never been late on one single payment ever. She said they can only go back one year and she can see I was making my payments on time each month. Great then what's the problem. She advised me that I had delinquency on my credit report.

After a few unprofessional words, I advised this moron that I have NEVER been late on a debt ever. I pay to view my credit report each year. So, I asked the question. If I pay $2k to this card today, will you take that available spending away from me, and she informed me that she could not tell me if they would or wouldn't. Well, I kept making my normal monthly payments and guess what, three months later they reduced my credit again. Go figure. So, here I am talking to the morons again. Advising them they are killing my credit by not giving me available credit. I've also noticed they have been making inquiries on my credit each month not every 90 days.

They advised me I signed a contract giving them permission. OK great but each month? So in the letter I received it said I had delinquency (again my credit is perfect), that my credit score was not sufficient (again because of them lower my availability), the number or inquiries made on my credit - I have not applied for credit in more than two years (they are one's who keep inquiring). I was going to just cancel the card yesterday, however, one representative named Joe noticed I had some points and should cash them in. So, I did do that. Glad I did after reading other reviews that they take them away.

I'm done with AX. I will pay off my other credit cards and transfer however, AX you will get your monthly payment as usual. Go ahead keep reducing my credit. I really don't give a rats behind anymore. P.S. when I mail in my payment make sure you read the nice notes I write on them each month. It is just me expressing my thoughts. P.S.S. I don't think this company is worthy of having the name American in it. Because they are definitely not doing things the American way. Boo to you.

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO -- Clearly understand upfront: I would never, and have never done business with American Express. The choice not to do so is based on my years of experience in financial institutions as a loan officer. Recently, American Express persists in leaving recorded messages on my home land line to call them, (3 so far). I know from professional experience that these are collections oriented calls. Understand that I know with certainty that I do not now, nor have I ever had, an American Express account of any kind, in any setting.

I call them back and never get a person, only a recording. I have left messages twice (when prompted) clearly instructing them to remove my name and # from their list and "never" call my number again. It is my understanding that this is sufficient legal notice for them not to call again, however I'm going to double check on that. I am taking other measures as well. Inevitably the next day there is the message again. This morning the phone rang again with their recorded message. I tried once more and had been on hold for over 20 minutes before I gave up.

After I am done posting this, I am sending a cease and desist letter my attorney has helped me to draft, along with copies to my State Atty. General and the Federal Trade Commission. I can't understand why they don't spend the time to remove my name upon the first or at least second request. They made a mistake and I don't feel it is my place to fix it for them, as well as take my precious time to do it. On top of that there is the sheer frustration of wrongfully being labeled as a deadbeat in their data base.

My imagining of how long that will take to clear is cause for stress as well. My experiences with large institutions is that they are very inefficient when it comes to managing and eliminating such wrongful information. If I called American Express and harassed them without cause would they have legal recourse to make me stop? Of course! Americans should not have to go through this just because companies like American Express don't have to care.

I'm sure there is some well meaning and very nice person who is responsible for these calls coming to my home. I just hope they can get a handle this soon. I don't want them to have any information about me. PERIOD! Nice, understanding people those collectors! But I jest.

PHOENIX, MARYLAND -- My husband and I received many gift cards as wedding gifts (we were married in Oct 06) and Christmas gifts. We received Visa and American Express gift cards. Those who gave us American Express gift cards also attached the receipt that stated "activated" on it. Also printed on the receipt was the date and time of purchase and the last 4 digits of the purchasers credit card number (if a credit card was used). To make a long story short, we tried using the last 2 American Express cards we had in June of 07. They both came up denied. I was quite surprised because I knew they both had $50.00 on them.

When I called American Express about the problem, a customer service person asked me if I had the receipt and I said "no" because the receipt stated it was activated so I did not keep it. She then told me that I needed to take it back to the store where it was purchased to have it reactivated. I told her I didn't even know who gave it to me let alone where it was purchased. I explained that it was a gift among many gift cards received in "06". She basically told me that I was out of luck. There was nothing she could do. I asked to speak to her supervisor and she informed me that the supervisor would tell me the same thing.

Well, the supervisor and I had words and I ended up hanging up on her because her nonchalant attitude infuriated me so bad. I wrote a letter to American Express in June explaining my problem and asking for replacement gift cards for the two I cannot use. I also informed them that nowhere on the gift card or the receipt or the American Express gift card website does it warn the consumer that although the receipt says "activated" the gift card may not really be activated.

I never received a response from American Express so I sent another letter (certified mail this time). I want to be sure they receive my letter so I can move on to other means of help if I don't hear from them again. I find it very hard to believe that in this computerized day and age that American Express doesn't have access to information on cards sold and the denominations of those cards. What a scam American Express has going on with these gift cards. I'd love to know how much money they have made from this.