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Extremely Unhappy Victim Of Credit Limit Slashing!
By -

VOORHEES, NEW JERSEY -- I have been an American Express card holder since the year 2000 and I have worked extremely hard to build the credit that I had. I currently have three credit card accounts with American Express. On my BLUE credit card between 10/17/08 and 11/18/08 statements my credit line was reduced from $48,000 to $40,000 (17%, within $750 of my balance). During the same time period they imposed a $1,700 credit limit on my ONE credit card which always had been unlimited.

I had charged and paid each month more than $2,000 consistently for years on that card and now I had to scramble to move automatic payments, I had several charges declined after the limit was set and was left with egg on my face.

After calling customer service several times they said this was due to a credit review and there was nothing that could be done about it. On 4/2/09 I was notified that my BLUE credit line was reduced from $40,000 to $9,600 (76%, within $200 of my balance). After calling customer service and speaking with a manager they said this was due to a high debt/credit ratio and there was nothing that could be done about it. I have never made a late payment and I typically pay much higher than the minimum payment.

At a minimum this is horrible customer service and at a maximum they have severely impacted my credit rating by increasing my debt/credit ratio. My debt/credit ratio has not changed dramatically in over a year and my credit score is over 700, what they are doing is completely arbitrary. I would not be surprised if they lower my limit again in the near future as they are now creating a self-fulfilled prophecy by manipulating my credit.

From the research I have done there are hundreds if not thousands of customers being affected in the same way and I am looking for a class action lawsuit to join if this can not be resolved immediately. I am so unhappy that I want to immediately cancel all of my credit accounts with American Express, the only reason I have not is it will hurt my credit scores even more. Please help!

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American Express Just Decreased My Credit Limit
By -

HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIFORNIA -- I have been an American Express customer for 4 years now and I have never been late or not paid my bill. I have a limit rather I had a limit of $5000 and I have been leaning on it the last 6 months for gas and other things since my work hasn't given out raises in three years due to the recession. I have a credit score of 736 and have no delinquent or derogatory items on it. I have a total of $6700 in revolving credit and I am paying it down as fast as I can.

I just made a $1000 payment to my blue card last month and they reduced my limit to $3900 which leaves me with an available balance of $130. This is the third time they have reduced my limit from the $5000 I opened it with and I have had to threaten to close my account to get them to put it back to what it was when I opened it.

I was told by their customer service that after reviewing my credit I have too much debit and they reduced my limit because of that fact. I have never made any payments late on any of my car loans, personal loans, or credit cards and don't have anything negative on my credit.

I am completely disgusted with American Express for this and I am going to open a new account with another credit card company and transfer my balance and close my account even if it adversely affects my credit. I am tired of American Express punishing their good customers for no reason at all except they decided that I am over my extended which I am not.

I just am paying it down slowly so I always have cash on hand for emergencies. I see this as a trend for all of their customers over the last 5 months. I hope they lose a lot of customers because of this practice and I hope that our government doesn't give them a dime of bailout money. I am just disgusted by them and I will be closing my account ASAP.

They charge merchants the highest fees out of all credit card companies for transactions and treat their customers like crap. I am done with them and I hope that everyone else who has an account with them does the same as it will happen to you too. Good luck to all of you and I hope that you don' have the same experience with American Express that I have been having. They are just terrible. Shame on you American Express.

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Amex Ruins My Credit Score
By -

I have been a so-called Amex Card member since 1995. Back in those days Amex had the best customer service. When I was in college I opened a Blue account and I was given a credit line for $9200, since my credit score was excellent. That was in 1997.

I used my card to pay for college expenses, I have not been late once and always paid more than the minimum amount. Now every time I have more than $500 available credit American Express will reduce my credit limit to the total amount owed so that my card looks maxed out. This is affecting my credit score dramatically because it is in good part based on how much credit available you have.

I tried to explain this to customer service and even to a manager who, in few words, told me it really wasn't any of their problem and thank you for being a loyal card member for 13 years (I even had a Platinum card at a time, which I closed since I had little use for it and it was wasteful to pay $400/year just to have it). I sent a letter in April 2008 explaining what they were doing to my credit score and never got a reply. Meanwhile I kept making my payment and since last March I accumulated again another $600 available credit to find out, today, that they have reduced my limit again so my card, once again, looks maxed out in my credit report (this is the 4th time they do it).

Why are there no laws in the US, unlike the European Union, to protect consumers from this kind of practices? In Italy any interest rate over 12% is considered illegal and falls under the extortion law. As soon as my card is paid off I will close my Amex account and I don't want to hear from them again. So much for being a "great card member" who has always paid on-time, before the due date actually, and more than the minimum due.

Update: July 13 2008. Guess what? I just got a letter from Amex, they did it again. In 4 months I built another $600 available credit and they cut the limit so my card now has $0 available credit. They sent a letter saying they were decreasing my limit because my debt to available balance ratio was too low!! The nerve!! They are ** doing it!

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Bogus Bonus
StarStarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 2/51

NEW YORK, NEW YORK -- Many Credit Card companies issue rewards. Instead of points or miles or widgets some CC companies offer rebates or cash rewards. These programs have rules; some are like a game show. If you do X or buy Y you go to the "Bonus Board" for more rewards. AmEX Blue Cash offers you a reward level (1% or 5%) on your initial purchases (depending on the category of the purchase). After you achieve a certain threshold of spending in a given fiscal year ($6,500) you get a HIGHER reward level up to 5%, again depending on the category of the purchase. SIMPLE.

Everyone achieves the threshold at a different time. Most likely it will occur mid-purchasing cycle. It is clear that I surpassed the required spend on or about Feb 1st 2012, right in the middle of a billing cycle. AmEx was inconsistent in applying the higher bonus on the charges later in that month. Some yes, some no; EVEN charges recorded on the same day were handled inconsistently.

IMPACT: In each of 4 categories (Gas, Drugstore, Grocery and Other) I had qualifying charges that did NOT receive the "promised" bonus. In dollars, it was only about an $8 error.

ISSUE: Customer Service understood my concern and initiated an INQUIRY. After about a month I received a "boilerplate" response about the monthly rewards and how they were issued one statement cycle in arrears. They spent almost $8 on postage alone for a worthless report.

When I expressed my frustration about the lack of substance I was escalated to a Supervisor. The Supervisor called me 2 days later and said:

1) She was disappointed in the poor report.

2) The case had been "closed."

3) I would be issued a $10 credit.

CLASS ACTION: What about ALL the other AmEx users who are being "shorted" $8??? I would want a piece of that action!

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American Express for Small Business - Are they kidding?
By -

Have been an Amex card holder since 1997, holding numerous cards, currently a platinum and a (recently closed) blue used for small business. During this time, payments have always been on-time. Spending is over $30k per year for all cards including a ton of travel. Last year, the cards were constantly getting declined for various reasons (never late payment) as the credit lines were repeatedly dropped without notice. Worse, I would occasionally receive phone calls from Amex demanding payment in between billing cycles. Why? Because they would randomly reduce the limit and suddenly I would be over limit!

My credit scores (3 agencies) are all over 750. It really got bad when, after changing a bank account that was attached to my AMEX online account, I inadvertently made a payment from this closed bank account. I realized my error within a day and notified AMEX before they even realized it. Ever since then, my credit limit reductions have accelerated because of this "returned payment". This "returned payment" was made good and paid by phone the moment I realized it, prior to the due date, and before AMEX even realized it.

The cards are so inconsistent that they are virtually useless. I can no longer travel using them because you just don't know when they will work. If a problem does occur, the account service reps are horrible, reading from a script about "changes in policy".

I just can't figure out what AMEX is doing. The irony is that they are running a massive ad campaign about the importance of small business. It is just remarkable to me that this continues. So long AMEX. I have a business Visa as well in which none of these problems have ever occurred. If you are a small business owner and considering AMEX, buyer beware. Investigate beyond their marketing hype.

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AMEX Credit Line Reductions - unwarranted
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EL PASO, TEXAS -- I wish to add my name to the list of those who have written about the customer unfriendly way they have been treated. I am the holder of two AMEX Blue accounts. Over the last two years, AMEX has cut my credit lines and increased my interest rates, as I try to reduce my account balances. I can understand why companies change their credit allowances, but AMEX is the only company to cut credit lines as I make progress to pay off the balances due. No other credit provider has done this (Visa or Mastercard).

I attempted to tell AMEX officials, and then the Better Business Bureau, that their actions were having an adverse effect on my credit rating, due to the ratio of credit in use versus line of credit available. No one wants to hear my arguments.

In my complaints, I have repeatedly asked AMEX for a term loan to replace these credit facilities at the original interest rate that was granted at the time of their opening these lines of credit. In return, I offered to cancel these credit cards. I believe this is reasonable, but no one seems to care.

AMEX has single-handedly contributed to the downfall of my credit ratings by their approach to credit. In this economy, many folks have been left literally "holding the bag" on debt. Many are struggling to pay bills, but I am fortunate that I have never been late and usually pay more than the minimum due. However, I am like many who have suffered by the lack of income increases, so I don't have the resources to pay off debts like this and get them off my credit report.

I would be interested in a class-action lawsuit or some united action against AMEX. Neither AMEX nor the Better Business Bureau are helpful. Overall, I desire to unload these credit cards, but I feel trapped. I think that AMEX should take some responsibility for getting into the revolving credit business and now trying to back out at the expense of the consumers that are trapped by a debt they cannot simply pay off in full. Feel free to comment. Helpful advice always acceptable.

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Denial of Credit
By -

I've been a loyal customer with American Express for years now after first receiving a Costco TruEarnings card. I was so happy with my card (customer service, online management, rewards, credit limit, etc) that ACTUALLY closed my oldest credit cards because they had poor APRs and clunky internet interfaces.

Since my wife and I haven't stepped into Costco for nearly a year, I called AMEX and explained that I wanted to transfer my account to Blue Cash as my Costco membership had expired. I was told "Great, no problem!", that I was a valuable customer, etc. My credit limit was $8000 and usually charge a balance of between $200-1200, and I routinely make payments of between $200-400 per month, often twice a month (often paying the balance in full between the two payments).

Less than a week later, I received a letter in the mail telling me that my credit card was canceled (after already embarrassingly discovering this earlier that day at a coffee shop). I chalked this up to the account transition process that I requested, and the letter clearly told me that I should expect my new Blue Cash card within a week or two. Yesterday, I called AMEX inquiring about why I had not yet received my new card (at this point a week late).

Was this a simply delay in post? Nope, not the case. Apparently after I spoke with the representative, they canceled my card because my Costco membership had expired, although the card had not. Furthermore, when I called back and had to go through the reapplication process, they denied me. I, like others on this forum, was told that my Experian report reflected poorly. I checked my report, which gives a credit score of 720 (not stellar, but pretty good).

Admittedly I have several students loans, all of which are still in a deferment period except one; however, I've managed to pay off 30% of that loan in the past 6 months since it came out of deferment! My report shows very little 'revolving debt' and shows an excellent payment history on all but one (now closed) account (which only has a single late payment).

So here I am, left with essentially no revolving credit (because I closed my Citi and Discover accounts) just going into the 2-3 months when my wife's salary is temporarily reduced by ~60%. Fantastic. As far as I'm concerned, American Express just lost my family's business for life.

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In 2009, AMEX Hates Small Businesses and Independent Business People
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MICHIGAN -- My own story is simple, a small business member since 1994, pay on time, credit availability between three cards of $55,000 and then the games start from AMEX in 2008. Phone calls from AMEX asking me to pay my bill before the due date. With great credit, AMEX starts their "game" of lowering limits 1 or more times per month resulting in a) denied business and personal transactions, and b) reducing my credit score. When talking with AMEX's CSRs they state my credit profile has changed. Yes, they are right, they changed it by consistently reducing my credit levels. In frustration, I call AMEX and cancel the Blue card. What a mistake, my credit report gets whacked again.

Fast forward to 2009. More monthly calls from AMEX asking me to pay before due dates and more reductions in credit limits without any notification or telephone discussion. Also the CSRs state that if I pay immediately then they will make sure I have charging privileges in the future and that if I do not "make a pay by phone" I will have my cards locked. Low credit limits and lower credit scores for my small business. Insult to injury - an irate AMEX CSR calls my cellphone on a Saturday AM an threatens me to pay the small amount I owe right now or else he will cancel my accounts without me knowing it.

April 2009. Discover low and behold that they cancelled the accounts, locked up/eliminated my hundreds of thousands of membership rewards points. So now I am not motivated to pay them. Quite frankly I will pay the paltry sum and move on but this firm is evil, lies to its customers, treats its customers poorly at every opportunity and is an embarrassment to its shareholders, bondholders, customers and the United States. I hope there is a class action lawsuit soon that sues for damages caused by their "games."

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Lowered Credit Limit on my AMEX Blue Card
By -

To add to the sea of voices... AMEX has just gone rapidly downhill in the past several years. I initially got the card (Blue) because I all I had was a department store visa and wanted the benefits of a regular credit card company. Initially I was approved for $7,000 but they raised that to $17,500 then to $20,000 over the course of about 2 years. I have always paid way before the due date and always paid at least twice the minimum payment, if not more. In fact I have never maxed out a credit card or made a late payment in my entire credit history.

While on vacation this past weekend I was notified on a Saturday morning that my credit had been decreased about $3,000. From what I gather here I am one of the lucky ones... at least I was notified BEFORE my room was charged and before I had an embarrassing situation. Calls and emails went nowhere... They insist you call their call center (which is in the Philippines, I asked the representative where they were located). I was repeatedly denied when I asked to speak to a supervisor, the reps just claim I would receive a notice in the mail in 4-6 weeks.

Initially they said that there was a claim filed by Experian - obviously I was disturbed and thought there was fraudulent use on my credit account! It would appear that this is just a false line they give you, as I got my Experian report and it looks like AMEX has been checking my credit between 1-2 times a month for the past several months. Their actual reasoning is anyone's guess. Nothing has changed in my credit situation in well over a year.

I'd venture to guess that the company is having serious issues in this economic market, and instead of going after problem customers (who couldn't really do much anyway) they are going after loyal customers in good standing. What a mistake. I will never use this card again and will make sure everyone I know who looks into a credit card steers away from AMEX. I plan to use all my points for a flight ASAP so if they decide to pull a shady move and close my card I won't be up a creek, as I have nearly 40,000 points.

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Wow Amex Is Screwing Their Top Customers
By -

FT. LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA -- I have been a loyal customer and card holder of American Express for over 10 years. I am extremely disgusted by the way I have been treated by you and your company. I hold a Platinum Charge Card, a Blue Credit Card, and a Delta Sky Miles Card. After consulting your customer service department I was told not to pay off the cards and that leave a small balance on them would continue building credit with American Express.

In Aug. 2008 I made a payment of $8000.00 on the Blue Card as well as a $3500.00 payment on the Delta Sky Miles card. This is on top of the $2000.00 to $5000.00 I pay monthly on my Platinum card. My calculations are that I spend about $40,000.00 a year with you and this is how I have been treated.

After paying down about $11,000.00 in balances on both the Blue and Delta cards which I was informed to do by YOUR company's customer service department instead of paying them off YOU American Express lowered my credit lines to about $100.00 over the balances left. Wow I give you eleven thousand dollars and you penalize me!

How dare you. This is bad business but still I kept all my cards with you after speaking to one of your customer service reps who informed me that they have reevaluated everyone's credit lines during these tough times.
Well times are tough and I got laid off in December and start a new job March 16th. When I knew things could get tough I stopped using my Platinum charge card and decided after 2 months that I would not be able to pay the full balance which is around $2000.00 dollars.

I called to pay $500.00 and to move the remaining $1500.00 to a line of credit which I could pay over the next few months. I had done this in the past and paid it off and was told it would not be a problem to do again. After I was transferred to a specialist who could do this I was told I could not and that I needed to pay the full balance. I informed her I could not until the first week of April and that I would like to pay $500.00 and she told me that $500.00 was not acceptable.

NOW you can wait on your money and as soon as I can pay the balance off I will cancel all 3 of my cards and never again will I do business with American Express again nor will I have anything good to say about American Express to anyone. Your company really disappointed me and when we come out of these hard times I hope American Express suffers for the way they have treated there trusted clients.

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American Express Blue Cards Rating:
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1.2 out of 5, based on 4 ratings and
61 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
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