Consumer complaint received 2022-02-08
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: FL
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement
Sub-issue: Card was charged for something you did not purchase with the card

Complaint:
Dear American Express I have been trying to resolve a fraudulent charge made to my account reference number XXXX. I spoke to XXXX and the supervisor XXXX. 
I have a charge made to my credit card that is fraudulent by XXXX XXXX & XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Somehow a tailor name XXXX obtained my information at a conference and contacted me. I met with him at the end of XXXX to obtain a quote on some custom clothing. I informed XXXX upon looking and getting a verbal quote him that I needed time to think about it. 
XXXX shared that in order for him to hold the pricing he needed my credit card information. XXXX told me that he deeply discounted the pricing for me. XXXX assured me that he would not charge my card and to just let him know if I wanted to move forward or not. 
I told XXXX okay and that I would let him know whether I wanted to move forward. After about 7 days and thinking about the impending financial obligations I had during the pandemic, I texted XXXX. 
I texted him first on XX/XX/2021, then on XX/XX/2021, and finally on XX/XX/2021 and shared that I could not afford anything right now and to cancel my quote. I would contact him once my finances got better. 
XXXX never responded. 
When I received my American express bill, there was a charge for XXXX XXXX XXXX  for XXXX. I was shocked as I did not know who or what this was. I immediately disputed it with American Express in XX/XX/2021. 
I contacted American Express via phone with my dispute as XXXX would not respond to my texts. I explained to American Express that I had not ordered anything. A dispute was initiated. I received an email from American Express within about 3 days from my original dispute stating that the merchant replied saying that the order was not able to be canceled due to it already being in production. 
I am like what production. I never ordered anything. So I called and notified American Express that I had in fact contacted XXXX as per his directions to let him know if I was moving forward or to cancel my quote. I did cancel it per the email and text and thought that was the end of it until I saw the charge for XXXX on my card. 
After responding to American Express, I then received an email from American Express again with documents provided by the merchant. In the merchants reply, the documents listed their cancellation policy and a signature approving purchase stating that I could not cancel. I am dumbfounded now, as I never ordered anything and neither have I received anything from the merchant. 
I immediately contacted American Express and informed the representative sometime in XX/XX/2021 and followed up with numerous calls in XXXX explaining that the signature for the charge is not mine. 
I explained that I never signed any charge authorization. I also shared that I have never received any merchandise from the alleged purchase made by me. 
The supervising representative XXXX informed me that they would dispute it again as fraud because the signature is visibly not mine. 
I waited but heard nothing back. I then received another notice that the merchant responded, and the charge was added back to my card. I was blown away again. 
I am saying to myself this is a nightmare! How can American Express charge me for something I never received and that I never signed for? 
I called American Express again on or about XX/XX/2021 and spoke to another representative who informed me that the charge would be handle by fraud. As the signature is not mine and that I never gave authorization to charge my card for the alleged purchase. The representative shared that the charge would be removed and had me on hold as they spoke to fraud. 
As of XX/XX/2021, the charge is still there. The signature signed for this charge is not mine. And I have never received any merchandise allegedly purchased. 
On XX/XX/2021 the charge was placed back on my credit card again. I still have not authorized any purchase nor have I received any merchandise.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief