Consumer complaint received 2021-12-08
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: MI
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem when making payments
Sub-issue: You never received your bill or did not know a payment was due

Complaint:
American Express ' response to complaint XXXX states the card number was not necessary to make payments, even though AMEX alleges it was " sent to an outside agency to assist in collection efforts, '' and the information provided by those respective agencies instructed me to pay in a particular fashion. 

American Express insists I could have paid by phone, online, or through the mail to ensure that payments reached them for processing on-time. 

American Express has overlooked several factors that are at the very least tone-deaf in the current environment. First mail delivery is still slow, both affecting AMEX receipt of mailed payments, and my receipt of billings statements. Second, AMEX presupposes an underlying condition would not affect an individuals ability to pay by phone or online. That is, those who have experienced XXXX as the result of a XXXX XXXX, tha might prevent a " card member '' from communicating, would still be able to pay by phone. In AMEX 's view XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX couldn't possibly affect someone's ability to contact AMEX to pay on an account by phone. Finally, medical conditions, aka XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, couldn't possibly interfere with an individuals ability to utilize the multiple ways to pay on an alleged statement balance. 

So here goes. I have a medical condition that is managed by XXXX ( XXXX ) different prescriptions. Those prescriptions have had delays in renewals both on account of supply chain isses as a result of the pandemic, and longer renewal times due to the displacement of staff prescribing those medications during the pandemic. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 

So American Express can pretend that somehow receiving payments from me in periods over the " last 12 months '' and not during others somehow negates the fact that there may have been times durig which I was not able to communicate and utilize one of those convenient methods to pay : over the phone, by mail, online. American Express can also pretend there are not thousands of individuals being XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX that can cause sXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX that interferes with a cardmember 's ability to rXXXX XXXX. American Express can pretend their cardmembers, presumeably based upon " status, '' couldn't possibly get sick or experience illness as the result of exposure to the XXXX XXXX Afterall, the numbers show it's specific segments of the US population that are more prone to experience the more severe symptoms of such infections. Those couldnt possibly include AMEX card members because AMEX is an " elite '' bank that offers charge cards and credit cards for the " better off '' segments of the population -- the ones least likely to be members of one ( 1 ) or more protected classes, and least likely to experience ANY hardship during a plague/pandemic. 

According to AMEX, It isn't even possible for mail to be disrupted, or delayed, during the continued pandemic. AMEX own policy is " paymnet due upon receipt. '' The fact is, if I dont receive a bill I cant pay it. If I can not access my statements online, I cant pay it. CFPB interpretation of Regulation Z outlines the necessity of periodic statements. Calling and asking for the balance is not a substitute for receipt and inspection of a billing statement. 

American Express can pretend it isn't trying to pare " cardmembers '' it's analyitics identify as higher risk. 

AMEX is tone-deaf to the realities facing individuals throughout the world right now -- they dont care. However, American Express ' tone-deaf'ness seems to tread close to targeted discrimination based upon XXXX. 

Perhaps AMEX should take the time to review the determinaton of DOJ and HHs with respect to disablity and disabiliy discrimination for those who at the very least have XXXX XXXX XXXX. " Guidance on Long COVID as a Disability Under the ADA, Section 504, and Section 1557 '' published by HHS might be a good place to start.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation