Consumer complaint received 2023-05-11
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: CA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose prepaid card
Issue: Advertising
Sub-issue: Changes in terms from what was offered or advertised

Complaint:
When I originally reported the unauthorized charges I was overwhelmed and confused about the many ATM withdrawals that were made on my account. To clarify there is a total of XXXX unauthorized withdraws in a total of XXXX $ I apologize for the confusion if there were any inconsistencies in the manner I reported the situation at hand. 

To begin with, I made an honest mistake, I did not recognize the XXXX $ XXXX charge as it was a new subscription for a credit check. The website offers a 7 day trial period but went ahead and charged my account on the XXXX day of the free trial period. A XXXX dollar charge was made on XX/XX/2022 for the false advertised offer of the 7 day free trial period. I still do not wish to dispute the charge because from what I concluded my entire claim was denied as this was a pre-authorized charge. 

Thus I was never offered provisional credit and did not have access to any funds when the investigation took longer than 10 days to complete. The agreement states that if they decide to take longer than XXXX days to investigate my complaint, they will credit my account with the amount in dispute so that I have access to those funds while the investigation completes. 

I was only provided a denial regarding the XXXX $ for the XXXX charge 9 days later and the remaining XXXX transactions were denied on XXXX XXXX. That is XXXX business days total XXXX calendar days 17 days skipped : that I had to wait, deprived of the funds fraudulently withdrawn from my account. I was told first XXXX days, then XXXX then XXXX  days to receive a response and their decision remains unchanged. 

I have provided the identity theft police report information, hospitalization discharge print out, the addresses of the XXXX locations where I used the ATM prior to being hospitalized and was unsuccessful at withdrawing any money. That is where I believe my card was skimmed. I did not return to those locations again, yet on XX/XX/700 $ were fraudulently withdrawn at that XXXX. 

I have pointed out the confusion in the dispute acknowledgement emails received, that show the transaction date incorrectly. As they all have the same date of when the transaction was disputed as opposed to when the transaction took place. 
Upon review, I also noticed that XXXX ATM fees of XXXX $ where credited back to my account on XXXX XXXX, but not the actual amount that was withdrawn when the fee was charged. 

The amount of XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX this situation has caused me is beyond hurtful. It has affected my well being, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX before this situation, it remains unresolved and it is negatively impacting my mental health. Not only do I feel XXXX  by whomever took my money while I was in the hospital, this financial institution refuses to acknowledge that I am a victim of identity theft. When questioned about the documents used in making their decision to deny my dispute, they state that no documents where used to make their decision. There is nothing to support their response to say the ATM withdrawals were as they responded : XXXX and XXXX ; XXXX was determined to be a possible billing error, otherwise valid charge, or inconclusive to be accepted as fraud. 

Maybe I wasn't clear enough in my initial reporting of the unauthorized transactions. However I have provided all the evidence I have to show I was physically not able to leave to hospital and didn't have any personal property with me at the time of discharge. I still have not been granted the use of my funds. I would like to express that this is the most difficult situation I have had to deal with as I am dependent on my social security benefits on a monthly basis and almost half a years worth of my benefits have been stolen, this is detrimental to my mental health. 
I understand that my dispute is currently within the time frame and I shall allow XXXX business days before I can expect the provisional credit. 
If denied I expect concrete reasons and evidence to support their decision of denial. The vague response that XXXX and XXXX ; XXXX was determined to be a possible billing error, otherwise valid charge, or inconclusive to be accepted as fraud.Without any documents used in the decision is unacceptable. I would like to know who authorized the withdrawls and a reason on why I would be wasting everyone 's time with this matter then? I am not the first and only person this financial institution has wrongfully denied! From my research, they use automated response emails as the decisions to deny a consumers complaint are identical in wording.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation