Consumer complaint received 2020-04-28
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: CA
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report
Sub-issue: Reporting company used your report improperly

Complaint:
Hello, I hope this message finds those reviewing doing well and staying safe. I am writing this complaint as one of two follow-up complaints that I have regarding my continuing ordeal with American Express. First, I was not informed that American Express reported my XXXX gold card balance as part of my rolling credit balance ( which is normally no more than 10 % -30 % of my overall rolling credit limit ). I usually pay the card off every month because thats how its designed ( charge vs credit card ) ; however, I couldnt do that last month because the pandemic and some other limiting factors were affecting my ability to get them the money on time. 

As stated in previous complaint ( s ), I let American Express know I was having trouble, and they told me it wasnt a problem and gave me a deferral until XXXX ; however, what they actually did is add my XXXX balance of around {$8000.00} to my rolling credit balance and changed my available credit limit/spending power to {$0.00} without telling me. 

That gave me a rolling balance of $ 15k+ over a total credit limit of {$3500.00}. And I have no idea what XXXX is doing in all this - I literally have not been able to get in touch with them for a month, and I plan to file a separate complaint for that scenario. However, my card with XXXX should add an additional {$3700.00} to that limit. And when someones credit utilization/debt ratio goes from like 3 % to 400 %, that's usually a sign that person is going bankrupt/is financially unstable. 

In one month, from XXXX to XXXX, because I needed a deferral, due to a once in a millenium global pandemic ( and I've never had a problem paying before ), my credit score went from almost a 750 ( and was on track to bounce back to around a 790 ) to a XXXX because American Express ' idea of doing me a favor is reporting my gold card balance as rolling credit card debt to FICO. 

And, although that isnt true, thats what Amex and XXXX told everyone and that has affected my ability to do anything these past couple weeks, because I suddenly have horrible credit. As state in previous complaints, American Express was even preventing me from liquidating spare assets ( due to vague concerns about changes in my credit profile, which I later found out they caused ) that I have here with me in California. 

They kept declining a {$1.00} pre-authorization charge that I needed to clear to put my card on file with XXXX to initiate an ACH transfer ( I was selling $ 800-ish dollars of unwanted gift cards ) ; and, although I had already paid Amex {$6000.00} of the {$8000.00} deferred balance at that point ( this was on XX/XX/XXXX ), they were demanding that I pay the other $ 1863-ish dollars right then and there on the phone ( a week before it was due ) or they wouldnt allow the {$1.00} pre-auth charge. 

In a nutshell, Amex basically froze my assets, changed my available credit line to {$0.00}, nuked my credit score by increasing my credit utilization from 10 % to 400 % in one month, and then barred me from liquidating my own assets to obtain the capital that I would have needed to render them payment. 


To add some new updates not in my previous complaints, since filing my last complaint, Governor XXXX XXXX of California passed an Executive Order that it is illegal for companies to garnish the {$1200.00} stimulus payment that California provided its citizens. And, although I feel like this should have been outright illegal on a Federal level ( maybe it is - if it is, I will be pursuing adverse action ). I called and spoke with several representatives after this Executive Order was issued and effected, and I expressed to several representatives that it was illegal for them to have forced me to make a payment out of my stimulus money, and that I needed it back ( still do ) because it wasn't theirs to take. And I've asked to no avail that they simply refund the {$1200.00} without it affecting my balance. And although this ( both refund and account credit ) wasn't an option at the time with any of the representatives with whom I spoke, I expressed my desire that they process the refund anyway and that I deal with the account credit later. And, as of today, Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX, SIX days after speaking with several Amex reps who said they were rewiring the {$1200.00} to my account, I still have no money in my account. And I have rent due in 3 days. Congratulations, American Express, this makes 10+ times that you've almost forced a person with a XXXX XXXX into insolvency. I hope you feel good about yourselves ( assuming you all have a conscience and are capable of feeling ). Who knows? Maybe this time you'll succeed. I am at the mercy/charity of others right now, so you very well could succeed. XXXX doesn't even begin to describe the trauma I have endured. Keep it going Amex. *slow clap*

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation