Consumer complaint received 2020-03-20
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: FL
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card debt
Issue: Written notification about debt
Sub-issue: Didn't receive enough information to verify debt

Complaint:
Hi CFPB, I don't know where to begin, but on XX/XX/2019 I was a victim of a scam with XXXX. I received a phone call from XXXX  ( the number saved in my phone from when I contacted them directly in the past ) They told me that my systems and devices had been hacked. I am in XXXX so I took it very seriously. They said that any one I had ever been in contact with on my devices would be affected, almost like the computer virus. I truly care about my clients and the people I work with on a daily basis. I asked them a ton of questions & I thought I made sure they were who they said they were but they had fake websites and telephone numbers that looked like XXXX. I let them into my computer to show me the hackers. They asked me to buy gift cards, yes, my first mistake, but I am a hard working female and was unaware that this scam existed.These gift cards were to be purchased from XXXX partners such as XXXX, XXXX XXXX and XXXX and all at XXXX. I purchased the first {$500.00} with my debit card through XXXX  and then the next {$32000.00} with my american express business card. They then emailed me a refund through XXXX, had me read the numbers on the cards, and then reported back to me that there were still over 100 hackers in my systems. I was held hostage on the phone with threats for hours, from XXXX XXXX. to XXXX at Night. They even had me cancel my doctor appt and told me to lie to my fiance and would not allow me to call or text anyone during the day. I have emails and police reports to prove all of the activities. They said the breach was XXXX 's fault and i would be compensated with new devices and the money back. I told them repeatedly i did not have the money or cash to buy these and they suggested the credit card. They acted like they were working with american express to allow me to charge these on the account. Amx allowed me to go over my limit despite any history of me ever buying this many gift cards and spending this much money in one day. They never stopped it and allowed me to get in deep  with the scammers. Long story short, american express does not consider me being held hostage on the phone by these XXXX/scammers fraud. So now american express has me owing them the XXXX and they want it immediately. I spoke to them numerous times and tried to dispute the charges as fraud and they do not care. They have declined me on usage of the personal cards and now i have been suspended. Now my XXXX  is going to suffer as everything I do will have to be paid in cash. They said they would put me on a payment plan and assist me and they did not do that. Not only has my credit rating dropped, but so my debt has increased, interest on the debt and as an XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and facing the corona virus, I don't know who to turn to. There are more details of the XXXX harassment but this would be a long complaint. all the steps i have take to rectify this as an honest consumer has been too many to mention. While they will not consider it fraud and insist on me paying it back, I feel as a long time american express consumer they are not supporting me in customer service and in a financially mutual beneficial way. I feel that I am a little person and they don't care. I wrote an email to the CEO at XXXX, he doesn't care, nor does the CEO of AMX care. He pawned me off to someone else as they often do and that person did not follow through and do what he promised. I also called him again with no return phone call. Their rep at amx reached out to me about the account, we set up a call and then I was blown off. I am now in debt with bills to pay and basically a XXXX  job that depends on the economy. I would love some help ... ....

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation