Consumer complaint received 2023-10-18
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: NY
Product: Credit card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Fees or interest
Sub-issue: Charged too much interest

Complaint:
I have a number of issues that I wish to raise with the CFPB. 

1. During the Covid pandemic, American Express enrolled me into the Pay as You Go Plan without my authorization. This was during an incredibly difficult period for me - as I lost my job, developed XXXX XXXX ( treated successfully ), XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) and lost my father. I am also profoundly XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX to completely understand the parameters of contracts and financial arrangements. 

Subsequent to my father 's passing I was offered the XXXX Card. American Express was aware of my father 's death prior to offering me the card. They should have also been aware that i was not employed. I was completely unaware of the interest rate charged during this period due to the difficult circumstances of my day to day life during the XXXX emergency. 

2. Billing Dispute/Minimum Payment : About the same time as being enrolled in pay as you go, I was having increasing difficulty determining the amount of credit available to me at any given time. At one point I called American Express three or four times within an hour and they gave me vastly different amounts of my credit availability. Often Customer Service Representatives would hesitate in offering this basic information on the amount of credit available This greatly caused concern about the manner in which my minimum payments were being calculated and if they had compliant processed in place that were fair and transparent. 

Since XX/XX/XXXX I have disputed the billing and requested American Express provide me with the details and Since XX/XX/XXXX I have sent written complaints which require a written explanation. While providing some verbal explanation ( and not permitting me to record the call ), inclusive of a vague verbal Executive Office reply and even more vague written reply which only included the dates of verbal conversations to a written complaint, in order to hold any validity, the explanation is not legally binding nor responsive to the written complaint. 

During the period XX/XX/XXXX- XX/XX/XXXX I was healing from XXXX XXXXXXXX and caring for my widowed mother. I was not working and relied on the credit card to pay for most of my living expenses. I was not in a position to fully understand that the details on minimum payment calculations were not transparent. 

3. In XX/XX/XXXX American Express forced me into a payment program for the XXXX card which I could not and can not afford. I believe this is possibly a violation of the Federal requirements for re-structuring a debt due to hardship. 

The time period for re-payment for XXXX card holders greatly differed from that of the Blue Card -- for the XXXX Card it was 24 months to pay {$40000.00} in debt and yet 36 months to pay off the {$900.00} in debt on the blue card. This all while i was facing additional XXXX and still not working to the capacity i was prior to XXXX emergency. 
Amex also was not transparent on the manner in which this issue would be reported to the credit agencies nor in the amount of money that I would ultimately owe. I am still unsure how this all was calculated, and why the two cards have vastly different payment time periods. Despite numerous attempts to obtain information regarding the legality of this - Amex has refused to provide me any information nor allow me to re-structure the payments so that i can afford them and not hurt my credit any further. 

4. Despite numerous complaints about the billing process, Amex refused to stop the payment requirement during the complaint period as is generally required in New York. 

5. During my multiple attempts to determine how my bills were calculated, I was subjected to desparaging and harassment by American Express representatives, inclusive of a threat to my credit card by a Supervisor in XX/XX/XXXX. Despite written complaints to executive management I have not received any apology or acknowledgment of this mis-treatment. 

6. I remain concerned about retaliation for filing this complaint. American Express has refused to provide me with the information set forth above, provide written details on the manner in which the debt, fees and minimum payment calculated and re-structure the debt I incurred during XXXX in a manner in which I can afford while preserving my credit in good standing and my blue and XXXX card for future use. 


Thank you. 

PS upon reviewing my prior Amex issues - i do not recall receiving a financial relief for the last complaint. I would appreciate a review of this as well. Thanks again. XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation