Consumer complaint received 2022-10-26
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: CA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Getting a credit card
Sub-issue: Delay in processing application

Complaint:
On XX/XX/22 Applied for a Amex Business Delta Gold XXXX. Was approved.

On XXXX I attempted to get my card number to purchase Delta flight tickets which is the reason I got the card. 

XX/XX/22 Contacted Amex XXXX XXXX to inquire on how I could purchase tickets with my card/receive my card number to be able to do so. 
Was told to contact a specific number. Contacted the number. Representative told me to contact different department as they were closed. 

XX/XX/22 XXXX XXXX XXXX Contacted different department, card application department, was routed to an overseas call center. Agent was extremely unhelpful and not answering my questions. Asked to speak to a supervisor. Agent would not put me through to a supervisor. Agent said I could receive rush card delivery which would take 3/4 business days instead. I said that I needed to purchase the tickets urgently now, the only other possible solution would be overnight shipping of the card. Agent said supervisor would call me back in 30 minutes and asked for my contact number. Provided it to agent. Call was then disconnected/agent hung up, not sure. 

Called same department, in hopes of speaking with a supervisor, second agent also appeared to be an overseas phone department. Agent again was unwilling to transfer me to a supervisor. I knew that a front line agent would not be able to assist me, and a supervisor would be better able to provide a resolution or assist me. Amex agent disconnected the call again. 

Decided that clearly this department was not providing adequate service and support so decided to contact the card support number. 
XXXX Explained to first agent my issue and that I wanted to speak with a supervisor. Agent looked at the issue and said they could not do anything and connected me with supervisor. 

Spoke to supervisor for a while while they were checking things : Provided agent with the information from Amex 's own page about instant card numbers. And provided agent clearly with the terms and conditions as listed below. 
https : //www.americanexpress.comXXXX  " Terms & Conditions Instant Card Number eligibility is based on our ability to instantly authenticate you. If you are eligible for Instant Card Number, you will receive an Instant Card Number that you may be able to use virtually anywhere American Express is accepted and a physical Card will not be required. In certain instances ( for example, if we can not instantly authenticate you ) you may only be able to use your Instant Card Number at a select merchant until you receive your physical Card. You may not have access to your full credit line until after you confirm receipt of your physical Card. We will mail your physical Card within 3-5 days of account approval. 

Repeatedly asked agent, why was I not instantly authenticated? I applied through my American express Account with all my correct personal and private information and was approved, hence, meaning that clearly I was authenticated. Agent could not provide a sufficient reason or adequate response. Said " the system '' tells us. I asked to speak to the team or department that manages the " system ''. Supervisor said there was quote " no team ''. Personally, I find that very hard to believe. 
Explained to agent that I am losing over XXXX of miles by not being able to use my DELTA card to purchase flights on DELTA airlines, which is why I got the card. I would be losing over {$1000.00} towards my minimum spend requirement, and towards my card flight credit requirement. Agent did not seem to care. 

Read the terms and conditions to agent again and asked why it was not being followed. 
" In certain instances ( for example, if we can not instantly authenticate you ) you may only be able to use your Instant Card Number at a select merchant until you receive your physical Card. '' Agent was unable to give a response. 

Based on the terms, I should've been able to then use my card at a select merchant such as Delta, with my Delta card. 
Supervisor was unable to answer and seemed to disregard the terms and conditions. 

On the internet there are reports of this in fact being true as the terms and conditions state. One such comment/posted below " Just applied for Delta Amex XXXX XXXX {$50.00} credit with XXXX waived for first year and I was provided a temporary credit card number at the end. I have seen conflicting info where you get an error but I got no such error and I was given the card number and 3 min to copy it. HOWEVER... it said I can only use it on delta.com '' Based on multiple online searches, it seems that there were multiple instances of Amex providing credit for when consumers were not provided an instant card number because they were losing out heavily on XXXX spend requirement. For example " Early last year, I applied for the XXXX Amex card. The temporary card information never came up on the screen, which was a slight bummer, as I was in the process of booking a XXXX flight. 
I called up, just hoping to get the XXXX XXXX I would have received credited to my account, but the XXXX asked if I would instead take {$160.00} " Another such instance " I just received a {$90.00} additional credit, on the XXXX + {$50.00} offer, because the amex system couldn't grant me a temporary credit limit. No idea if it was a specific issue tied to my account or larger system issue that Delta/Amex is currently having. '' Additional screenshots XXXX XXXX XXXX Supervisor kept saying that there was nothing they could do about the instant card number, and that they could not expedite the card. I inquired if it was possible to have the card be sent overnight so that I can book multiple Delta tickets which I needed to Urgently. 
Finally asked supervisor, " so there is nothing you can do any no way you can help, even though your terms and conditions clearly contradict what you're saying about instant card numbers? '' Supervisor said " yeah ''. 

I replied " So I just have to lose the potential miles, and money, and spend requirements towards my card '' Supervisor said " yeah '' I then decided that there was no further point with continuing the call. I was extremely appalled, frustrated, and shocked that the multiple agents, and finally the supervisor who I was able to get a hold of do not seem to understand, the policies and terms and conditions, and provided absolutely no help. I lost over 2 hours on the phone attempting to get assistance, and now over XXXX miles, and {$1000.00} of flight tickets from Delta. Will attach proof of booking flights that I had to with alternative cards because Amex was unable to assist or help me in any way. 
Extremely disappointed with the customer service provided, and with the terms and conditions that Amex states that were not followed it seems. 
Before this, I had a generally good experience as an Amex Card Member, but now this has been clearly impacted significantly by this experience. 

Providing screenshots of contacting Amex through live chat/ with over 3, or 4 phone calls and call length. 

Providing proof that other card members were in fact compensated for the ability to not receive and instant card number. 

Proving screenshots of Amex Terms and Conditions for Instant card numbers.

Providing screenshots of Delta Tickets Purchased with alternative cards because I couldn't utilize the benefits of my Delta Amex Card which I received for the purpose of these benefits, agreeing to a {$99.00} annual fee ....

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation