Consumer complaint received 2023-08-09
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: NC
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement
Sub-issue: Card was charged for something you did not purchase with the card

Complaint:
American Express errantly billed me XXXX times for charges I never made. I contacted them by phone in mid XX/XX/2023 to find out what the charges were for. They told me that they did not have access to this information, so I would need to contact XXXX to find out. After contacting XXXX and learning they had no record of any charges whatsoever on these dates, I informed AmEx that XXXX had reviewed the disputed charges and confirmed verbally and in writing that there was no record of any goods having been purchased or any other transactions related to these charges and that my bank account associated with the card had likely been defrauded. I also told them that the XXXX representative with whom I spoke told me that all these charges had originated from AmEx XXXX and that someone there now had our bank account number and routing number. He advised us to take precautions to avoid further likely fraudulent withdrawals from this bank account. We did so immediately. The AmEx representative with whom I spoke that day assured me that AmEx XXXX XXXX would investigate and void the charges. They did so for XXXX of the XXXX charges. However, they have continued without explanation to demand payment for XXXX of these charges, ironically, the largest amount. 

Since my initial complaint to AmEx, I have had numerous phone calls and e-chat interactions with their representatives. Initially, I thought progress was being made toward a resolution when several representatives at different times reinstated my card that had been frozen and apologized to me. AmEx even issued me a new card with a new number because they said that my original card had been fraudulently compromised. XXXX representative said he could see the record of what had transpired and told me that the large charge would be removed, noting that sometimes these things take several months. 

Despite several favorable conversations and e-chats, however, the large charge has never been credited to my account. Despite my multiple efforts to convince them that the charge for which they are demanding payment is fraudulent or their error, they are continuing to place dunning phone calls to me multiple times each day, as well as leaving me voicemails, texts and emails. As of today, they are XXXX  to cancel the card by XX/XX/2023 and turn this matter over to a collection agency if I do not immediately make arrangements to pay them. This inappropriate and unwarranted action on their part would damage my credit rating and subject me to further dunning. They are demanding payment of {$470.00} including accrued interest charges. Needless to say, I don't wish my XXXX XXXX to be adversely affected by this action or to continue experiencing frequent XXXX However, I am unwilling to pay them for a charge that I never made. 

I have repeatedly asked them verbally and in writing to communicate with me only via email regarding this matter, since I am often out of the country without access to mail, phone messages or texts. However, they have not done so. Several of their representatives have verified that I have made this request upon review of the records. They have assured me that American Express would honor this request. Unfortunately, AmEx has not done so, further amplifying my distress. 

For the record, I have restated verbally and in writing many times that I did not make this charge. In fact, I have not used the card even once this past year since it is an XXXX XXXX XXXX and I have retired. I owe Amex nothinga fact confirmed verbally & in writing both by both XXXX and XXXX Bank, the institution from which the money was fraudulently or erroneously withdrawn. 

Below I am including : a copy of a letter I sent to American Express detailing my complaint, a letter from my bank stating that they investigated my complaint and found that the American Express charges were errant, and an email from XXXX documenting my phone call with them about these charges and their statement that they have no record of my making them. 

In addition, American Express has in its possession audio recordings of my repeated and extensive phone conversations with multiple representatives on a number of different days. They also have transcripts of several extensive e-chats on multiple different days as well. These materials are not available to me at this time, but will further validate my complaint, their refusal to honor my requests that they stop dunning me, the extensive amount of time that interacting with them has required from me, and the distressing processes to which they have subjected me to without resolving my simple and empathetic claim ( confirmed by XXXX and my bank ) that I never made any charges this year including the one for which they keep billing me.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief