Consumer complaint received 2023-07-21
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: AZ
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose prepaid card
Issue: Problem getting a card or closing an account
Sub-issue: Trouble getting, activating, or registering a card

Complaint:
I purchased a " serve '' card from American Express. It was purchased on XX/XX/XXXX. I had temp card for one day then card was lost or stolen..I had already registered for a permanent card, so expected it to come at any time. It never came. It's a basic prepaid debit card, or I thought it I started trying to find out what the problem was about a week later. 
I started calling and have placed calls on the following dates XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX calls XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX calls XX/XX/XXXX XXXX calls XX/XX/XXXX XXXX calls The dates with multiple calls are for various reasons. Usually I get hung up on because people can't hear me or don't want to be bothered with the work. I can't get agents to give me a name or location so I can follow up on this problem so I have to start from scratch each call. 

It's very difficult for me to make phone calls..I XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  and can only whisper. So it's very difficult for others to hear me. I use messaging whenever possible to enable a more comfortable interaction for both parties. In my many many ssnd no means for this type of communication. I had many instances where I was hung up on. When I could, I tried to let someone else do the talking for me. But it's very difficult to have someone else explain a complex situation to someone who isn't interested in helping and doesn't want to do ANY work to resolve the situation. 

I called to report the temporary card missing, and to order a permanent card. It took HOURS before i could actually get a real person. 

I told her I'd registered the temporary card and it had been lost..I ordered another permanent personalized card. 2 weeks had gone by and I still didn't have any card to use. I explained I was in dire need of these funds. I had serious problems that required i have this money to enable me to take care of our car having been towed, following its breaking down 50 miles from home.

I was told there was NOTHING she could do. She said I could order a new card and that would take 5 or more days to arrive.

I asked about the virtual card their website mentions that is given to new customers so that they can use the funds on the acct. I was told that was not an option for my account. There was nothing I could do no matter how dire my circumstances. So now my cars tow storage fees would be totally out of any range which might be affordable and enable me to get it out. I've lost my car now. Plus have a {$500.00} abandoned car fee assessed on my license.

I told her i must.have my money. Couldn't a supervisor offer some solution? Supervisor only told me there was nothing they could do, no matter what. No options other than to order another card and wait another 5 days to one week for arrival of card. 

So I ordered a replacement card My husband and i are XXXX, low income XXXXwe need our money. 

Our car got towed and could not retrieve it because we didn't have funds to get it following its being towed. 

Another week went by and we still didn't get the personalized card which they say has been issued. 

Each time I call, I have to provide various personal information. Part of this is my physical address. This is also my mailing address. Each time I'm allowed to discuss acct because I have all correct information. 

I told them this time that I NEED access to my money. I now have no car, no money, no transportation and am 10 miles away from where I can buy even a bottle of water, make a phone call, buy food, anything. 

Each person I talk to when I express the dire need of my funds, just tells me there is nothing that can be done. " im sorry '', seems to be their standard response to anything, then to tell you there is nothing they can do. I wonder whats the point of having customer service staff and supervisors when all they can do is tell you they're sorry butbyou can't have your money. There's nothing they can do to get it to you a resolution. 

I read on line that money could be sent to XXXX from these accounts in emergency situation. So i called about that..i was told because i never got the card, they were " sorry but nothing they could do. I hadnt received the card, so I couldn't have the money sent to XXXX. Didn't matter if I had adequate documents showing it was me. Answer was no, im sorry. I didn't qualify for this service. I had to order card again and wait. So I did. 

Card never came so I called again. 

During this point in time. We'd had to go stay in a hotel for a couple of days. It's been 118 - 122 in the XXXX area. My home is about 50 miles away at a higher elevation, but it still has Bern 108 - 110. I live in an older mobile home, because we could purchase it outright, to keep things affordable since my husband and I are both XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX. But we did not realize when we bought it, that the air conditioner and heating systems had been removed. I have a serious XXXX XXXX and he has many health issues which cause him pain and XXXX XXXX XXXX That's why we were staying in a hotel for a few days. 

I had enough to stay at hotel two nights. I had anticipated arrival of card on the day we left, and it was not in the mail. 

It was about a week later, after no card came in the mail, I needed MY money. 

The heat in our house was unbearable. About 110 to 120 inside old, poorly insulated mobile home. 

I needed another COUPLE of days at hotel, to give time for heat wave to pass. 

I called and explained situation. We had had stay at a hotel, our air conditioning wasn't functioning. It seemed to impossible to find any solution. I was told she was sorry but could do nothing. 

I worked all day to find a solution. All the serve company could offer is " I'm sorry, there's nothing we can do ''. 

We had to leave hotel, on foot because we hadn't been able to get our car out, in 118 weather. 

Yesterday I called again after we got home. I thought perhaps this time the card would have arrived, but it had not. The response to my damemand that a way be found, to get my money to me, was that she was " sorry but nothing WE could do ''. 

I explained that there MUST be a way to get MY MONEY. It was NOT believable that if a person was never able to use a debit card, thry were doomed to lose their money. I asked could she not overnight a card like one of the reps offered the day before when I called... I was told no.

I asked for supervisor who told me there was nothing they could do. She asked me, did I want acct closed and a check mailed. I couldnt believe that response. I said if I did that, the check would never arrive, then I'd call and be told there was nothing they could do, and then id lose the money. It would be lost for good.

I asked WHY every other company I deal with can manage to get my bills and correspondence to me. She didn't know. I pushed the issue and then she told me they'd had address wrong. I asked WHY, in about 20 calls which required I verbally provide my address, had nobody mentioned this. She didn't know. She said my address had not been verified so I have to send in proof that I get my mail at this address.

If I do that, another 2 weeks will go by. Then I'll be told it was not received and I have to do it again. I asked if I could email or upload documents to save time as it was an emergency situation and my circumstances were becoming more and more grim. 

She said no, there was nothing she could do. I could only send mail. 

At this point I have made about 20 +- calls. I can not get out of my home, my car is gone. I had to walk around taking busses in 120 weather because they refused to find a way to allow me to access my account. 

I need food and other items now and can't access the card. 

They could offer a virtual card, they do that for some, they offer offer XXXX money transfers or could send money to my cash app, but they will do none for my account. 

They have cost me my car. Prevented me from being safe, my well being has been comprimised because i had been unable to pay for hotel and forced to be outside walking to busses waiting for busses, it prevented me from being able to Stat at the hotel we were staying while waiting for this weather to subside. 

I called again and get the same response. 

I found, in a spam folder, this morning a message saying that they're unable to approve a " serve card ''. Now, that was dared XX/XX/XXXX. Why has my money not been sent to me. Why hasn't anyone told me this? I am in a situation where {$200.00} makes a dumifference. It has cost me hundreds of dollars in losses, cost me in regards to my health and well being. 

I can get nothing other than people telling me there is nothing thry can do. 

I've mailed proof of my address being a valid functioning address, but I doubt this will improbmve the situation. 

I need my money now.. 

What can I do? 

Thank you, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX AZ XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation