Consumer complaint received 2018-11-14
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
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:
Enclosed is the documentation for the fraud claim. Numerous accounts were opened and charges were made in my name. There were numerous cash advances and balance transfers. I am appealing the entire card and all the charges. Listed below are the reasons for the appeal. Please consider them. Thank you. 

My sister opened numerous cards in my name and continued to charge on them until I discovered the accounts and closed them. All contact information is hers, including the mailing address, email info, and phone numbers. My name is on the bill, and my SSN is on the account, but all other info is hers. 

1. I have never known any account number of any credit card issued. There were 13 cards opened, and I had no access to the account numbers.

2. I have never physically seen any of the cards.

3. I am blocked from accessing the account information online, because she directed the verification code to her phone number and e-mail. I am still unable to access most of the credit card statements to print for documentation. 
4. She made it seem as if I set up the accounts, with password and login appearing to be me. But all contact information is hers, since she set up all accounts without my knowledge.

5. The mailing address in not mine, but the bill is in my name. I have never lived at that address.

6. She never told me about any charges before or after they were made. I have never learned of any charges on any card.

7. She has made numerous cash advances without my knowledge. It wasnt me who made the withdrawals, because I have lived overseas for 15 years, and am not physically present in the US or in Ohio.

8. She never told me the accounts ( sometimes two cards with the same company ) were being made. Never asked permission.

9. She never volunteered any information about the cards in general ( account numbers, balances, etc. ), until I asked her about them recently, which led to the fraud claim. We ran the credit report, because we got a notice from XXXX regarding a decrease in the score. At that time, I learned about all the cards and the total balance due.

10. I have never seen a bill from any credit card company, online or on paper. 
11. I live overseas and could not have been present to make the purchases. Please see the alien card and passport at proof.

12. The wrong contact info is on the account.

13. All usage was only for her needs.

14. She did not seek approval for any cards issued or any charges.

15. I do not know when the accounts were opened.

16. The billing address and the contact information is hers. However, my name is listed as the owner of the account. The name listed on the account is XXXX XXXX XXXX. My legal name is XXXX XXXX XXXX. The two names do not match. 
I have supplied documentation of my legal name and the billing statement. Please note the mismatch of the names. 

In XX/XX/XXXX, I ran a credit check and discovered this account had been opened in XX/XX/XXXX ( without my knowledge ). She never informed me of the account or any of the charges. 

For these reasons, these accounts are fraudulent. Please advise me how to proceed. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns. That is my husbands phone number. If possible, please call my husbands cell, since he never misses calls. If you call, please note the 12 hour time difference ( ahead ). If you email me with a direct dial number ( no XXXX numbers, please ), I would be happy to call back or reply to your e-mail. E-mail is the most efficient way to contact me. Thank you for your attention. 

I have called AMEX fraud department three times since XX/XX/XXXX ( when I filed the fraud claim ). They have assured me the account will be cleared but it has not ( as of XX/XX/XXXX ). It is currently under dispute.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief