Consumer complaint received 2023-07-26
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: IL
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card debt
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action
Sub-issue: Threatened or suggested your credit would be damaged

Complaint:
I am a first generation XXXX woman in the USA, I came here when I was XXXX XXXX XXXX and I am a citizen. I have been with American Express for a very long time and never had a problem. When covid hit, I lost my job and decided to stay at home with my XXXX child who is XXXX. Covid showed me the lack of care the school was giving him to overcome his XXXX. It was an immense hardship to lose my job, however seeing how the school system was failing him, my only alternative was to stay at home and homeschool him. I have used my XXXX and all my savings, and unemployment ended earlier than I was told. I had applied for my son to have XXXX, however it took awhile for the government to process his application. Currently I am backed up on my electric, water, and other bills, and trying to make it through this deep in the economy. In the last 3 years, I lost my job, I had to make a choice of letting the school system not help my son or for me to help my son and stay at home with him ( there was suppose to be a program available made by a presidential order under Trump for homeschooling, however my county could not find were those funds were allocated ), I went through my XXXX and savings to stay afloat, and my unemployment was cut short. This is the hardship I have explained to American Express many times and now a company they hire XXXX and XXXX. The moment I knew I was going to default on my card, I called American Express to try to settle with good faith what I could. I was denied, and given options that I could not afford. I received hundreds of calls along with text messages, mail and e-mails from them, regardless how many times I explained my situations the amount of calls were emotionally exhausting. I was told by their representatives that the explanation did not matter or how many times I explained as they had to keep calling me and sending me text, e-mails, and mail correspondence. A representative called me and started to yell at me asking why I had spent so much money. During this period of time American Express sent me an e-mail that my credit limit is around XXXX. I sent an e-mail to the executive customer service at American Express as I felt no one was listening to me. I had a conversation with a manager who stated, they do negotiate and I explained the situation to him and he said he would call me back and when I answer the call there was no one on the line. The executive service representative I was told I could not, it was not even an option. XXXX XXXX I have spoken to, said you have to do your due diligence and keep calling, emailing me, texting me as if I have never answered. She told me the longer the account goes unpaid the more options I would have, however there would be a hit on my credit. As far as the man yelling at me, she did not take it seriously and said something along the lines of, if it is within the time period before your account was closed then I can look at it, however her tone seemed just not interested. I had to search the time frame so she could take it seriously. Luckily there was an e-mail I had received and asked this man who had called me. I called her back and provided the number. She said she would call me back, it never happened. She said my account was at collection and she would have them call me. I promptly reacted to the call. I worked at XXXX XXXX, insurance/bank industry since I was XXXX. There are regulations around conduct. The guy yelling and me trying to handle the unfortunate circumstance I find myself in good faith is questionable. I recently talked to a supervisor, who I explained everything again. He said he would call me back, the phone rang and disconnected. I realized he did not want to talk to me. I called back in the last few days and could not get back to the supervisor who spoke to me. I had offer a settlement of XXXX over 60 months. Under the circumstances that is all I can do. {$100.00} dollars a month was also declined and the new supervisor said it would not make a difference. I said I could with my current budget maximum XXXX even though I just received an email that my limit was under XXXX. I think that would be an agreeable amount at 60 months or no interest. I was declined and told No. I keep receiving this mentally exhausting emails and text that get my hopes up of trying to settle this. As I have received legal advice, I am emailing for help. XXXX does seem to try to help. All the emails and text I receive act as I am ignoring the point. However, your notes will show that I from the beginning have been trying in good faith to resolve this. I received a call from XXXX, who is an agency hired by American Express. I talked with a manager who I explained I would be in good faith able to settle for XXXX with 60 months and 0 interest. I explained my situation again and he said if anything changed to call back. I asked for debt forgiveness and he said only American Express could do that. He said that I would be sued and I would have to also cover the lawsuit cost. I explained that I was trying to settle in good faith, he stated they could settle for around {$23000.00}, which I explained in good faith I could not afford that. XXXX since has threaten me with a lawsuit and the last conversation I had with them they told me there maybe a docket number, but I could make it go all away if I agreed to pay the amount in full. I again explained the situation and I was told a lawyer from Illinois would be filing a lawsuit. I explained that I have been in Conversation with XXXX XXXX CEO of American Express for debt forgiveness, or a settlement, with the research I did I found AMX site which states they have settled debt for 30 %, which I sent an e-mail to XXXX and stated in good faith I could do 30 % with a 72 month payment back and no interest. The debt collector told me they did not do loans any more and I needed to pay in full or else I would be sued. I e-mailed CEO XXXX XXXX from American Express, explained the above and forwarded a few of the e-mails and explained that XXXX was threatening me with a lawsuit, as well as a recap of one of the conversation with XXXX XXXX, where she acted like what I was doing was illegal to contact American Express. She stated I had to work with the agency they hire, so it is an extension of American Express as they do not sell their debt. She said that American Express is FDIC regulated and what I was asking for could not be done. I sent several e-mails to XXXX XXXX explaining how this whole process has happened along with trying in good faith to settle my account. I have also sent him recaps of my conversations and experiences with American Express and XXXX. As the XXXX is working for them as a third party, and perhaps that is why they can be so threatening with their collection methods. XXXX XXXX did reply to me once that he would look into the matter and I explained and forwarded the e-mails to XXXX, however after that I did not hear back directly from him, but XXXX called me and that is when she said FDIC would not allow them to help me. I have e-mailed XXXX manager correspondence between XXXX XXXX and myself. However, everytime I talk to someone they do not appear to have ever heard about it. Yesterday someone came to my home and stated they were an American Express representative. As my child is within the spectrum, one of his triggers is noise, the lady kept ringing the doorbell so much, and told my mom she was with American Express, she went out even though we do not answer the door to strangers for a safety precaution. Someone who stated they were with American Express came to my home, I do not think this is legal. -I followed American Express advice and took a hit on my credit and tried in good faith to negotiate my debt. I was told at first that was not possible but later that it was however that gentleman never got back to me. -I followed XXXX advice to ask for debt forgiveness from American Express XXXX. XXXX made it sound like what I was doing was not legal. She stated American Express can no longer help me, and their third party agency XXXX will have to work with me. -Zwicker has threatened me several times with the lawsuit and in the final conversation I had, the representative stated I could make it all go away by paying the total amount, and if not I would be sued and they would proceed with the docket number. -I have explained to both my hardship and even contacted XXXX XXXX CEO of American Express to try to settle in good faith and explain my situation, however both seem to have dismissed anything I said. However, after my last e-mail to XXXX explaining I may have to file a complaint against American Express and XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX, a representative from American Express ringing my home door and causing not just me but my children distress. -I sent one final e-mail to XXXX asking if this was really an American Express representative as it scared my family and myself. The crazy part on top of everything above is that I keep getting correspondence from American Express that I pre-qualify for a new card, even though they know my situation. 

Today a woman who said she is detective hired by AMX came to my home with lawsuit papers. She again rang the doorbell aggressive even though there is a sing requesting not to. I took pictures of her identification and I am sending a copy of the lawsuit I received. I am being harassed and now intimidated with a lawsuit. The lawsuit also shows that the American Express representative falsely stated that AMX had nothing to do with the XXXX. On the lawsuit it states they are acting on their behalf.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation