Consumer complaint received 2018-04-25
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: NY
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Advertising and marketing, including promotional offers
Sub-issue: Confusing or misleading advertising about the credit card

Complaint:
Hello, In XX/XX/XXXX, I received email from American Express with reference link and instruction how to apply for card. I used that link on XX/XX/XXXX. It led me to this offer with Bonus : Premier Rewards Gold Card from American Express Earn XXXX Membership Rewards Points after you use your new Card to make {$2000.00} in purchases within the first 3 months. 
3X points for flights booked directly with airlines. 2X points at US restaurants, US gas stations, and at US supermarkets. 1X points on other purchases.

No Foreign Transaction Fees. 
{$100.00} Airline Fee Credit. Up to {$100.00} a calendar year for baggage fees at one airline. 
Get a {$75.00} hotel credit on qualifying charges, plus a room upgrade upon arrival, when available with The XXXX XXXX at americanexpress.com/XXXX. 
{$0.00} Intro Annual Fee for the 1st year, then {$190.00}. 
I applied for card and was approved right away. 
I received email from XXXX XXXX, President of U.S. Consumer Products & Services at American Express. 

Welcome to American Express Hello, XXXX XXXX Account Ending : XXXX Ref : XXXX XXXX XXXX Enjoy Your New Premier Rewards Gold Card Membership! 

Welcome to Premier Rewards Gold Card Membership! We're excited that you have chosen American Express. 
Your new Card will arrive before you know it. If you already have an online account, you can add your new Premier Rewards Gold Card now. If you don't have one, you can set up an online account now and take advantage of online account features like : Checking your balance Tracking your rewards Paying your bill Signing up for account alerts We're here for you We want to let you know that you can contact us 24/7 online, via social media, or over the phone, if you have any questions big or small - that's part of our commitment to delivering our award-winning brand of Relationship Care service to you. 

Thanks for choosing American Express again. 


President, U.S. Consumer Services American Express 1. Offer above states : Earn XXXX Membership Rewards Points after you use your new Card to make {$2000.00} in purchases within the first 3 months. 
Letter clearly states that I got NEW PREMIER REWARDS GOLD card. President welcomes me ( not welcome back ) to NEW Card Membership ( not to renew card membership ). She let me know that my NEW CARD will arrive soon and I can add my NEW PREMIER GOLD CARD to online account. After so many times President said  that card is new and membership is new, you believe it is NEW. 
2. Since email with reference offer came already from American Express, I expect that by offering this card, they checked my status and have to inform me about having the same card before and that I will not qualified for bonus XXXX   point. In my case, American Express kept that information secret and took advantage, after I spent {$2000.00}. 
3. In XX/XX/XXXX, CFPB Director XXXX XXXX said about Credit Card offers that lure in customers and then hit them with surprised charges, or in my case, with refusing to pay bonus : Today, we are putting credit card companies on notice that we expect them to clearly disclose how these promotional offers apply to customers 4.  American Express personnel knowingly and intentionally misled customers. 
I did not found any restriction regarding XXXX bonus points on offer page that I displayed above. XXXX and XXXX XXXX place it right next to offer front page, why not American Express? Are they above all other? 

I completed spending requirement of {$2000.00} on XX/XX/XXXX. 

I chatted on XX/XX/XXXX with Representative XXXX and he said to wait 6 weeks. No specific answer regarding my account if I qualified for bonus XXXX points or not. 
Representative XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX said to wait more, 8-12 weeks. When I called for Supervisor, he called XXXX. He made a quick research and told me that I had this card before and not qualified for Bonus. 
On XX/XX/XXXX I had conversation with XXXX XXXX from executive office. Her argument, as well as all other Amex employees, when you sign application you agreed with offer term and condition and Email from President, just general welcome greeting to everyone who applied. 
From my point of view, if American Express President had no idea what is she talking about ( NEW card, NEW membership ), how should I know that card and membership old or new? 
If other credit card company place information about bonus restriction right next to their offer, why American Express hide it somewhere? 
Base on collective action from American Express personal, starting from President XXXX XXXX and finishing by Customer Service Representative XXXX, this company found new way to invite people to apply and after they completed their part of agreement spend {$2000.00}, simply let customer know that she/ he not qualified. 

It is very ease to lost reputation of Outstanding and reliable company, that keep promise even when something went wrong, but it very hard to get it back. 
In my opinion, Bonus of XXXX  points has to apply to my account. 
I appreciate for positive resolution of my issue. Thank you.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation