Consumer complaint received 2019-05-23
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: PA
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: Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX, I went online to purchase concert tickets through XXXX  XXXX. I had the site show me the best values and purchased what I thought were best value. Immediately after purchasing the tickets I went back to XXXX XXXX to purchase an additional ticket in the same section and the same row and found the prices were drastically lower. They were 50 % less. Wanting to really go to this show, I purchased the additional ticket but a few days later I couldnt bear the feeling that I had been misled into buying overpriced tickets. 

I called American Express to dispute the charges of the first ticket purchase. They said to call XXXX XXXX   and call back if they can not resolve the issue. I called XXXX and they told me the tickets were non-refundable and would not budge on the issue of misleading purchases. I called American Express and the said they would dispute the charges. Several days later, I was credited the full amount. 

Couple months later the show was nearing and I quickly looked into buying tickets that I was able to dispute through Amex. I found considerably cheaper tickets of the same section and row on XXXX. After the show, I downloaded a statement from American Express showing that the dispute had been charged back on XX/XX/XXXX. I looked through the account activity on the main homepage and it did not show anything in regards of chargebacks. 

I called to inquire about this. Feeling frustrated, they kept reiterating the same line over and over again. I am sorry but XXXX has a no-refund policy. 

My complaint here was first with XXXX but more so with American Express now. I was never notified of the chargeback on the dispute. Never received an email, document in writing and the website account activity page shows no mention of the chargeback. I went to purchase replacement tickets under the pretense that the dispute had been resolved. The show is over, the tickets went unused and I am left with XXXX dollars in charges. I asked the American Express supervisor to send me in writing of their policy in regards to the date confusion of the chargeback and she told me there was nothing in writing that she can show me. I feel misled and cheated and their excuse for their policy is nowhere to be found for me to know prior that this was the case. 

XXXX and American Express are two large companies that have taken advantage of an average concert goer and turned what was to be a great experience, one filled with frustration and disappointment. 

I feel that XXXX should manage the sale of the tickets more carefully, make sure that their algorithm for their website is accurate. I believe they should not allow selling of tickets on speculation and tickets that are not currently in possession. 

I feel that American Express should have written policies of their disputes, one that clearly explains and informs their customers. I believe they should also have a website that clearly identifies with accurate dates of the dispute chargebacks. Their policies that phone representative reiterate over and over should be available in writing.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation