Consumer complaint received 2019-07-09
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:
I booked a trip to XXXX XXXX for business using my American Express Platinum card and paid for the hotel room via my American Express travel which is one of the benefits of paying the fee for a platinum card and the extra added secuirty should an issue arise while traveling. However I soon found out this is NOT the case with American Express Platinum - I have been a long standing customer with this card and am a single mother who travels frequently for business and this service was always important to me. I had booked the room for XX/XX/2019 until XX/XX/2019 and paid for the hotel via AM Ex Travel using some of my American Express travel points and the rest was paid on my card. While I was away my daughter was in a terrible car accident, her vehicle totaled and I needed to get on a flight back home immediately. I went to the Hotel manager at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX where I was staying and was told they were not able to refund any of my money for the days of XX/XX/XXXX thru XX/XX/XXXX that I had paid when booking due to their hotel policy that if I booked through a third party that I was have zero travel insurance to get any money should such an incedent arise. I called American Express Travel twice. that evening and waited on the phone for over an hour to even get someone on the line to speak with. I was then told I would need to call back in the morning before I left because Am Ex could only speak to t he person I spoke with already at the hotel. I called the next morning now having spoke to 5 other people at Am Ex to get some resolution and again hours on the phone trying to get someone to help me - I finally spoke to someone at Am Ex travel who said call back after you get home because the problem is they can't do anything until I am physically checked out of the room as there system won't be able to escalate the matter while I am still checked in. As of last night XX/XX/2019 I have STILL been trying to get someone from AM EX travel that can actually help or resolve this - I have spoken to over 15 people from Am EX and NOT ONE has helped and again have spent a minimum of 60 plus minute holding each time to even get someone on the phone and have to go over t he same details EVERY time! I was able to speak to someone who contacted the hotel and they said that yes the would refund the money and they would email AM EX back to confirm once t he confirmed. that I did in fact check out of the room on XX/XX/XXXX - that person then said I will put you through to a supervisor at that time to further take care of this matter - well I waited on the phone for 55 minutes and then the phone got disconnected and I was told if that happened. that they would call me back - it NEVER HAPPENED - I called again last night and then got someone on the line who was of zero help and went through the AM EX emails after an hour and a half on the phone and he said yes t hey agreed to give you a refund and then came back and said sorry no they wrote another email stating poilcy that you booked through AM EX and paid in full so they aren't refunding and i asked to speak to his superior because I can not go through this again! That person I spoke with said he would call me back and AGAIN NO ONE EVER CALLED ME - American Express should in no way not correct this as I booked through them due to their Platinum travel and because I did and because I paid for this via AM EX in their 3rd party and I had a terrible emergency I will not have any recourse and this is fraudelant and absolutely wrong to do to ANY and this never happen to anyone. I have XXXX points and use their hotels frequently and found out it would have been better to book directly through XXXX and just charge it on my card rather than using AM EX travel Platinum - AM Ex should take care of t heir customers especially having to [ pay a fee for this card and should be very clear that if someone uses t heir services and pays this is exactly what will happen. AM EX has said on multiple of the times I've called sorry we can't help you it's the hotel - my own bank debit card would never treat me this way and I am also able to get customer service. I work full time and to have someone beg to get help and over 15 phone calls and NO help or response from Am EX is WRONG!

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief