Consumer complaint received 2020-09-21
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: AZ
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems
Sub-issue: Problem with rewards from credit card

Complaint:
I hold an American Express Hilton Honors XXXX  Card. Every year I am entitled to a {$250.00} Hilton XXXX  credit as part of this card benefit. This is a {$250.00} statement credit that the cardholder receives after eligible purchases at qualifying Hilton XXXX. According to the Amex terms ( attached ) your reward year beings at the account opening date. Each subsequent year begins on the anniversary of your account opening date. My account anniversary is in XXXX. Every year my partner and I have stayed at a Hilton XXXX around or on our birthdays XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX. The terms state that a statement credit will post within 8-12 weeks after the resort stay automatically. If the credit does not automatically post the cardholder is supposed to call customer service for resolution. Each year I have to call for the credit because it has never posted automatically. I have only used one {$250.00} credit each year of membership ( including the first year ) as stated in the resort credit terms ( attached ). Statement credits are attached ( one {$250.00} each year : XXXX, XXXX ). Every year customer service manually posts my credit without issue. This year, due to Covid-19, American Express sent an email ( attached ), saying that the resort credit may be used for restaurant purchased from XX/XX/XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX. I have had at least {$250.00} in restaurant spend to qualify for this benefit. I have not used a {$250.00} XXXX  XXXX   yet this year. I waited for the credit to automatically post as a statement credit. It did not. I called customer service who stated that I have already used the credit for this year. I have not. I escalated this issue to supervisers who do not ever return my calls and simply ignore me. I opened a complaint with the XXXX  and finally received a return call. The agent stated that I have over used this benefit and will therefore not receive it this year. She stated that the benefit only posts at the end of your anniversary date - which is clearly not what the Amex terms state ( attached ). She also stated that I have already used this years benefit - which I have not ( attached ). I have only ever used ONE {$250.00} credit for the first year, then ONE {$250.00} credit for each anniversary year. American Express refuses to issue this credit even though it is clear that I am entitled to it per their terms and the benefits of the card. 

I researched this issue on the XXXX forum online and many users state the American Express commonly denies and/or does not apply the Hilton XXXX XXXX  then refuses to issued the credit due to cardholders when they call customer service. This is fraud on their part and a clear breach of the terms of the customer agreement and their terms regarding this benefit at the expense of the customer. 

I have only used ONE {$250.00} XXXX XXXX per anniversary year. American Express repeatedly states that I have already used this years credit, yet can not provide any documentation or proof of this because I have not.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief