Consumer complaint received 2023-07-28
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: CA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Fees or interest
Sub-issue: Problem with fees

Complaint:
I lost access to my statements in XX/XX/XXXX since my account was closed. I could only log in to pay the balance. In XX/XX/XXXX, I did a calculation and realized that I paid around XXXX and should be around $ XXXX left. That when I found out about charging interest after charging off my debt to collection. I was sure the agent said no interest but it will be late fee if I missed. I did paid XXXX until realized that still {$1400.00} left. They charged me interest all along and after calling in l lost access to it. I thought they were adjusting it. Until an another debt collector sent me email again. Attached {$1600.00} I called Amex to be told that I was late and was charged off 2nd time and they encouraged me to pay to get it over. I walked till the end of this so I did paid ( not sure over the phone or they granted me access back ) XX/XX/XXXX XXXX. XXXX that what he told me and my account was closed. 
XX/XX/XXXX, I got a credit report 3 months Amex late payment for {$22.00}. They reported {$22.00} after I paid off and they closed my account. I called them and was told to call another department which told me to send a letter to their specialist XXXX days I must wait. I dont know. It was a miracle XXXX of the agent that I called in XXXX decided to let me pay {$22.00}. It was my job to call their department to get this debt over - she told me that. 

XXXX Amex never once help me or waived any fee. Amex offered me a nice punishment for first late payment by increasing interest from XXXX  % to XXXX % and {$28.00} fee in XX/XX/XXXX during pandemic. The second time was better, they didnt increase interest because that was highest already. So they did fine me {$39.00} and decreased my credit limit from XXXX to XXXX and cash advance from XXXX to XXXX while my balance was XXXX. My credit usage was almost XXXX % my credit score went down hill. I only spent {$95.00} for phone and a few time for food each months. There was a month that increase to {$3700.00} from XXXX billing only and called to claim a fraud transactions which they suggested me to call merchant and waited a few day first. Second time, I called in after merchants denied they said it was too late. I asked for relief plan to be told that I must pay minimum payment which was closed to {$1700.00} and I just lost my job. 
In XXXX, I was XXXX to keep paying without realizing that Amex charged me interest all along after report charge-off. I was sure to be told about paying on time, interest fee, only late fee. So XXXX, I couldnt see any statement had to calculate by hand and realized instead of XXXX I have to pay {$1400.00}. And I lost access to my account. In XXXX, they charge off again {$1700.00} to a debt collector. I paid off and it was over - that was I though. No they report me as late payment for {$22.00}. I spent almost a month to eventually find one agent that let me pay off ( XX/XX/XXXX ). 

Can I ask Amex about this you send me a letter that I can dispute any transaction in XX/XX/XXXX, but I just got access to my statement after XX/XX/XXXX, will you let me dispute any transactions around that time? 

The funniest part of all these was first email from debt collector. It was sent the day I was laid off. Amex offered help during pandemic? Or they did after my first late payment they increased from 17 % to 29.99 % but since they offer helped therefore they changed from XXXX to 29.24 % in XX/XX/XXXX during pandemic. 3 years XXXX interest and XXXX for fee. 3 times XXXX day late payment reported 2 times - charged off, XXXX time lying no interest after charge-off. Eventually {$22.00} was reported as 120 day late payment. At least 2 years from now it will show on my record. I recently moved to new apartment that I had to get a co-signer because my XXXX XXXX was bad. In case if you want to know how I get the money to pay you off, I sold everything and borrowed some money from friend and family as well. Thank you for giving me access to my statement on XXXX XXXX after closing my account in XX/XX/XXXX. 
Thank you for never help me once. You charged all interest, late fee, that secondary account fee, and abuse my XXXX XXXX many time. 
I paid for my part XXXX. I was late you report to credit bureau. Im fine with that. You charged me all interest until charges-off report, I accepted it. But let me ask you this, interest that you promised wont be charged if I pay on time. No interest, but late fee applied if I failed pay on time. I trusted and paid you without seeing how you calculated it. One day I realized that was wrong. You reported me and charges-off again. 

Would it be too late if I asked for XXXX relief act, you said reduce interest. You meant from 17 % to 29.99 %? or XXXX late for at least XXXX times during the pandemic? 

Your agent already let me know about nothing can be credit because of my account was closed. Can you suggest me about remedies or legal advice if I may have a chance to win on fair credit report act?

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation