Consumer complaint received 2018-04-01
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: TX
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:
I applied on-line and received an AMEX card that was advertising zero interest for 15-months on a credit card. I was granted the line of credit on XX/XX/XXXX and then immediately submitted a credit card balance transfer to pay a loan off. On XX/XX/XXXX, I clearly was advised by telephone that it was against AMEX 's policy to transfer a credit card balance to a loan. waited a week, and chatted on line about the submitted transfer, as I had a promotional expiring on the loan on XX/XX/XXXX. I was informed to contact AMEX Balance Transfer team, which I did the following day. I was advised after getting the card that my balance transfer would be declined, as I could only be approved for a credit card balance transfer, and AMEX 's policy was that you could not transfer a balance from a loan to an AMEX card. I advised the customer service agent on the phone to refer to card terms that noted that loans were not part of the transfer balance promotion. I was advised to check my terms, which I did not receive the terms until I received the card. At that point, I asked for my card to be cancelled on XX/XX/XXXX. I received a letter in the mail after several conversations with other customer service representative, and never having the opportunity to speak to a manager, that the balance transfer had occurred and an electronic transfer was sent to the loan that I had already paid off via a loan that did have interest that I originally sought out after AMEX advised me over and over that the balance transfer would not occur. The letter was dated on XX/XX/XXXX and signed by a XXXX XXXX, VP Global New Accounts. Immediately upon receipt of the letter, I called customer service, and asked how a transfer balance could occur on a cancelled card. I was advised that the credit card balance transfer was separate from the loan transaction. I had a hour discussion with a alleged supervisor at AMEX, who continued to tell me I needed to read the agreement, and that they could not stop or revoke the electronic balance transfer to pay the loan. The balance transfer was received by the loan company on XX/XX/XXXX. As a result, I was forced into paying interest on a loan, and the loan was paid-off by both the loan and AMEX entity. I believe that this needs to be investigated, due to the fact that the credit card was cancelled out and somehow the balance transfer still occurred while the card was cancelled and against the alleged violation of AMEX 's on card transfer terms ( no card transfers apply to closed out cards ). I am also, asking for the amount of interest I will be paying for the loan, due to AMEX noting numerous times the transaction would not occur. I am also requesting that the dates of cancellation and the date of the balance transfer be investigated, as I am under the impression that AMEX fraudulently applied charges on a cancelled card and without my permission against their own terms.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation