Consumer complaint received 2020-12-05
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: NY
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card debt
Issue: False statements or representation
Sub-issue: Attempted to collect wrong amount

Complaint:
I purchase a flight the second week of XXXX of XXXX directly from an XXXX XXXX using a XXXX American Express credit card I had acquire just for this transaction. The flight was for the first week of XX/XX/XXXX. When things were getting serious about COVID-19, I decided to cancel my trip during the first week of XXXX. I contacted XXXX XXXX to get the money back but by then their offices were indefinitely closed and the only way to contact them was through XXXX. I follow their instructions and kept getting in touch with them. No resolution came out of it. 

I finally got tired and contacted American Express in XXXX. They started a dispute but informed me I was late. I explained that there was no way I could have reached out to them within 60 days of the purchase I made with the card because I had no idea we were going to be in a lockdown. The flight was canceled by the airline and no money was refunded.About two months later I was informed that there was nothing American Express could do and that I was responsible for the charge. I called them again and requested to know how they got in touch with the vendor ( the airline ). No one could answer that simple request. 

A second dispute was opened and that also resulted in the responsibility falling on me. I called them as soon as I got that information, in XXXX. A representative took my information down and promised a supervisor would call me the next day.The supervisor did call me and informed me I was right to claim no contact had been made with the vendor. She acknowledge that American Express had lied when they stated contact was made. She said she couldn't put this in writing but that she'd get in touch with me within a week. I mentioned I didn't want to be charged a late fee since I wasn't paying a dime and that I was not going to keep the card either so the annual fee was out of the question as well. She said I didn't have to worry about that and that she'd be in touch in five days. 

After the due date of the bill passed and no payment was made, I was charged a late fee and when I became aware of this, I called American Express. The late fee was removed and I was informed a note would be added to the account while the investigation was ongoing. Two days later I received an email and text messages informing me my account was late. I checked my account online and additional interest had been added. I called American Express again, today, and I was informed that there was no correspondence on file after XXXX of XXXX. The last letters on file stated that I had been informed that I was responsible for the charge in the credit card. I informed the representative that I had been calling nonstop and that I had spoken to a supervisor who had promised to reopen the dispute. While her name later appear on record, no further steps had been taken to rectify this situation. 

The representative tried to speak to his supervisor but he wasn't available and he promised he would email the supervisor I had spoken to and either she or he would give me a call back in about a week. I informed him I was filing a complaint because American Express should know better and not go after a customer when the responsibility is solely of the airline. I've tried to still get in touch with XXXX XXXX but they just give me the runaround. This is the reason I'm filing a complaint. The money for the flight should have been returned the second the flight was canceled. There were so many steps that could have been taken to avoid all this huge issue. I know my rights and I know what American Express is doing is wrong.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief