Consumer complaint received 2023-05-26
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: PA
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:
At the time, I had several credit cards with American Express. Their mobile app didn't specify whether the auto pay was set up for one card or all cards. I have set it up and thought it was for all cards. To be sure, I asked a representative via online chat whether my auto pay was successfully set up ( on or around XX/XX/XXXX since it's my due date ), and the representative didn't tell me it actually wasn't set up. So, I thought the payment should already go through on XX/XX/XXXX. I also already prepared enough money to pay in my linked checking account. 

However, when I found out the payment wasn't processed, it was already late even though I immediately paid the total balance on the next day XXXX. I was worried so much and asked an online representative exactly in words " how much is the interest for my case '' ( I thought there was only interest not knowing about the late fee for this late by 1 day payment. ) ( This conversation is attached. ) The representative said, " I calculated for 6 days and the estimate is : {$17.00} ''. I then asked why it is for 6 days and asked for what if for 1 day. She said I could calculate myself, then I just ended the chat. So, I think that the late charge is approximately less than {$17.00} and it actually feels not that bad. 

On XX/XX/XXXX or XX/XX/XXXX, I saw that the late fee of {$29.00} was posted and I was actually feeling somewhat fooled since the charge is somewhat higher than what the representative estimated. But I still just called American Express and explained to them that I only paid late for 1 day, and it was because I was given the wrong information by their representatives about my auto pay. I made about XXXX calls and my request was finally accepted. When I saw the email about this approval, I thought the case has finally been solved and over. 

I would never think at that time that on XX/XX/XXXX, I was charged for a second time for {$77.00}. Just to be clear, it was never mentioned when I argued with them about the late fee of {$29.00} and I almost went crazy after seeing this. I totally felt fooled. To me, if reasonable, they could just tell me that there will be another {$77.00} charged and said if they waived the {$29.00}, the {$77.00} wouldn't be possibly waived and maybe let me choose an option. However, they said nothing about that but just treated me like a fool. I have called American Express for at least more than 1 hour now, but they just said if they submit the request for credit, it wouldn't be approved. In one of the calls, the person even told me that I could actually be waived either of the two charges, but since the {$29.00} was already waived, it was the only way. I mean excuse me no one told me about the second charge and I was never informed properly by American Express in the whole process! I don't believe they couldn't do anything to properly help me and I also can't believe that a late payment for 1 day could be charged XXXX dollars. I really feel why not just steal from me for the money, but let me go through all of this.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation