Consumer complaint received 2021-12-14
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: MA
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:
Hello! 

I submitted a complaint on XXXX ( XXXX ) and the response that American Express gave me is not accurate. Ive looked for a place to re-open my complaint, but I couldnt find it. 

American Express is saying that they advised me through the application process that I was not eligible to receive the welcome offer they were advising on their website and that I have received the message based on your history with American Express welcome offers, introductory APR offers, or the number of cards you have opened and closed, you are not eligible to receive this welcome offer which is not true. I have the 2nd screen on the application process after having added all my personal information ( name, address, SSN, income, etc. ) where American Express does not say at any time that I am not eligible to the welcome offer. I proceeded with my application believing that American Express would honor what they were advertising on their website and any information that they have told me that I was not eligible for the bonus is inaccurate, since I found out only a couple of weeks ago, after having met the requirements to receive the bonus. 

Regarding my call, it is not my responsibility to re-confirm what American Express advertise on their website, but American Express to explicitly tell me when I am not eligible for something, which did not happen. Its very unfair and unappreciated to transfer American Expresss responsibility to me. If something is inaccurate on the website and does not apply to a customer, it is American Express responsibility to clarify it, not my responsibility to make sure American Express is doing their job. 

Very disappointed at American Express to make me go through this, and even more disappointed that theyre saying that I was advised that I was not eligible when I was not. As I said, I have the screen proving that American Express did not tell me I was not eligible for the bonus, and I am more than happy to share. 

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - Initial Complaint : On XXXX I was buying a plane ticket on XXXX website and at the checkout I was offered XXXX miles as a welcome bonus to the XXXX XXXX XXXX card after spending XXXX within the first 3 months and XXXX on credit. I applied for the card and got it approved. Then I was doing some research and found the XXXX XXXX XXXX card was offering XXXX points and XXXX XXXX points after spending XXXX within the first 3 months. Since I was looking for another company to be my primary company to fly as a replacement for XXXX XXXX, I decided to get the XXXX XXXX XXXX card as well. I applied for this one through the American Express website and got approved. I was aware that I would have to spend XXXX on the gold and XXXX on the platinum to get the bonus and now that I have met the requirements to get the bonus, I learned that American Express has denied my welcome bonus for no reasonable reason. I have never had neither of these cards before so I was aware or told that I could not be eligible for the welcome bonus. 
I understand that American Express can define the rules to become eligible for the welcome bonus but to me as a prospective customer I knew that I have never had these cards before, so I know that there was no way for me to become ineligible for the welcome bonus. I have not received any kind of communication that even though I was approved for both cards I was not eligible for the welcome bonus otherwise I would not have proceeded with my application. I am not questioning here the eligibility rules for a welcome bonus but the way it was communicated. I even had to call American Express to finish my application and again I was not told that I was not eligible for the welcome bonuses. Therefore, I was led to understand that I would get my bonuses once I met the requirements which are XXXX for the XXXX card and XXXX for the XXXX card. 
I have fulfilled my obligations based on what American Express had offered me at the time I applied and got approved and now I am feeling deceived that American Express is refusing to fulfill their part of the offers. My decision was mostly made based on what was offered to me and I feel like American Express is taking advantage of it by not being clear and not telling me that I was not eligible for the bonuses prior I submitted my application. There were 2 opportunities where American Express could have told me that I would not be getting the welcome bonuses. First when I applied since I had to enter all my information and it would not be difficult for American Express to add another screen to let me know that my card was approved but I would not be getting the welcome Internal XXXX bonuses or when I called to complete my application where the only question I was asked was if I was a military. It would have given me the choice to decide whether I wanted to proceed with my application, but I was led to understand that I was getting the welcome bonuses.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation