Consumer complaint received 2023-04-10
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: NY
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement
Sub-issue: Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement

Complaint:
I was a victim of identity theft and fraud. In XXXX of XXXX, somebody opened an American Express credit card with my name, address, and social security number. Due to Amex 's incompetence, laziness, and disorganization this matter is still unresolved. Furthermore, Amex knowingly reported false information to the three credit bureaus : XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX. 
They made these false reports to the credit bureaus five months after I reported the fraud to Amex and the account was closed. They lied by saying there were 3 " late payments '' and by doing so I have incurred damage to my credit score. My credit score went from XXXX to XXXX due to this false reporting and will only get worse if they don't stop. Amex knew the account was fraudulent, spoke with me over 5 different occasions about the fraud, knew not ONE payment was ever received from anybody!, and yet reported it anyway. 
Most absurd, they advised me to NOT report it to XXXX because they would take care of this issue " in house ''. 
I have phone records of every time I called them to tell them I was still getting letters and statements and every time I called them they had no record of my previous calls, couldn't find my case number ( which I always asked for after every call ), and I would have to start from scratch and explain the whole thing over again. Each time, they would tell me NOT to report to the XXXX. 
Meanwhile, Amex was doing nothing about it and decided to report it. 
I am attaching the following evidence : XXXX : These are all the letters that we have received from Amex Month_Year_statement attachments : ( 7 files ) These are images of the statements sent to us spanning from XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX XXXX This is an XXXX workbook containing summary reporting and observations that we have made and contains the following tabs : Log of Account Statements Log of fraudulent charges from the XX/XX/XXXX Statement letter ( Closing dates on this statement is XX/XX/XXXX ) with charges made in XX/XX/XXXX A log of the letters received A log of phone calls held ( both received and made ) Some of these details are not great as we were not keeping the best notes at this point in this case. 

Some observations regarding the attached : Account Statements : This log shows that several letters were sent recording fraudulent payments that were rejected by whatever financial institution they were made with. 
i. What financial institution ( s ) were involved in these transactions? 

XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX card was cancelled. 
i. Who contacted Amex to request this card be added? Was it done online or phone? IS there any receipt/proof of this request? Is that avenue being researched? 

As stated above, I called and alerted Amex of the fraud on XX/XX/XXXX I have a phone log from XXXX to back that up. Fraudulent charges to the account ( s ) in question stopped after I called and AMEX locked the account ( s ). If I were engaged in criminal behavior, why would I alert the company of my activities? Amex would have incurred more loses if I had not called.

The Statement log shows that there were two separate account numbers involved in this case : i. The XXXX Statement shows account ending in XXXX but the other Accounts on other statements end in XXXX Has this been pursued? Why are there different account numbers here? 
ii. The XXXX statement ( Closing date XX/XX/XXXX ) shows a list of charges in many locations. 
An airline ticket was purchased for a XXXX XXXX XXXX Given the stringent requirements for airline travel, has AMEX contacted XXXX for verification? Drivers License or Passport used? Did someone actually fly on this trip? Was any of this evidence investigated by AMEX 's fraud department? 
iii. The XXXX XXXX shows record of payments being sent and then rejected. 

Where did these payments come from? 
One payment mentions it is on online payment. How did the routing number/account number get accepted in the first place? 
Phone Log Again, this document is not 100 % accurate as I was not keeping great notes at this point ( didnt think I needed to ) Call-outs : Please note that I HAVE been cooperating with Amex as you can see by the number of times I've called. I have XXXX phone records of these calls and their duration. 
On that document are employee names and numbers ( where available ) plus File Numbers and Case Reference numbers that representatives have provided. 

Also, I am providing the police report and my report to XXXX Finally, it is my opinion that Amex has deliberately falsified information about me to the credit bureaus and engaged in harassment when a person named XXXX XXXX from Amex 's " legal department '' cold-called me twice ( XXXX XXXX and again in XX/XX/XXXX ) to accuse and harass me for unpaid monies. I am doing everything I can to expunge this fraudulent account from my credit record, but I would also like Amex to be investigated for shoddy practices and unprofessional behavior.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief