Consumer complaint received 2016-03-26
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: MA
Product: Credit card
Issue: Transaction issue

Complaint:
I opened an Amex Serve account and attempted to send funds to the XXXX sub-accounts that I had opened using a debit card to transfer the funds to each sub-account. In error, I entered the incorrect debit card number, which generated an " error '' message from the Amex Serve website. I was then prompted to enter a different debit card number, as the XXXX that I had incorrectly entered ( in error! ) was that of my husbands. I then entered my correct debit card information and funds were transferred from my personal bank account to each sub-account, {$100.00} and {$60.00}, respectively. This transaction occurred without incident, per Amex Serve 's website and I was then able to confirm the balances in both sub-accounts, leaving me to believe that all was well. My daughters then went to use their Amex Serve card, and it was declined. I then called the cust srvs number and it was explained to me that my account had been suspended because of the initial error from when I had entered my husbands debit card information which, as I had reported to the cust srvs rep was in error ... I also asked why then, did their system allow for me to continue with the transfer if I was in violation of their policies regarding debit cards having to match the card holders name ... no one could answer me. This all occurred on XXXX XXXX, 2016. I called today, XXXX XXXX, 2016 to inquire as to the status of my account and/or funds, as I was told back on XXXX and during another call to cust srvs that I had made approx XXXX weeks later that my account had been submitted for review and as of today, no update has been given to me. The rep I spoke with this evening explained to me that my acct had not yet, in fact, been sent for " review '' and that he would initiate the three to five business days process as of that moment. Additionally, I was told that the XXXX sub-accounts ( that had the most money in them ) had n't popped up on my acct until I brought it to his attention. If my account has been permanently suspended, then how can my XXXX sub-accounts be further managed?? They are both in my daughter 's names and neither is XXXX yrs of age, which means that they both need me in order to be able to obtain/request their funds. If I had n't called or mentioned the XXXX sub-accounts, what would 've happened to that money?? While I understand the guidelines set forth by this company, I do NOT understand why the transfer was still able to occur, if my prior debit card entry was in clear violation of said policy! Should n't my acct have been suspended right then? Regardless of that, Amex Serve has made no effort to reach out to me regarding this situation and the fact that it has now been four weeks since they 've been holding onto my money, is infuriating. What I find particularly disturbing is that my account has only NOW been sent for review, creating another three to five more ( business ) days until I ( supposedly ) will hear back from them, and another seven to ten more ( business ) days before those funds are processed to be returned to me. Why do I have to be out ( what will end up being ) for seven to eight weeks of MY money before I get it back?? Is n't there a time limit to situations like this? Should n't there have been some red flag that alerted Amex Serve that there was/is a balance on a suspended account that needed to be refunded? What if I had n't been so diligent in following up with them, as to the whereabouts of my refund? I find their practices to be very shady and untrustworthy. How do I even know that I will get my money back? Again, I understand and accept the responsibility of my entry error, prompting this current situation with my account, but what I do not understand is why then did Amex Serve still take out money from my checking acct and fund my XXXX sub-accounts with those funds ... only to have my acct suspended thereafter. Something is n't right. Something does n't add up here.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief