Consumer complaint received 2022-08-02
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: FL
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:
In XXXX XXXX XXXX I enlisted in the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, upon learning about some of the benefits entitled to me I stumbled across the American Express Platinum card with a hefty {$690.00} annual fee but they advertise it as the fee is waived to all service members serving in the XXXX XXXX under the SCRA act. So I signed up and got approved and about a month or so later around XXXX XXXX I was charged the annual fee. I called American Express and asked why this was when I had submitted all documents a few weeks prior ( about two weeks ) or so to be put under the SCRA act. The agent on the phone said it was because I had not shipped out to XXXX  training yet and was not under XXXX XXXX orders ( which makes no sense because XXXX XXXX  credit cards say the opposite that in order to qualify for the SCRA act you would already have to have an account open then go on active orders ) American Express is claiming the opposite that I would have to be on active orders already and then open the account then I would qualify for the SCRA act. But thats not the main issue the main issue is when the agent on the phone told me that I had two options. 1 I could close the account and simply reopen it when I was on active orders or 2 pay the annual fee and resubmit when my active orders started and receive a statement credit for the annual fee.

I chose the second options as it seemed much easier but didnt know that I would never receive my statement credit. When I called back after my XXXX training the agent on the phone told me that the first agent I spoke to basically lied to me and that there would be no statement credit issues to me. I escalated the situation and submitted a complaint but never heard anything back so after two weeks I called back asking about the status of my complaint where this third agent said to not worry that I would be receiving my statement credit in about two weeks. So two more weeks pass and nothing so I call again ask to speak to another agent where this time I was told Im receiving false information and that I would not be receiving a statement credit and if I would like to escalate the issue again because ( all phone calls are monitored ) and I should never have been given that information in the first place. So I escalate once more and wait another two weeks and this process has basically been repeating itself for XXXX months now where I call once or twice every two weeks send a few emails and Ill have someone tell me that Ill either will or wont be receiving my statement credit I have called over 50 times and spoken to over 50 agents at American Express all who tell me different answers and can not transfer me to anyone. The only answer they all ever give me that doesnt change is that there is no one I can speak to besides them. The backend office does not receive phone calls and will never email you back. I did manage to speak with the SCRA office once where the lady just told me my account is under SCRA but that she did not know why I was experiencing this and that she would submit a complaint for me which I never heard back from either. American Express has basically robbed/ conned me out of my {$690.00} because if they just actually trained their agents correctly and actually did anything right this problem could have been resolved im about to get charged the annual fee again without ever resolving my first one. How can American Express have their agents tell me to just pay the annual fee and that theyll give me a statement credit later on and then never do it and just tell me that agent lied he shouldnt have done that then have multiple other agents tell me I he didnt lie youll be receiving your statement credit in two weeks and just continue on this back and fourth never doing anything about it. This is simply criminal I would like to pursue legal action for this con.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief