Consumer complaint received 2016-05-02
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: PA
Product: Prepaid card
Sub-product: General purpose card
Issue: Unauthorized transactions/trans. issues

Complaint:
I had an account with the prepaid card American Express Serve. I had this card for a few years without any problems. I used it to load cash to and also for my employer to deposit my pay. I received my direct deposit from my employer ( like I have been doing for the past few months ) on XXXX XXXX, 2016 at XXXX XXXX. That night, I took out a cash withdrawal from the arm in the amount of {$200.00}. Including the arm fees and Serves fee the total was {$200.00}. The following morning, I checked my balance like I normally do in the mornings and I had {$0.00} in my account. I charged my latest transactions and it showed a person to person debit in the amount of {$620.00} to a XXXX XXXX. I do not know a XXXX XXXX nor did I authorize a debit to this person. I never did a person to person debit with this account and did not even know that was possible. After reading about it on XXXX, it says that you can send to anyone 's email. I am unsure if the person has to also have a Serve account. 
I called Serves customer service on XXXX XXXX, 2016 to report this unauthorized charges. I was told by the customer service rep that all fraudulent charges are covered by American Express and I would not be liable for this charge. She transfered me to the Account Protection Service XXXX where I put in a claim. I was told that within 2 business days, someone will review my account and the amount of {$620.00} would be credited to my account and that I would get a phone call. I called customer service back on XXXX XXXX, 2016, the 2nd business day, because I had not received a phone call nor was the amount credited to my account. I was told that " the day is n't over and they have all day to credit my account ''. My account was not credited that day and it was a Friday so I was not able to call back until Monday. During the weekend, I noticed that I received a lot of weird emails in my aol email account. This is the same email address that I had linked with my Serve card. I received over XXXX emails of spam. After going through the emails, I noticed I received a few emails from Serve. XXXX on Wednesday, XXXX XXXX, 2016 at XXXX XXXX which was the email that I regularly received in the past which says that my direct deposit has been processed. It says the name of my employer and the amount of my deposit. I then received an email at XXXX XXXX on XXXX XXXX 2016 that says my pin was changed. This was not me, I did not change my pin on XXXX XXXX 2016. Then 1 minute later an email was sent saying that my account was debited {$620.00} sent to XXXX XXXX. I received another email on XXXX XXXX, 2016 late in the day from Serve. The email stated that my account was in violation of Serves terms and my account will be permanently suspended. ( Emails Attached ) I then called Serve that Monday morning, XXXX XXXX, 2016 and was told that American Express will not be honoring my claim and my account will not be credited. With no explanation. I asked to speak to numerous Managers and Supervisors and was told the same thing. That was it, {$620.00} stolen from my account and given no reason why. I DID NOT AUTHORIZE A {$620.00} debit on my account to a XXXX XXXX. American Express Serve closed my account and then sent me a check for {$0.00} which was what was left in my account. The

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation