Consumer complaint received 2022-02-22
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: Didn't receive advertised or promotional terms

Complaint:
Amex did not give me the 75,000 points as promised. Please check the following chat transcripts with amex online agent. 

agent XXXX AM A Customer Care Professional will be with you shortly. In the meantime, please provide any information that may help us assist you. 
XXXX XXXX Hello. 
XXXX AM How may I assist you today? 
XXXX AM XXXX agent XXXX PM A Customer Care Professional will be with you shortly. In the meantime, please provide any information that may help us assist you. 
XXXX PM Hi thank you for messaging us today. I hope you are doing well. How XXXX I help you? 
XXXX PM XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, we'll use automated messages to chat with you and Customer Care Professionals are standing by. Please select XXXX of these options, or in a few words tell me what you need help with. 
XXXX PM agent XXXX PM A Customer Care Professional will be with you shortly. In the meantime, please provide any information that may help us assist you. 
XXXX PM Hi! I hope you're safe and healthy. 
XXXX PM Please let me know how may I help you today, XXXX PM Hi, could you please help me to check whether I have met all the requirements for the sign up bonus of my gold credit card account ending in XXXX XXXX PM Sure, please allow me a minute., XXXX PM thanks XXXX PM I see that you have a welcome offer where you earn : 75,000 Membership Rewards points after making qualifying purchases of {$4000.00} or more within the first 6 months ( 183 days ) of Card Membership. 
20 % Statement Credit back on all purchases up to of {$250.00} spent at XXXX XXXX  within 12 months ( 365 Days ) of Card Membership.

You have made the eligible spend and as per the offer terms, the points are credited within 8-12 weeks after the eligible spend is met. 
We usually issue the points soon and you can expect to receive it by next statement.. 
XXXX PM OK, just to confirm I have met all the requirements XXXX PM Yes, you have already met the spending. 
XXXX PM XXXX PM Could you please help me to check why I did not receive the sign up bonus for my gold account ending in XXXX XXXX PM Please allow me a moment to review the account. 
XXXX PM thanks XXXX PM are you still there? 
XXXX PM the chat logged out automatically and I logged in again XXXX PM Yes, I am here. 
XXXX PM I have checked the account and the points are not yet reflecting on the account. In this case, what I can do is escalate it to our Marketing Team to further investigate. 
XXXX PM One moment please while I submit a case. 
XXXX PM OK, thanks XXXX PM I have successfully filed a case. And your reference is XXXX. Please allow within 2 weeks for the account. You may chat us back from time to time to check the status. 
XXXX PM XXXX PM could you please help me to check why I did not get the XXXX bonus points XXXX PM Please allow me a moment. I'm going through your query. 
XXXX PM thanks XXXX PM You're most welcome. I see that you wish to chat with us regarding your welcome bonus offer and the last rep has raised a case investigation for you. 

Please allow me a moment. I'm checking on the case status now. 
XXXX PM I've checked and can see that the case investigation has been resolved. 

The outcome of the investigation : You must charge {$4000.00} ( the " Threshold Amount '' ) of eligible purchases on the American Express? XXXX XXXX within the first 6 months of Card Membership to earn the XXXX Membership Rewards? points starting from the date your account is approved. 

Points will be credited to your Program account within 8-12 weeks after you have met the Threshold Amount.

Please continue to make eligible purchases on your card. The points will be credited to your account within 8 to 12 weeks from the day you meet the spend threshold amount. 
XXXX PM agent XXXX PM We are still connected. Have you received my last response? 
XXXX PM I have already met the spending requirement XXXX PM Okay. In that case you will have to wait for 8 to 12 weeks for the bonus points to post on your account. The above welcome bonus offer is active on your card. 
XXXX PM I have already wait 3 month since I met the requirement. And that's the reason why an agent raised the case XXXX PM Okay. Please allow me a moment. I'll check on it. If it's been 12 weeks then you should have got your points by now. 
XXXX PM I've checked your card was approved on : XXXX You have met the qualified sp XXXX AM XXXX PM I've checked your card was approved on : XXXX You have met the qualified spend on : XXXX The 12 weeks timeframe will end by :? Monday?,? XXXX?? XXXX?,? XXXX You would receive the welcome bonus offer points by this date. 
XXXX PM got it. I have to wait another 10 days XXXX PM thank you so much XXXX PM You're most welcome and thank you very much for your understanding in this regard. 

Please feel free to message us anytime, we are here when you need us available XXXX. 

Thank you very much for being an American Express card member since XXXX. We value your membership with us. 

Have a great day. 
XXXX PM No, thanks XXXX AM I do not get the bonus points for the gold card XXXX AM could you please help me to check that XXXX AM please stop typing. 
XXXX AM I need to review what you have sent. 
XXXX AM Checking the account. 
XXXX AM OK, thanks XXXX AM You're welcome. 
XXXX AM Need just one more minute. 
XXXX PM No problem. 
XXXX PM Apologies for the http : //delay.My system is running a bit slow. 
XXXX PM Hence it's taking longer than usual. 
XXXX PM take your time to check. 
XXXX PM Thanks for your patience. 
XXXX PM XXXX, I see that the inquiry which was raised for the missing points and as per the details it shows, you need to wait for the points to credit. They will be credited within 8-12 weeks from the date the threshold was met. 

Hence you should see them credited after XX/XX/XXXX. 
XXXX PM I've checked your card was approved on : XXXX You have met the qualified spend on : XXXX The 12 weeks timeframe will end by : Monday, XX/XX/XXXX You would receive the welcome bonus offer points by this date. 
XXXX PM Last time your colleague told me the deadline is XXXX XXXX XXXX PM I have contacted Amex many times for the bonus points. If I can not get the points on time, please cancel my account XXXX PM I totally understand the reason for your frustration here. Even though the 12 weeks time frame completed on XX/XX/XXXX, the points should credit anytime now. 
XXXX PM I really appreciate your patience in this regard. 
XXXX PM I do not believe the points will post anymore XXXX PM I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience due to this. 
XXXX PM The rewards for the card should appear credited to your rewards account any day as the max time frame has already reached. 
XXXX PM Give me the points or close my account, I just have these two choices XXXX PM XXXX did not post the points as promised XXXX PM Unfortunately, the points will be credited automatically. If you wish to cancel the card, let me transfer you to a Membership Consulting professional who can better assist you with your request. One moment please. 
XXXX PM A Customer Care Professional will be with you shortly. In the meantime, please provide any information that may help us assist you. 
XXXX PM Hello XXXX. You are now chatting with a Membership Consultant XXXX, my name is XXXX. I will be glad to review conversation and assist you, just a moment while I pull up your account. 
XXXX PM Hi, XXXX, I hope you could help me to solve the issue XXXX PM I completely understand the concern regarding bonus points. I am checking on the investigation which was opened. 
XXXX PM Thanks for your attention and XXXX XXXX PM You're welcome. 
XXXX PM I am still checking on it, thanks for your patience. 
XXXX PM OK XXXX PM I am really sorry to keep you waiting. I am reviewing previous conversation and account to make sure if there is a way to resolve your concern. 
XXXX PM thanks for your help XXXX PM Thanks for waiting. I have checked, investigation and team has indicated that spend was not met due to which points didn't get issued by now. However, I see the welcome offer period is for 6 months from the date you opened card so team has advised us to let you know to keep spending on Card. Rest assured you qualify for the bonus and you will get points. I suggest you to keep using card and wait until XX/XX/XXXX statement has generated. 
XXXX PM I can not believe that XXXX PM all the agent have told me the spending requirement has been met XXXX PM I've checked your card was approved on : XXXX You have met the qualified spend on : XXXX XXXX PM I understand and I would like to apologize for the inconvenience. You are still in time frame and it is best you keep using this card and you do qualify for the offer but spend needs to meet. Please use the card to avail offer because it will eventually trigger points. Spend was reviewed by the team, and we can only open the investigation. However, offer is valid for 6 months. 
XXXX PM I can not believe Amex can not tell a customer meeting the requirement or not correctly XXXX PM I have met the requirments already XXXX PM and you colleague confirmed that in previous chat XXXX PM OK XXXX PM I do not want to waste time on the card anymore. 
XXXX PM please help me close my account XXXX PM I have also reopened the investigation and our team will review it again. I will mention the charges you made on Card. Yes, I agree with you that agents shared it was met, I once again apologize for the trouble and inconvenience. 
XXXX PM I would recommend you to please keep the Card open as your annual paid covers till XX/XX/XXXX. 
XXXX PM This will ensure your spend is met. 
XXXX PM I have already met the requiement XXXX PM Offer is valid till XX/XX/XXXX XXXX PM close my account, please XXXX PM I can not believe amex has such a terrible customer service XXXX PM Yes, I get your point and I have opened investigation as well and this time, team will review account again and help resolve the problem. 
XXXX PM the team can not tell whehter I have met the requirement. So terrible XXXX PM please help me close my account. or give me the points XXXX PM XXXX PM I see that you have a welcome offer where you earn : 75,000 Membership Rewards points after making qualifying purchases of {$4000.00} or more within the first 6 months ( 183 days ) of Card Membership. 
20 % Statement Credit back on all purchases up to of {$250.00} spent at GLOBAL RESTAURANTS within 12 months ( 365 Days ) of Card Membership.

You have made the eligible spend and as per the offer terms, the points are credited within 8-12 weeks after the eligible spend is met. 
We usually issue the points soon and you can expect to receive it by next statement.. 
XXXX PM OK, just to confirm I have met all the requirements XXXX PM Yes, you have already met the spending. 
XXXX PM XXXX PM The date for the above chat transcript is XXXX XXXX XXXX PM today, you told me the so-called team stated I dit not met the requirement. Is that a JOKE? 
XXXX PM I understand the frustration due to this. I apologize, I have shared the information from the team who reviewed account for the spend. I do agree you made 2 charges at XXXX adding up more than {$4000.00}. It seems that there might be some issues due to which one charge from XXXX may not have appeared while reviewing account and this is the reason why I am willing to reopen investigation to get it checked again XXXX PM I request you to please wait 8-12 weeks time frame from XX/XX/XXXX date XXXX PM Because charges are counted in 8-12 weeks time after they are billed on account XXXX PM So the XX/XX/XXXX statement generated on XXXX and 8-12 weeks time starts from this date. 
XXXX PM I've checked your card was approved on : XXXX You have met the qualified spend on : XXXX The 12 weeks timeframe will end by :? Monday?,? XXXX?? XXXX?,? XXXX You would receive the welcome bonus offer points by this date. 
XXXX PM the deadline is XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, according to the previous chat transcript XXXX PM please help me to close my account XXXX PM Yes, I agree that agent informed you about it. The 8-12 weeks period will end by XX/XX/XXXX. If you still insist on cancelling, I can honor request but I don't want you to cancel it now XXXX PM because you will get the points XXXX PM It seems that I have been cheated by Amex several times XXXX PM There seems to be some misunderstandings from previous agent who informed about 8-12 weeks timeframe XXXX PM the spending date, not the statment date, according to the terms XXXX PM Had I been in your situation, I would have felt the same. I suggest you to keep it open till next month by XX/XX/XXXX. 
XXXX PM May I file a claim againt the inverstigation team? 
XXXX PM the team did not work properly and got the incorrect result XXXX PM I agree there seems to be some mistake made while reviewing account but I would like you to not cancel it yet. You can leave it open and I have reopened investigation and mentioned what previous agents have done so that our team will make sure your problem/concern is resolved on priorities. 
XXXX PM May I file a claim againt the inverstigation team? 
XXXX PM after I waited for 8-12 weeks, you asked me wait another 8-12 weeks XXXX PM I can not believe this is the way amex treating their customers XXXX PM My apologies, I am not asking for another 8-12 weeks. I am requesting to wait till next month. This month is almost over XXXX PM even if we calculate 8-12 weeks from XX/XX/XXXX, it would come out by end XXXX XX/XX/XXXX. 
XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX is when you made second the delta charge that met the spend.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation