Consumer complaint received 2016-10-04
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: VA
Product: Credit card
Issue: Rewards

Complaint:
I have been a loyal American Express card holder since XXXX and have excellent credit. I have always appreciated the high level of customer service that your company provides to its customers. However, recently my Membership Rewards ( R ) Points on my Platinum card were abruptly removed from my account without any warning or contact of any kind from American Express. In my years of interaction with American Express I have never experienced this type of treatment. 

On XXXX XXXX, I was approved for the XXXX Membership Rewards ( R ) Points for the Platinum card after spending {$3000.00}. Once I received my card I began using it and eventually reached a spending threshold of {$3000.00} which awarded me XXXX Membership Rewards ( R ) Points, as noted in the terms and conditions of the Platinum card. Then, on XXXX XXXX, XXXX I was charged a {$450.00} annual fee. I continued to use the card and currently have no past due balance. I have spent a total of {$4800.00} which has earned me XXXX Membership Rewards ( R ) Points in my account, which ends in XXXX. I met the minimum spending threshold, yet my XXXX Membership Rewards ( R ) Points were taken away from my account. 

To better understand why my Membership Rewards ( R ) Points were removed from my account, I chatted online with an American Express representative on XXXX/XXXX/XXXX at XXXX ( reference # XXXX ) and was told I would be contacted by phone. I received a voicemail/follow-up phone call on XXXX/XXXX/XXXX. I then called back the next day and was told that some accounts that were reviewed at the corporate level had had their points taken away. The representative said by " purchasing gift cards I violated their terms and conditions. '' However, by posting the XXXX Membership Rewards ( R ) Points I had assumed I had met all terms and conditions for the sign-up bonus. 

I believe American Express is very devious in the way they have handled this situation. The XXXX Membership Rewards ( R ) Points were posted to my account, but were removed once I was outside of the 92 day period to meet the minimum spending. If the XXXX Membership Rewards ( R ) Points had never been posted to my account I would have kept spending on the credit card to ensure I met the minimum spending threshold of {$3000.00}. Conversely, if American Express had informed me before my 92 days window had expired that I did not meet the spend requirement because the gift cards did not count, again, I would have spent more on the credit card. Now that I am outside of the 92 day window American Express is claiming I violated terms and I have no recourse to get my XXXX Membership Rewards ( R ) Points back. With their new rule of one bonus per credit card per lifetime, this now disqualifies me from ever getting a bonus on the American Express Platinum card. Had I known I would not be getting any bonus and I would never be eligible for a bonus on the Platinum card I would have never applied for this {$450.00} annual fee credit card. 

I have actually visited online forums and have learned there are many others with this Platinum card and have experienced the exact same issue. As well, a friend of mine from another state is also having it happen to him and his wife, so many people -- not just me -- are having their points held up by American Express.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation