Consumer complaint received 2020-10-05
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: FL
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement
Sub-issue: Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement

Complaint:
In XXXX of XXXX I hired an attorney and paid a retainer of {$3700.00}. She sent me an authorization from on XX/XX/XXXX I gave authorization for XXXX which was charged. She did not do what I hired her for so we where having a correspondence about that and during that correspondence she then requested another XXXX ( which is the amount on the AMEX ). I told her to send the authorization form and once she completed the tasks I would sign and authorize the charge. She charged my card after we got off the phone and then sent me authorization. I did not know at the time she charged my card she still had not done what she was supposed to do. 


On XX/XX/XXXX I reached out to her about the issue and I find out she has charged my card without me authorizing or sending a authorization form -- sent her an email and specifically stated ( as reflected in the retainer agreement ) not to charge my card without written authorization. 

She had charged my card XXXX between XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX without a written authorization form. The previous charges that I did not dispute and paid off BOTH have written authorization ( see attached ). 

I contacted AmEx first in XXXX and then the claim was renewed several times over the next 2 years. I had another card a business card that was being paid on time with no issues the account was closed in XXXX because this XXXX on the green personal AmEx was not paid. When I explained to customer service they told me it was a mistake and I had to reapply for my platinum business AmEx card, they then had me reapply for a card I already had and declines my application and kept my account closed. 

Meanwhile they AmEx was reporting me late payments on the AmEx that had XXXX disputed outstanding payment. This dispute was never resolved despite me being advised multiple times over the three years that it would be resolved and having it removed from my statement from the time the unauthorized charge was made on the green AmEx for XXXX it was a personal AmEx I never used it again. That was the sole charge on it until the account was closed. 

Initially when I disputed this charge I told AMEX that the case was super easy because I did not authorize the XXXX and that the lawyer if she claims I did she should have an authorization form. Which she did not provide and could not provide because the charge was not authorized. Over the next two /three years they explained to different customer service people the same story and they would reverse the charge temporarily and then after about six months it would reappear. She never produced an authorization form for the charge. 

I have attached the two forms showing two charges authorized that were paid off the retainer agreement with attorney where I specifically crossed out auto credit card payments and signed and dated : 1. Email when the cc authorization was sent to me asking for XXXX showing that an authorization form was necessary to charge my card. 
2. Email also stating do not charge my card without written authorization.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation