Consumer complaint received 2016-11-28
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: NY
Product: Credit card
Issue: Billing disputes

Complaint:
American Express has placed incorrectly placed XXXX charges in the amount of $ {$2300.00} XXXX totaling {$4500.00} XXXX on my card. These charges have no merit or no basis in fact and should be removed. I have made multiple requests to this effect both by correspondence and phone calls to no avail. Further, American Express withdrew funds from my checking account without my authorization. 

On XX/XX/2016 I received a response to my dispute claim from American Express. The review was completely inadequate and did not provide evidence for its claims that the charges are valid. They did not reference the fraudulent withdrawal from my account. 

In addition, my interactions with American Express customer service are troublesome, inclusive of intentional mis-routing of calls, extensive hold delays and falsification of records. This is unacceptable. 

Finally, the ongoing delay of American Express to rectify this matter and ongoing denial of credit is a violation of my rights under the XXXX as I am being denied credit despite my account being in good standing. 
Please note the following timeline which represent the facts in the matter. 
On or about XX/XX/2016 : I scheduled payment in amount of {$2300.00} for XX/XX/2016. Based on the conversation with the American Express Representative, I understood this would pay my XX/XX/XXXX bill in full. 

Without my knowledge or consent, American Express Representative tagged the incorrect bank account for payment, resulting in a bounced check ( as the account had insufficient funds to meet the payment requirements XXXX on XX/XX/2016 This statement was confirmed by my bank in person and on that date. I immediately filed a complaint with American Express as the attempt on the wrong account was unauthorized. American Express has acknowledged to me on multiple occasions that an American Express representative tagged the wrong bank account in error. 

Regardless of this fact, American Express 's review stated that " a payment of {$2300.00} had been returned to the bank account number ending in XXXX on XX/XX/<YYYY> '' My response : This statement is false. The transaction bounced on XX/XX/2016 as there were insufficient funds in the account. Further, as noted below, I later paid my XX/XX/XXXX statement in full, eliminating any " credit '' to the account. Regardless, American Express placed a charge of {$2300.00} on my account for the " credit ''. 
On XX/XX/2016, and without my knowledge or consent, American Express withdrew {$2300.00} from my bank account. Upon discovering the theft, I immediately filed fraud claim with my bank seeking recoup of the funds. My bank credited my account for the amount of {$2300.00} while they investigated the matter. In late XX/XX/XXXX this matter was resolved in my favor with my bank confirming that the funds were removed from my bank account by American Express without my authorization. Please be aware as a result of American Express ' fraudulent action, my bank has removed fraud protection from my account and I can not use the account as I have done previously. The bank no longer offers the arrangement I had in place and thus I have been financially harmed by American Express ' fraud. 

Regardless, American Express ' review stated : " Please be advised that the payment of {$2300.00} has been returned unpaid by your financial institution on another date. Therefore, another debit for returned payment has been applied to your XX/XX/2016 statement. '' First, the statement makes no sense. XXXX, Amex can not simply charge me for taking money out of my account without authorization when it is credited back to my account by my bank. 

This issue has damaged my credit and prevented me from re-financing my mortgage. I have received no assistance from AMEX despite multiple calls and several letters to its XXXX. Please assist me in this matter.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief