Consumer complaint received 2016-12-14
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: MA
Product: Credit card
Issue: Advertising and marketing

Complaint:
COMPLAINT American Express provided me with false information in selling me a new credit card product. In XXXX 2016, I called American Express to close my XXXX Card account, because I did not feel I was getting enough value to justify paying the annual fee. The representative encouraged me to replace it with an XXXX Card that has no annual fee. I explicitly asked if the XXXX Card would be on a new credit line - which I did not want to open - and the agent said it would be the same credit line. A few months later, I discovered that the agent had given me false information and the XXXX card was opened on a new credit line. 

ATTEMPTS AT RESOLUTION XXXX/XXXX/16 : I called American Express and an agent explained to me that it would not have been possible to transfer the credit line from the XXXX Card to the XXXX Card, because the XXXX Card is a charge card and the XXXX Card is a credit card. I responded that I understood his explanation, but that the agent who sold me the XXXX card back in XXXX had given me incorrect information on the matter. The agent on the phone told me he would open a case and that American Express would review customer service tapes of my XXXX conversation to see if my description of the conversation accurate. I asked for a case number and he said there was none, but if I called back, anyone would be able to see the note on my file. 

XXXX/XXXX/16 : I called to followup on my case and spoke to a woman named XXXX, who said there was no record of my case. She initially offered to resolve the case by offering me a credit limit increase, which made it seem like she did not understand the difference between a credit line and a credit limit. Finally, she opened an internal dispute file for me. 

XXXX/XXXX/16 : I called to followup on my case and spoke to a woman named XXXX, who said the inquiry was still in progress and had a target completion date of XXXX/XXXX/16. I asked to speak to a supervisor and XXXX connect me to XXXX, who asked if an acceptable solution would be cancelling the account and wiping any evidence of it off of my credit report, as if it never happened. I said that yes, if they could do that it would be the ideal solution. He said he would put a note on my account requesting that, and also requesting expedited service, but was n't sure if it was possible. 

XXXX/XXXX/16 : I called to followup and spoke to a man who said the inquiry was still in progress, but that XXXX ( i.e. today ) was the deadline and they would get back to me shortly. He suggested I call on Friday ( XXXX ) if I did n't hear anything. 

XXXX/XXXX/16 : I called to followup again and spoke to a woman, who offered me a credit limit increase. Again, I had to explain that this was about Amex opening an additional credit line that I did not want, not about credit limits. I asked to speak to a supervisor and was connected to XXXX. He put me on hold while he reviewed the case. I waited a long time and eventually the call was disconnected. I called back and spoke to XXXX, who said Amex was still working on the inquiry, but could n't tell me when they would resolve the case by.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief