Consumer complaint received 2017-03-10
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: UT
Product: Credit card
Issue: Rewards

Complaint:
On XX/XX/2016, I applied for and was approved for an XXXX XXXX XXXX card. The offer for which I applied and was approved for offered a XXXX point bonus after making {$3000.00} in purchases within the first three months of having the card and paying the annual fee. The {$450.00} annual membership fee was charged to my account on XX/XX/2016 and was paid in full on XX/XX/2016. I completed {$3000.00} worth of purchases on XX/XX/2016. The XXXX bonus posted on XX/XX/2016. A few days after XX/XX/XXXX, I logged into my account and saw that the bonus points had posted. I had intended to transfer some of the points to XXXX to book an airline ticket to Florida in XX/XX/XXXX. When I tried to transfer the points, there was a message on the screen that read, " This action will not be completed at this time because your account is currently being reviewed to make sure all eligible purchases meet qualifying criteria. '' At first I thought maybe the points were not available because I had not yet made the payment for that billing period. I paid off my balance in full on XX/XX/XXXX, and about a week later I attempted to transfer points again but received the same response. I then called XXXX XXXX Customer Service. The representative told me that the review of my account would take 6-8 weeks. I accepted that response and at the 8 week mark, I tried again to transfer points and once again I received the same response. I spoke to another XXXX who opened a case about the matter and said I would be contacted within 7 business days. When I was not contacted after 10 business days, I called customer service again. This XXXX was empathetic and helpful and, after being put on hold for a while, told me that my points were cleared and ready to use. I did not try to transfer any points again because I could no longer use the points for a reasonably priced ticket to Florida. The next week a XXXX called me about the original file that had been opened and informed me that the only way to be sure my points were cleared to use was to try to use them. She attempted a XXXX XXXX point transfer and informed me that my points were not available for use. She told me that the review would take 6-8 weeks from the date the points posted. I told her it had been 11 weeks. She said she had no other information other than it should take 6-8 weeks because it was being handled by Corporate. She said that I could file a complaint to the corporate office through her, but she added that she could n't guarantee that they would respond. I declined her offer. In trying to figure out why this was happening, I noted that the terms and conditions for the Platinum card state, " The following charges do NOT count towards the Threshold Amount : fees or interest charges ; purchases of travelers checks ; purchases or reloading of prepaid cards ; or purchases of other cash equivalents. '' I made no purchases of any of these types with my card. I have met all the requirements laid out by XXXX XXXX, and my account has always been in good standing. XXXX XXXX is not fulfilling its end of the contract by essentially holding my points hostage indefinitely without giving me any information about it or supplying a timeline for when my points might be released for use. To make matters worse, they also will not allow me to use the over XXXX Membership Rewards points that I earned from my XXXX XXXX Everyday Preferred card while my account is being reviewed. I can understand holding on to the XXXX bonus points until the review is completed, but I have XXXX other points that I should be allowed to access in the meantime.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief