Consumer complaint received 2015-11-19
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: CA
Product: Credit card
Issue: Customer service / Customer relations

Complaint:
On Sunday, XXXX XXXX, 2015, I went to XXXX XXXX ( my first time inside XXXX ) to purchase a replacement cell phone for my great niece, who dropped and broke XXXX. The cell phone bill came to {$120.00}. I presented my American Express XXXX Card AMEX ( which does not have a signature line ) and they asked to see my California Driver 's License as an ID. I refused to show it because California XXXX states that to do business it is not a requirement to show your ID. I asked to see their written statement that SAYS I MUST UNDER ANY AND ALL CIRCUMSTANCES SHOW MY ID and they went into the back office to frantically find something and came back about 20 minutes later and said they could not find anything in writing that states I must show my ID as a condition of purchasing from their store. At that point the manager, XXXX, said that because I wo n't show my ID that she WAS REFUSING TO SELL ME THE CELL PHONE DUE TO THE FACT THAT I WANTED TO MARK ON THE RECEIPT THAT I WAS FORCED TO SHOW ID AND THAT I WAS PROTESTING THAT ... she ( XXXX XXXX was solely refusing to sell me the merchandise ONLY because I would n't show my ID ... she requested that I leave the store because there was nothing else she could do. I was humiliated at that point but I told her that I was not there for myself, but for my great niece who is in college out of town and leaving the next morning, it was closing time and I could n't go anywhere else. Also, because of their refusing to let me purchase the cell phone without showing my ID, I reluctantly, eventually showed them my California Driver 's License ID and asked that the District/Regional Manager call me about this incident. They refused to give me the Regional/District Managers name, but gave me the business card of the Area Manager, XXXX XXXX and adamantly stated that I call her not she call me. I have n't called XXXX XXXX yet because I was waiting to file a complaint through the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. As a black woman, I am constantly asked to show my ID when using a credit or debit card and I see white people who are in line in front of me not having to do the same. I use a debit card at my local XXXX XXXX store for {$4.00} and they still want to see ID. I purchase beauty supplies from XXXX XXXX XXXX and usually for items under {$10.00}, and they still request to see ID. The same thing happens when it 's a XXXX or XXXX, and those cards are signed with my signature on the back. I would like a written statement from the CFPB that I can show these merchants that California Law states that I do not have to show my ID as a condition of purchasing an item with my AMEX, XXXX, XXXX or XXXX credit card, and I should not be refused to purchase merchandise solely by those grounds alone. I also tried to contact American Express and they only had information that was global, not California specific and could not send me information that states that California XXXX regarding showing an ID is illegal. WHEN I CALL AMEX THEY ACT LIKE THEY ARE UNDER THE RULE, DO N'T ASK, DO N'T TELL, AS FAR AS THEIR MERCHANTS ASKING FOR ID ... THEY ARE SANDWICHED BETWEEN THE CONSUMER AND THE MERCHANT AND DO N'T WANT TO STEP ON ANYONE TOES. I HOPE TO BUST DOWN THE DOOR ...

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation