Consumer complaint received 2017-10-21
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: CO
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems
Sub-issue: Problem with rewards from credit card

Complaint:
On XXXX XXXX, I was persuaded to open a new XXXX XXXX credit card account with American Express with a welcome bonus offer. The bonus offered XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX in exchange for opening this account and meeting an initial spend of {$1000.00} in 3 months of account opening. 


XXXX XXXX points are worth approximately {$400.00} when valued at half a cent each. 


I met this spending requirement on XXXX XX/XX/XXXX. I confirmed this with American Express customer service via their chat function on their website in XXXX. I was told the bonus could take up to 90 days from the statement close to post. 


The statement where I met the welcome bonus closed on XX/XX/XXXX. 


On XX/XX/XXXX I did not receive my XXXX XXXX points as promised. 


On or around XX/XX/XXXX, I contacted American Express customer service via their chat function. They informed me that there was a technical glitch and that an internal inquiry would be created to investigate the issue. I was told such inquires can take up to 30 days to resolve. 


On XX/XX/XXXX, I called American Express customer service on the phone to check on the inquiry. I was told the inquiry was still open and to check back after the 30 days had elapsed. They also informed me that I would be receiving an explanation in the mail and I may need to wait 4-6 weeks from the inquiry opening. 


On XXXX XXXX, XXXX, I did not receive my points. 

On XXXX XXXX, XXXX, I had still not received my points. I contacted American Express customer service via their chat function. They informed me that I would need to wait 4-6 weeks from the inquiry for the issue to be resolved. 


I have heard that I am not the only customer experiencing these issues with American Express following through on their promotions in a timely manner. Even though I have been assured by American Express that I met all requirements to receive my bonus, the bank appears unwilling to honor their obligation to me in the time frame promised. 


I am extraordinarily unhappy and suspect that American Express is attempting to defraud some of its customers by not following through on their obligations and hiding behind the excuse of a glitch. I wonder if an inquiry to make me whole ever would have been created had I not contacted American Express regarding this issue. Perhaps they would have simply kept both the profits from me and their welcome bonus. 


American Express must credit my account immediately or additional steps will be taken to collect my promised bonus. 


THE COLORADO CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT : ( 2 ) any person who, in a private civil action, is found to have engaged in or caused another to engage in any deceptive trade practice listed in this article shall be liable in an amount equal to the sum of : ( a ) The greater of : ( I ) The amount of actual damages sustained ; or ( II ) Five hundred dollars ; or ( III ) Three times the amount of actual damages sustained, if it is established by clear and convincing evidence that such person engaged in bad faith conduct ( C.O.S. 6-1-113 )

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief