Consumer complaint received 2022-10-22
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: PA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Closing your account
Sub-issue: Can't close your account

Complaint:
I am filing this complaint with concern that American Express is evincing a pattern of failed processes and systems to protect consumers. In an ongoing attempt to close an account, after I agreed to and did pay to satisfy all outstanding purchase obligations, and American Express agreed to waive all outstanding interest, fees, and late charges, I am still unable to close the account. I have been promised resolution on multiple occasions, and still receive harassing emails and mailed statement that fail to acknowledge American Express 's agreement to close the account. 

I am also concerned that American Express 's failure might adversely affect my credit score, causing me actual harm with Credit Reporting Bureaus and making me liable to higher interest charges. Below is the record as I understand it, and as American Express has confirmed in telephone conversation to me XX/XX/2022 : XXXX XX/XX/2022 -- All original debts were paid on closed card. American Express agreed to remove all late charges and accrued interest, verbally over telephone. Employee said they would make note on the account and forward it to have the fees removed, and to close the account. This was evidently memorialized in Memo rep ID # XXXX. 

XXXX XX/XX/2022 -- I received a statement that did not remove the fees or interest, but rather added late fees and interest. I called again promptly, again I was told by American Express that they would note the account and forward it to have fees removed, and to close the account. 

XXXX XX/XX/2022 -- Substantially the same conversation as above, and that reversal of charges would be sent for approval ( this discussion was on record as conveyed to me by XXXX, employee # XXXX. ) XXXX XX/XX/2022 -- I received another statement with additional fees and interest. I spoke with Employee # XXXX who informed me that there was no notation to remove fees or interest, and only that there was an investigation request # XXXX. 

I reiterated to Employee that these were disputed charges as American Express had agreed to remove these late fees and interest charges. Employee agreed to remove one late charge but would not remove any other fees, prevent me from closing the account. I request this be escalated to Executive Complaints for resolution, and Employee # XXXX there was no such Executive Complaint process. If this statement is factual, it is of concern that American Express fails to have processes in place for consumers to be protected with adequate redress of their complaints. 

Employee transferred me to Customer Service to discuss escalating to resolve the dispute. 

Employee XXXX # XXXX reviewed the file and acknowledged that American Express agreed to waive fees on XXXX XXXX, noting that Memo rep ID # XXXX confirms that the Fees were agreed to be waived, and assured me that " Absolutely I was in the right '' ( or words to that effect ). Employee XXXX agreed to waive all finance charges and would submit a ticket to the " Internal Team '' to have these last charges removed to close account. When I asked about escalating to Executive Complaints for resolution, Employee XXXX stated that American Express had no executive complaint process, and that these matters were only dealt with internally -- which means that there is no opportunity for consumers to have their outstanding disputes directly resolved. This is a manifest failure to protect consumer rights. 

Employee XXXX also informed me that on previous XXXX XX/XX/2022, the requested and promised reversal was DENIED by anonymous " Team Leader ''. I was not informed of this decision. This shows a manifest failure of process to protect consumer rights. As this decision to deny that which was already agreed upon, and was touched my numerous people at American Express, this shows a *pattern* of failing to resolve good faith complaints and a failure of their internal processes to protect consumers. 

Employee informed me that his ticket would include the above information. Employee XXXX informed me that no ticket number for this present complaint could be issued because American Express was having system problems, but that I could expect a positive resolution of the account in 7 to 10 business days ( circa XXXX XX/XX/2022 ). This appears to be a system failure, where the consumer is not given necessary information in a timely manner for redress, I requested explicitly that a member of the Internal Team contact me directly, to verify that all charges have been reversed and the account has been closed. Employee informed me that he would make the request but could not guarantee that the Internal review team would contact me. I acknowledged that I understood he could make no promises on behalf of other parties. 

I am filing this complaint as I think that this ongoing harassment of a consumer by American Express, their inability to track previous agreements with customers who act in good faith to resolve disputes, that there are anonymous " Team Leaders '' who override agreements between Customer Service Representatives and customers and without due notification to the customer, that numerous people at American Express gave me incomplete, contradictory, and non-noticed reversals, and that American Express has no Executive Complaint process whereby consumers can have their complaints resolved after numerous frustrations, point to a pattern of negligence and failures in their internal process and systems which together show serious defects in their obligations to protect customers from harassment. 

This case deserves scrutiny from your office.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief