Consumer complaint received 2022-12-02
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: MN
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Advertising and marketing, including promotional offers
Sub-issue: Confusing or misleading advertising about the credit card

Complaint:
I am a member of the XXXX XXXX XXXX. I write to lodge a complaint against American Express for misleading advertising, fraud, equitable estoppel, and violations of the SCRA and MLA. 

In XXXX, I found out that American Express waivers the {$700.00} fee for military personal. I reviewed their official policy and from other military personnel. It all left a strong impression that XXXX XXXX, who were on Active Orders, were entitled to waiver of the fee. 

I relied upon this advertising when I chose to apply for the credit card. I was approved XXXX XXXX XXXX I attempted my first MLA and SCRA applications in XXXX XXXX  for my Active orders lasting from XXXX to XXXX. I sent in my Orders. I follow-up midXXXX XXXX to be informed that my application was never received. I filled out another application for military benefits in midXXXX. Additionally, the Amex Special Team did the application for me and told me AmEx would reach out and affirmatively inform me of their decision in XXXX weeks. 

On XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX, while on XXXX XXXX orders, I followed up against and I was informed they never received an application. I applied again and sent them my Orders, while being on active Orders. They told me again to apply again. I applied against XXXX XXXX XXXX 

On XXXX XXXX XXXX I followed up and was informed that I needed to apply again, which I did. I was told to wait until XXXX for a response from AmEx. I never received a follow-up. My Orders were completed XXXX XXXX XXXX. I inquired again to AmEx on XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX to be informed that needed to apply once again and weight XXXX weeks. AmEx successfully avoided my request until my Orders expired, so they would have the ability to deny the fee waiver. After which, my applications started to seem to move. 

I waited. I contacted American Express on XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX, who informed me that " We have processed your request for [ MLA & SCRA ], [ payment ] will be reflected in your account within 24-48 hours. No such request, waiver, or correspondence was ever reflected in my account within 24-48 hours. This was a lie. 

I contacted AmEx today to ask the whereabouts of my payment and was informed they never received an application from me. I applied again on XXXX XXXX XXXX, and uploaded all my Orders again. When I told the agent the reference number she gave was invalid, she aburbly ended the chat. I contacted them again and was referred to AmEx 's Special Team. They did my application, and said the DoD would be in contact with me. The DoD will tell them I am not on Active Orders, and AmEx will use it to reject the fee waiver officially. The Special Team lady told me that the benefit only covered Active, Reserves, but not XXXX XXXX, even those who American Express purposefully engaged in deceptive practices, which targeted the XXXX XXXX XXXX members. Upon their advertisements, I relied upon them to my own determinant.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation