Consumer complaint received 2024-09-05
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Closing your account — Company closed your account
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY (TX)

I am a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. As an American Express ( AMEX ) cardholder for XXXX  years, I had accumulated a number of Membership Rewards points. After my retirement in XXXX my use of the AMEX card declined in frequency but I intended to maintain the card and the " banked '' rewards points. AMEX sent me a new credit card in XX/XX/XXXX which I confirmed receipt of online on XX/XX/XXXX. The card is valid until XX/XX/XXXX. I have been carrying the card but had not used it since I confirmed it. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I logged on to my AMEX account to use some of my XXXX points to " purchase '' a gift. I was unable to get to the Rewards balance so I suspected there was some server or system problem on their end. On that date I contacted AMEX customer service by phone and was told that my AMEX account had been closed on XX/XX/XXXX, just over a year after receipt of my new card, due to inactivity and that all my associated Rewards points were cancelled and gone. I was shocked and told the lady that I had not been notified in any way of their intent to cancel my account or I would have taken steps to increase the activity / use of the credit card. I would not have let rewards points valued at around {$800.00} - {$1000.00} be wiped out. I explained that it would be illegal or at least unethical for AMEX to cancel my account and rewards points without notifying me. After much discussion about this the AMEX customer service representative told me that she would open a " case '' and that I would be contacted by AMEX in XXXX - XXXX business days. This was a lie, as I was never contacted by AMEX on this matter. 

Having not heard from AMEX, on XX/XX/XXXX I sent them an email through their website explaining the issue and the conversation from XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX I received an email from AMEX telling me to contact them at the phone number ( customer service ) on their website regarding the issue. This email came from the AMEX " XXXX XXXX '' XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I called AMEX and was passed around to XXXX different people regarding this issue. I spent almost XXXX hours of my time on the phone with them only to be told there was nothing they could do to reinstate my Rewards points nor could they provide me with any documentation to support that they notified me of their intent to close my account due to inactivity in XXXX XXXX. 

I contend that AMEX did not notify me of their intent to close my account due to inactivity. They have my accurate mailing address, email address and phone number, none of which have changed. AMEX will not provide any documentation to support that they notified me. I live alone and am competent and maintain detailed, organized files on all my accounts and financial affairs. I would have acted on any notification to avoid losing my banked Rewards points balance. It is unethical, contrary to AMEX 's stated policy on closing accounts and possibly illegal to cancel my account and valuable points. 

Baring their ability to provide some evidence that I was notified by AMEX of the intent to close my account, as mentioned above, I would like my account and Rewards points to be reinstated as soon as possible. 

Note : AMEX says they record these " customer service '' calls. They should have a person with authority listen to all of the calls I was on with them. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX.