Consumer complaint received 2024-10-09
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems — Other problem
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY (OH)

I am submitting a complaint about American Express making deceptive representations of statement balance in their app that has resulted in significant interest being assessed to my account and could be costly to other cardmembers like me. 

My husband and I have had a Hilton Honors American Express card for over 5 years. Throughout our account history, we have paid our balance in full every month to avoid interest charges. As shown on XXXX XXXX of the attached statement for the period ending XX/XX/year>, no interest had been charged year to date in XXXX. 

This year, we were on vacation during late XXXX and the first half of XXXX. Since we knew an American Express bill was coming due on XX/XX/XXXX, my husband logged into the AMEX app after the statement closed on XX/XX/XXXX to check our account balance and pay the balance in full. The app indicated a Statement Balance of {$1700.00} as shown in the attached screenshot from the app. My husband scheduled payments to pay this balance in full before the due date ( {$90.00} on XX/XX/XXXX and {$1700.00} on XX/XX/XXXX for a total of {$1700.00} before the XX/XX/XXXX due date ). These payments are shown on XXXX. XXXX of the attached statement for the period ending XX/XX/year>. 

When we returned from our trip and received our bill in the mail, we learned that the AMEX app had provided incorrect information regarding the statement balance. Upon reviewing the paper bill for the period ending XX/XX/year>, we learned that the actual statement balance was {$3400.00} and not {$1700.00} as reported on the AMEX app. The figure {$1700.00} shown on the AMEX app was actually my husbands total new charges for the period as shown on XXXX XXXX of the statement and not the statement balance as claimed by the AMEX app. 

As a result of the deceptive representation of statement balance on the AMEX app, we fell short of paying the balance in full by {$1600.00} by the XX/XX/XXXX due date ( {$3400.00} actual statement balance less the {$1700.00} we paid based on the incorrect statement balance of {$1700.00} shown on the app ). Stemming from this underpayment of the balance due on XX/XX/year>, we were charged {$220.00} in interest on XX/XX/year>, as shown on the attached statement for the period ending XX/XX/year>. Once this came to our attention, we immediately worked to pay off the entire account balance. The balance was paid in full by XX/XX/year>, well before the next due date of XX/XX/year>. When our statement cycled on XX/XX/year> we had a credit balance, because we had paid more than our previous balance plus new charges. We were charged additional interest of {$60.00} on the attached statement for the period ending XX/XX/year>. None of this interest would have been charged to our account if American Express had simply provided our correct statement balance on their app. If the app had shown the actual statement balance or indicated that the statement balance can not be viewed by Additional Cardmembers, we would have paid the balance in full by XX/XX/year> just as we do every month and not been charged any of the {$280.00} we were assessed in interest. 

The AMEX app is deceptive in calling something a statement balance that is not a balance at all. A balance is the difference between total credits and total debits on an account. The term balance is meaningless when applied to an individual cardmember on this account. Balance can only apply to the overall account, because all payments are credited to the overall account and are not separated by primary or additional cardmember. Therefore, by definition there is no statement balance for each individual cardmember. There is only a statement balance for the overall account. XXXX  XXXX of all the attached statements confirms that payments are applied to the overall account, while New Charges are tracked by individual cardmember. There is no reference on the statements to a Statement Balance for each individual cardmember, because there is no statement balance for each cardmember. 

The attached screenshot from the app says that Additional Cardmembers can only view their own spending amounts and transactions. However, it does not indicate that the statement balance can not be viewed by Additional Cardmembers. Nor does the app indicate anywhere that the Statement Balance is not a balance at all but rather the total monthly spending for the Additional Cardmember. American Express is using deceptive language which can unfairly cost consumers money. This is an issue that should concern the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. American Express ( and all financial services companies ) should be required to use clear, accurate language across all platforms, including their apps. 

I have tried unsuccessfully to resolve this issue directly by calling American Express on XX/XX/year>. I requested a callback from a manager who would have the authority to refund the charges. I have not received a callback. 

American Express should refund all {$280.00} in interest that has been charged to our account. Also, American Express should change the language on their app so they no longer refer to Additional Cardmember monthly spend incorrectly as a Statement Balance.