Consumer complaint received 2024-06-06
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Trouble using your card — Can't use card to make purchases
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY (IL)

To Whom It May Concern, I believe that American Express is retaliating against me due to my participation in the financial relief plan and possibly due to my race and gender. I have been a loyal customer since XX/XX/XXXX, without any payment issues, until I joined the financial relief plan starting XX/XX/XXXX. I completed the plan as agreed, making the minimum payments until I paid it off in XX/XX/XXXX. 

Since then, every time I try to use my card, there has been an issue. On XX/XX/XXXX, I attempted to use my card to send funds to a family member and was subjected to a " random '' financial review, requiring income verification. They stated it would take 5-7 days. On XX/XX/XXXX, after 8 days, I received another request to resend my bank statements, despite submitting them correctly the first time. On XX/XX/XXXX, I called to check up on it, and the individual I spoke with completed it within XXXX minutes. 

My payment was due on XX/XX/XXXX. I paid off my balance of {$4900.00}, which left my account on XX/XX/XXXX. However, I still couldn't use my card. When I called, I was told the payment needed to be verified, which had happened before without issue. They verified the payment and then asked if the payment for XXXX had cleared. I mentioned that I missed the payment on my business card and asked if it would cause any issues. I paid the minimum payment on both business cards to prevent any problems. 

Throughout the day on XX/XX/XXXX, I called six times and received the following responses : I was told I would have to reverify the {$4900.00} payment for the second time, which I declined.

I asked to speak with a supervisor 12 times, but the individual refused to transfer me, so I disconnected the call. 
I spoke with a supervisor who verified the {$4900.00} payment for the second time but couldn't verify the business card payments. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called again and : The individual had to verify the {$4900.00} payment for the third time, although it was already verified in the system notes. She confirmed the business card payment left the account and stated I could use the card. 
I noticed my app indicated my payment was late, although it had been verified. When I called back, the individual refused to let me talk to a supervisor but offered me XXXX XXXX XXXX, which I haven't received. She transferred me to another team, placed me on hold for 15 minutes, asked for my full social security number, then disappeared. I disconnected the call. 
I called back, and the individual stated the supervisor, whom I wasn't allowed to speak with, said Id have to wait 24 to 48 hours to use my card, even though the payments were verified multiple times. It was stated that I could use my card as of XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX XXXX central. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, my XXXX business card still reflected my payment as past due, the status it showed when I couldn't use it. I am concerned that they will deactivate it again out of retaliation. 

On XX/XX/XXXX or XXXX, I applied for a credit limit increase and was denied, with the sole reason being that I participated in the financial relief plan.