Consumer complaint received 2024-03-18
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Fees or interest — Problem with fees
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY (VT)

The " Auto-Pay '' box was unknowingly left unchecked when I linked a new American Express Delta Gold Card to my bank. When made aware of this, I immediately paid the amount owed ; at that time a {$29.00} late fee was waived. A {$17.00} interest fee was assessed. I disputed this charge. I had no warning that the " auto-pay '' box was not checked, nor that the amount was not collected from my bank prior to assessment of late fees and interest charge. Prior to this I had a credit score of XXXX. I promptly canceled the card. Customer service told me dispute resolution takes XXXX  days. No follow-up occurred. I had to call AmEx in XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX immediately after receipt of emails stating a balance was still due. To settle the interest issue, I paid the interest charge of {$17.00} ( assessed XX/XX/XXXX ) on XX/XX/XXXX. This amount arose during phone calls to XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX then with XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. I continued to dispute the additional {$39.00} of late fees. Both ladies told me they received denials while on the phone with me. Both said that my dispute would need XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  for further resolution. In XXXX I spoke to XXXX and to XXXX, and then with XXXX XXXX in XXXX. Apparently, the late fees had increased to {$61.00}. XXXX and XXXX each told me the waivers were declined while I was on the phone, and that they would file for a waiver to support my dispute claim electronically. XXXX and XXXX told me I need to wait XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  for final resolution. By this time my account on-line was not accessible. I did not have the card account number, and no one from Am Express would provide it to me ( " Closed and restricted for on-line access '' ). The account number is required to reset the password. As of today, I still do not have the account number ( ends in XXXX ). I now know the increased late fees were due to interest fees of {$2.00} ( XX/XX/XXXX ), {$0.00} ( XX/XX/XXXX ), {$0.00} ( XX/XX/XXXX ) and {$0.00} ( XX/XX/XXXX ). XXXX XXXX specifically stated I would receive a letter from Am Exp in XXXX  days supporting my disputed claim. None was received. A XXXX  later ( XX/XX/XXXX ) I received an email from a credit reporting agency stating my credit score was cut to XXXX ( was XXXX ). The cause was the XXXX  day unpaid AmEx balance, now {$110.00}. Today, XX/XX/XXXX, I sought technical help at AmEx to restore my login. The login was not able to be restored, and I was told to wait until a new card was sent in XXXX  weeks. I then spoke to XXXX. She told me an additional {$40.00} late fee was posted on XX/XX/XXXX. She offered a {$40.00} credit. I asked her what the late fees were for, and she told me for non-payment of the total of XXXX XXXX  of interest fees and the late fees assessed to my account ( see above ). She attempted to waive the fees but was issued a denial immediately. I made her understand that a ) I was unaware of the accumulated {$5.00} dollar interest fees over XXXX  months due to absence of electronic or written statements, b ) {$110.00} of late fees to collect {$5.00} of interest was excessive. The incongruence of the consequent XXXX point drop in my credit rating meant nothing to her. Our call was disconnected from her end without resolution. I called again and reached XXXX. She restored my login after multiple efforts. For the first time I saw the interest and late fees. Between the {$110.00} of new charges and the {$17.00} interest fee I had already paid, not checking the " Auto pay '' box when I linked to the bank cost me over {$130.00}, including {$22.00} in interest fees. It also severely damaged my credit rating. In the end, XXXX claimed she will get me the last XXXX late fees refunded and only {$1.00} XXXX  in interest fees credited, but could not do anything about the residual amount owed, which I have paid today ( {$41.00} ). All of these conversations and actions had the obvious common thread : to make sure money is extracted from the cardholder.