Consumer complaint received 2024-04-17
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement — Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY (MI)

On XX/XX/2023 my American Express Card was charged XXXX by XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX. The charge in question was a result of XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX stating that there was damage to the XXXX  due to mud on the XXXX  during a 24 hr rental period. At the time of the charge this writer immediately reached out to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX via phone, with no answer or return call, email, and text. XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX  responded with XXXX screen shots of cost of paint, and XXXX  parts, along with a few pictures taken at some point of the XXXX  with mud on it while at a car wash. It is notable the pictures appear to be taken at night, while our rental period ended at XXXX. I immediately reached out to American Express and they stated that I had to wait until the charge posted to dispute it. The next day, I opened a dispute due to the lack of information, discrepancy with the contract and the charges, and finally lack of documentation for the charge. In addition to the premise of the charges, the dollar amounts themselves are in questions which I have communicated several times to American Express and XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. American Express has fail to address the discrepancy in charges through this entire process. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  finally responded via email stating " the discrepancy was labor without any documentation to support this. Outline on the charges below. Additionally, I filed an insurance claim with American Express as part of their rental car insurance coverage. Finally, I filled a XXXX XXXX XXXX complaint due to the lack of contact and information from the company. 

Results. The XXXX XXXX XXXX closed the case and down graded XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX  rating due to lack of response with the XXXX XXXX XXXX. Note : On XX/XX/2023, there was a second charge in the amount of XXXX made to my American Express card by XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX without explanation. I filled an additional dispute, which later that charge was reversed. I also filed another XXXX  complaint which was also closed and XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX  status was down graded ( currently F rating ) due lack of response. 

American Express Assurance team repeatedly requested an Itemized Repair estimate from XXXX XXXX  a XXXX. A repair estimate has never been shared with myself and to my knowledge was never obtained by American Express. American Express Assurance team closed the case 2 times. The first time stating that we took the XXXX  " off roading '' however per XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX who provided the map and locations to drive the XXXX which we followed, stated that we in fact were not off roading but driving on state maintained roads. The claim was reopened, and we continued asking for a detailed itemized repair estimate, which again was not provided by XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX. The claim was later closed again stating that it was not covered because XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX was not a car rental company. 

During this time the disputed charge stayed open stating they could not work on it because of the opened Insurance Claim. Once that claim was closed and after numerous attempts to obtain information from American Express dispute team the dispute was closed and per American Express could not be re-opened because it had been too long since the original charge. 

This write paid the credit card charge despite never obtaining an itemized repair estimate. 

American Express has failed to communicate effectively with this write the card holder and often gave conflicting information. I was instructed to wait until the insurance claim was determined before the dispute would be addressed. Once the insurance claim had been closed due to the above reasons, the dispute was then also closed and was not able to be reopened leaving no recourse. 

I never spoke to anyone other than custom service, and was never able to talk to an insurance adjuster. 

Charges : Original Renal charge XXXX ( XXXX plus tax 24hrs ) XXXX Refulling fee XXXX cleaning fee XXXX XXXX XXXX soft top XXXX Paint to match XXXX Buff and Protect XXXX daily rental fee XXXX ( 3 days rental fee while not in use for repair ) Taxes and fees XXXX total : XXXX Total paid : XXXX ( original rental plus tax ) XXXX ( original security deposit ) XXXX ( XXXX charge for " damage '' ) total charged : XXXX cost from above - XXXX ( billed amount ) = XXXX discrepancy. This was the amount that upon questioning XXXX XXXX from XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX  finally responded on XX/XX/2023 that it was " labor '' without any documentation. 
total of above : XXXX thank you, XXXX XXXX