Consumer complaint received 2022-05-24
Product: Credit card or prepaid card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Advertising and marketing, including promotional offers — Confusing or misleading advertising about the credit card
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY (OH)

I contacted American Express Initially about my current card. When attempting to close the card, the company discussed and provided one time promotional incentives to me. I was a American Express Delta Skymiles Blue card holder. I was educated on benefits on becoming a XXXX XXXX XXXX should I elect to make the change by XX/XX/XXXX, or the end of my XXXX Statement which closed at that time. I was further stated that should I miss the month in which my annual fee be assessed, that I would be responsible for the annual fee, yet not receive the companion certificate. I indicated that I was looking at an trip in XXXX, and that the companion certificate had a value for me of approximately {$1200.00}. The representative educated me that optimally, I would renew close to my renewal date, but not past what was described as this XX/XX/XXXX day. 

What I learned later, by calling back multiple reps to ensure that I fully understood how this worked is that each rep seemed to have a slight variation of the offer date for the companion certificate. I felt confident that I would be able to upgrade the card and received the promised benefits. 

I called in and upgraded my account to platinum on XX/XX/XXXX, ensuring that I would be able to take advantage of the companion certificate. 

I attempted to book my family vacation with the companion certificate. However, there was no companion certificate. However, after multiple calls with American Express and XXXX, American Express admitted there was no benefit. I noticed a prorated annual fee on my XXXX XXXX. I contacted American Express and created a case XXXX  XXXX. I was told that I could check on this case within 7 to 10 days. American Express alluded me to believe they would make good on the offer and issue me a companion certificate should the previous reps be incorrect. I called three times to check on the case. An agent on XX/XX/XXXX indicated that I was 2 days late in upgrading the card, and it was not possible to provide an good will Companion Certificate. The customer service member offered a credit of {$220.00} to the account as long as I spent {$3000.00} and kept the account open for 365 days. 

I believe the problem that I experienced is that American Express customer agents sell and offer benefits without having specific knowledge of the various offers and terms and when cardholders need to activate these by. Since the disbursement of the promotions are automated, then there is no reason that information can not be displayed for each interaction by marketing/customer service. 

Furthermore, I asked American Express to cancel the card and refund the annual fee on XX/XX/XXXX. Per American Express " American Express will refund the annual fee on a card if you cancel it within 30 days of the closing date of the billing statement on which the fee appears. Beyond that period, a refund is not possible. '' An annual Fee was charged on XX/XX/XXXX for XXXX, The statement date ended on XXXX. 30 days from that date is XX/XX/XXXX. 

I strongly believe that American Express is engaging in deceptive marketing practices. By being vaugue, American Express is able to entice cardholders to higher card member tiers, and by not qualifying them immediately, they receive an additional annual fee and delay their qualification for the offer. Further, when card holders create tickets for cases, American Express delays resolution to to necessary research and delays the contact to card holders. This delay can force the cardholder to forfeit their ability to get their annual fee back. Furthermore, even when members request the annual fee to be refunded, they are punished and told that can have their account closed, but any fees would be forfeited along with any non monetary bonuses would be clawed back. 

I strongly believe American Express needs to address these issues, and that an improvement in this information is possible with IT investment.