Consumer complaint received 2021-11-13
Product: Checking or savings account — Other banking product or service
Issue: Opening an account — Didn't receive terms that were advertised
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY (PA)

To Whom it may concern : This letter is concerning my Morgan Stanley XXXX  XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and the American Express AmEx XXXX  XXXX  card engagement bonus - which is a reimbursement for the AmEx XXXX  XXXX  card membership fee. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I funded my XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX account with a {$5000.00} deposit to meet the the Access Investing qualification criteria for receiving the AmEx XXXX  engagement bonus. 

Shortly after on XX/XX/XXXX I funded my XXXX XXXX  XXXX  account with a {$25000.00} deposit to meet the XXXX XXXX  XXXX  qualification criteria for receiving the AmEx XXXX  engagement bonus of {$550.00}. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I applied for and was approved for the XXXX  AmEx XXXX card account. On XX/XX/XXXX I was charged a {$690.00} Membership Fee by American Express for the XXXX XXXX  American Express card. 

According to the following clause in the disclosure statement, I should have received the reimbursement for the {$690.00} XXXX  AmEx XXXX  card fee in XXXX, XXXX. 
" If you meet the Fee Avoidance Criteria prior to the expiration of the Grace Period, you will receive the Annual Engagement Bonus the following month. '' As per the XXXX  ACCOUNT DISCLOSURE STATEMENT ( XX/XX/XXXX ) XXXX, I met all of the qualification criteria for the AmEx XXXX XXXX  card engagement bonus on XX/XX/XXXX so I proceeded to open a XXXX AmEx XXXX  card on XX/XX/XXXX. On the date of my application and credit pull, the XXXX XXXX website, terms & conditions, and disclosure statements clearly indicated I would be receiving the engagement bonus the following month. However, I never received the reimbursement from XXXX XXXX for the {$690.00} XXXX American Express XXXX  card membership fee. 

I have directly contacted Morgan Stanley several times by phone to discuss and escalate this matter to get to a resolution. In XXXX, I was assured that I would be receiving the engagement bonus and that I met all qualification criteria. I continued to follow-up with Morgan Stanley in XXXX and XXXX regarding the engagement bonus, however, representatives indicated that they could not help me with obtaining the credit due to a change in the terms and conditions for the engagement bonus. 

The Morgan Stanley representative informed me that Morgan Stanley updated the XXXX  account agreement and disclosure effective XX/XX/XXXX, which changed the reimbursement for the XXXX American Express XXXX  engagement bonus/reimbursement to an annual bonus after 12 months. The effective date of this disclosure appears to be retroactive and I was not informed or notified of the change in terms and conditions until XXXX of XXXX. It appears deceptive that Morgan Stanley would retroactively implement and change the terms & conditions and disclosures retroactively without proper notice. 

I was not notified of this change in terms & conditions and disclosure until XXXX of XXXX. This notification was well after I met all of the qualification criteria for XXXX XXXX XXXX  ( met criteria XX/XX/XXXX ), XXXX  XXXX  ( met criteria XX/XX/XXXX ) and XXXX American Express ( met criteria XX/XX/XXXX by opening account an account ). 

All qualification criteria were met under the original terms and conditions well before the effective date of the new disclosure dated XX/XX/XXXX. I was not notified of these changes until well after I met all of the qualification criteria. These business practices are unethical, deceptive, unfair and can be considered to be a bait and switch by Morgan Stanley.

I have escalated my concerns to several Morgan Stanley members via phone, but I have yet to receive the reimbursement for the {$690.00} XXXX American Express XXXX  card membership fee which I qualified for under the terms and conditions I signed up for. I was informed that management is denying all requests for consumers like myself who had met all of the qualification criteria and who had their credit history ( hard credit inquiry ) pulled by American Express to open the XXXX American Express XXXX card.

I am requesting reimbursement in full of the {$690.00} American Express XXXX  card membership fee.