Consumer complaint received 2019-07-16
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 (MD)

I applied for an AMEX card online with a promotional rate of 0 % through XX/XX/XXXX on all purchases and a 0 % rate on balance transfers through XX/XX/XXXX. The promotion included a {$0.00} fee per balance transfers and a cash advance fee of {$5.00} or 3 %. I was approved online for a credit limit of {$15000.00}. I just received my AMEX card in the mail yesterday, XX/XX/XXXX. I went online today, XXXX XXXX to do a balance transfer and to set up my online account as well as active my new AMEX card. Upon trying to do a balance transfer online, it was noted that there was a temporary {$5000.00} balance transfer limit. I could not enter in a balance transfer amount higher than {$5000.00}. I tried and it did not let me process. I looked through all the paperwork that I received and there was no balance transfer limit. So I called AMEX to request a higher balance transfer limit since {$5000.00} was noted to be a temporary limit and a request could be made per AMEX 's website under my account profile. I talked to a representative roughly around XXXX XXXX   on XX/XX/XXXX. They informed me that a balance transfer request could not be made. That the card terms for a balance transfer is 75 % of the credit limit or {$5000.00} ; which ever is smaller. I explain that online is showing a temporary limit of {$5000.00} and it states that I can request a high amount to be transfer. I asked to speak with a manager. I was transfer to a manager named XXXX per the representative and XXXX per the actual individual. The manager said that he could send over the written notice but that it was in the packet that I received. Specifically in the cardmember agreement part 2 of 2.  I asked XXXX for the page number as to where the verbiage was at that stated I could not do a balance transfer over {$5000.00}. XXXX said that he could not find the page number. He put me on hold and then came back to tell me that it was not written in the agreement. I looked through the paper agreement as well as click on the information button online where it showed by the balance transfer. Both state that I can make a balance transfer but it could not exceed past my credit limit which is {$15000.00}. I asked XXXX if I can put in a request for a higher balance transfer limit and he said no. The limit was {$5000.00}. I asked to speak with his supervisor. I was transfer to XXXX ( could be misspelled incorrectly ). XXXX informed me that the call was being recorded. She stated that the balance transfer limit was {$5000.00} and I could not request a higher balance transfer limit. I asked where does that information show or is written. XXXX said that it was an internal policy and that the customer is not informed of this. I explain that it completely wrong because I was given an offer that did not mention a balance transfer limit. Furthermore, no where in the paperwork does it say I will be limited to {$5000.00} or 75 % of the credit limit ; whichever one is smaller. Basically, it is false advisement and misleading the consumer. I am attaching the paperwork that I receive in the mail as well as the cardmember agreement that I received.