Consumer complaint received 2025-05-15 00:00:00
Product: Credit 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
State: NY

Complaint narrative:
XX/XX/XXXX : I applied for the American Express Gold Credit Card because I saw the promotional offer on the website. It was offering XXXX membership rewards points if you spend {$6000.00} on purchases using your new card in the first 6 months of card membership. I clicked on Apply Now to see if I am eligible and then it redirected to the page where I can submit my application. Shortly after I submitted, I received an email asking me to provide more information for the application, I went ahead and provided the requested document using the link they sent me. I also received a phone call the same day from an American Express representative asking me to provide more details for the gold card application. I answered all the questions she asked me over the phone and before we hung up, I explicitly asked her, just want to check that I will be receiving the XXXX membership rewards points after I complete the spending requirement within the specified timeframe. The representative said yes, I see that you are approved for the offer and then we ended the conversation. 
XX/XX/XXXX : I received the email that my application is successful and I am approved for the new card. 
XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX : I have spent more than {$6000.00} using the gold card and I have also paid off the statement balance in my card. 
XX/XX/XXXX : My first interaction with an American Express customer service representative after I have completed the promotional offer requirement. I started an online chat within the American Express mobile app and inquired about when I will be receiving my membership rewards points. I was told that my promotional offer on the gold card was decline when I was approved of the card, she said there was a pop up that should have told you your promotional offer is decline. However, I did not see a pop up when I submitted the card application and when I was approved of the card. I told the representative that I even asked the representative who called me the day when I applied for the card on a recorded line, if I will receiving the promotional offer and her response was yes. Now you are telling me something completely different and you are saying that there was a pop up that I never saw anywhere. If I did, I obviously wouldnt apply for the card. She told me she would raise a case for me and escalate it to the internal teams so they can investigate it. 
XX/XX/XXXX : I followed up on the case by chatting with another American Express customer service representative within the American Express mobile app. She informed me that the case that was raised for me was closed. The case closed because the internal team ultimately concluded that I will not be getting the promotional offer for the gold card because it was decline when I applied. Again, I explained my situation to the customer service representative and asked her to raise another case. 
XX/XX/XXXX : I followed up again on the case within the American Express mobile app. The customer service representative that I spoke to told me that the case that was raised for me was closed again, and the investigation has the same result. I told her that XXXX very frustrated by this situation and she said she will raise the case again for me and she also give me the number ( XXXX ) XXXX to call so I can speak to someone over the phone. I called the number XXXX weeks after to follow up on the case. I explained whole situation to another American Express customer service representative over the phone. She said she saw that my case closed again and she will reopen my case for me and escalated so that I can get proper response. She told me that I will be receiving a call from American Express XXXX weeks after to inform me of the investigation. 
XX/XX/XXXX : I never received a call from American Express to provide me with an update on my case or to inform me of any investigation results. I called the number ( XXXX ) XXXX again, explain the situation again to a customer service representative, and he told me the same thing that your case is closed, your promotional offer is decline when you applied and you should have saw a pop up informing you that. I told him that I did not see the pop-up and theres definitely a recording in the American Express system to prove that I have asked a American Express representative if I was going to be receiving the promotional offer on the day that I apply for the gold card. He then transferred me to his manager. His manager said to me that they checked the recording system and did not find such recording that I am talking about. He kept on emphasizing that I should have saw a pop-up but I told him I did not and if I did, I wouldnt have gone ahead and applied for the card and spent so much money using the gold card. There is also no proof that such pop up showed up when I applied for the card. He said theres nothing he can do for me and basically I will not be receiving my promotional offer.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation