Consumer complaint received 2025-07-04 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Struggling to pay your bill — Credit card company won't work with you while you're going through financial hardship
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: OK

Complaint narrative:
To Whom It May Concern : I am writing to file a formal complaint against American Express regarding their persistent and distressing debt collection practices. For an extended period, I have been subjected to repeated phone calls and threats regarding an outstanding debt on my account, which has caused significant emotional distress and negatively impacted my mental health.

American Express representatives have repeatedly threatened to send my account to collections or pursue other legal actions. They have also continuously threatened me with wage garnishment. Furthermore, when I specifically asked them to stop calling me, they responded with threats to automatically send my account to collections or immediately begin litigation. These threats are causing me immense stress and anxiety, making it incredibly difficult to manage my personal well-being. Despite my consistent communication of the financial hardship I am experiencing, each new representative I speak with forces me to re-explain my situation. This repetitive demand is incredibly frustrating and adds significantly to my stress, as this vital information should be clearly noted in my account records.

The payment options American Express has offered are not financially feasible for me at this time. Due to these unfeasible payment plans, I have unfortunately continued to accrue significant interest and late fees over the past few months, only making my debt larger and my financial situation even worse. Their proposed solutions exacerbate my current difficulties rather than providing a workable path forward. I have attempted to communicate my financial situation, but the calls and threats continue without adequate consideration for my circumstances.

I understand my obligation to repay legitimate debts. However, the methods employed by American Express constitute harassment and are in violation of my rights as a consumer under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ). I am seeking immediate intervention from the CFPB to address these unfair practices and to ensure that American Express adheres to fair debt collection standards.

As a resolution, I am requesting the following : * Immediate cessation of all harassing and threatening communications, including threats of wage garnishment : I ask that American Express cease all phone calls and written communications that contain threats of collections, legal action, wage garnishment, or that otherwise cause emotional distress. This includes ceasing threats that follow a request to stop contact. All future communications regarding this debt should be professional and focused on finding a viable solution.

* A review of their internal debt collection training and procedures : I request that the CFPB investigate American Express 's debt collection practices to ensure compliance with federal regulations, particularly regarding the repeated demands for personal financial information that has already been provided, their failure to offer genuinely feasible solutions, their use of threats when consumers request to stop calls, and their use of unlawful threats like wage garnishment without a judgment.

* A reasonable and affordable debt resolution, including potential debt forgiveness/settlement : I am seeking a flexible payment plan that genuinely aligns with my current financial capabilities. This could include, but is not limited to, a significantly reduced monthly payment, a temporary suspension of interest accrual, or a debt settlement offer that allows me to pay a reduced lump sum or structured payments that result in a lower total repayment than the full amount owed, reflecting my severe financial hardship. I specifically request that any new plan address the issue of accruing interest and late fees.

* Waiver of Accrued Interest and Late Fees : I request a waiver of all interest and late fees that have accumulated on the account since I first contacted them about my financial hardship, as their unfeasible offers have directly contributed to this increase.

* Consideration of my stated financial hardship : I request that American Express acknowledge and factor in my ongoing financial hardship and the severe impact their collection methods are having on my mental health when discussing potential resolutions for this debt.

* Correction or Removal of Negative Credit Reporting ( if applicable ) : If American Express 's collection practices or my inability to meet their unfeasible payment plans has led to inaccurate or unfairly reported information on my credit report, I request that they correct or remove those negative marks

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation