Consumer complaint received 2024-01-31 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Trouble using your card — Can't use card to make purchases
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
Dear Staff, I recently opened an American Express Charge Card ending in XXXX. I was declined a charge of {$3000.00} last Friday ( XX/XX/year> ), and I called and was told it was due to I only have a {$1500.00} limit on the card. The American Express Staff suggested I prepay my card, for example, {$1500.00}, and then I should be able to use my card for a charge of {$3000.00}. I then submitted two payments of {$1500.00} and {$100.00} using my bank ending in XXXX. I called American Express again and was confirmed that my available limit was enough to cover the {$3000.00} charge last Friday. 

However, when I checked my spending limit on the card, I was still declined for a {$3000.00} charge. So I called American Express again last Saturday ( XX/XX/year> ), and the staff told me due to it is the bank is not in business hours, and American Express hasn't received the funding yet and asked me to call back on Monday. 

On Monday ( XX/XX/year> ), I called American Express again, and the staff told me the fund had been deducted from my bank, and there was no more hold on my account, she also helped me connect the financial review team from American Express, and told there is no more documents needed from me, and I am ready to use my card right away, she even further stated to me that I had a total of {$4900.00} available limit on my card ending in XXXX ( fully {$5000.00}, there was a pending {$20.00} charge on my card ). 

However, when I tried to re-make my failed {$3000.00} purchase on Tuesday ( XX/XX/year> ), it was declined again by American Express. I called American Express, and the staff told me that they needed to hold my payment again, and wouldn't let me make any purchases anymore. I asked that then why American Express suggested I pre-pay my card to get a larger spending limit, and later held the user 's money and wouldn't let the user make any purchase. She said it is just American Express 's policy. I don't know what policy it is. It is a card without any due payment, I even pre-pay {$1600.00} into my card just because American Express told me to do so I can get a larger spending limit, but now American Express simply cheated me, and won't let me make any purchase, and the account is standing in a negative {$1500.00} balance, which means American Express owe me {$1500.00}! Why would such a big company be so evil to cheat an innocent customer 's money? It is due to my trust in Amex that I pre-pay the card without any balance, just because Amex told me so, but now I am fully cheated, and can't trust Amex anymore, I don't know what other excuse they are going to use to further hold my hardly earning money. 

I also didn't receive any email or any phone from American Express that my payment is on hold. What's more, on the American Express website, the payment shows fully credited on XX/XX/year>, but American Express just keeps cheating! 

Thanks so much for your help! 

Best, XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation