Consumer complaint received 2026-01-02 00:00:00
Product: Prepaid card — General-purpose prepaid card
Issue: Problem getting a card or closing an account — Trouble getting a working replacement card
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: NC

Complaint narrative:
In XX/XX/XXXX, I received an {$1500.00} American Express XXXX XXXX. I never used the card and had not previously opened the envelope. The Terms and Conditions that the gift card came attached to state that the funds on the card do not expire, and the card itself lists an expiration date of XX/XX/XXXX. Based on this information, I reasonably believed the funds would remain available and did not need to be used immediately. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I contacted XXXX, which is the phone number printed on the back of my gift card and listed in the paper Terms and Conditions that the gift card came attached to, at approximately XXXX XXXX regarding the card. I was informed that the remaining funds had been escheated due to inactivity. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called XXXX again at approximately XXXX XXXX I was instructed to contact the unclaimed property office for the relevant state. I contacted unclaimed property offices for both XXXX ( where the card was purchased ) and XXXX XXXX  ( my state of residence ). Both offices requested the date the funds were sent to the state. 

I then called XXXX again at approximately XXXX XXXX to obtain this information and was told the funds were sent in XX/XX/XXXX. I provided this information to unclaimed property, and they informed me they were unable to locate any claim associated with me, likely because I was not the original purchaser of the gift card. I was advised to contact the gift card provider again. 

After reviewing the paper Terms and Conditions that were provided with the gift card at issuance ( attached ), I noticed a clause stating that if funds are escheated, the card may be deactivated, but the unused balance will be made available to the cardholder upon request. 

At approximately XXXX XXXX I called XXXX again and referenced the escheatment clause in the Terms and Conditions. During this call, I was provided with the phone number XXXX and instructed to contact that number. I was told the representative I was speaking with was not American Express and was unable to honor the Terms. 

The phone number XXXX is the number provided on the American Express gift card website. I contacted this number at approximately XXXXXXXX XXXX and was immediately transferred back to XXXX. The representative again stated they could not assist and confirmed they were not American Express and were only a card service provider. 

I contacted XXXX again and explained that I had been repeatedly transferred and needed to speak directly with American Express regarding enforcement of the Gift Card Terms. I was informed that this number only supports legacy American Express gift cards purchased prior to XX/XX/XXXX. 

As a result, I have been repeatedly transferred between third-party administrators and American Express phone lines without any entity taking responsibility for honoring the Gift Card Terms and Conditions. I have not been provided with a process to release or reissue the unused balance, despite the Terms stating that unused escheated funds will be made available upon request and that the funds do not expire.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation