Consumer complaint received 2024-11-25 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a company's investigation into an existing problem — Their investigation did not fix an error on your report
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: MA

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a notification from my bank ( XXXX ) that my credit score had dropped. I was traveling at the time, so I was not able to fully investigate the information. On XX/XX/XXXX, I looked at my credit report and saw that there was an American Express account opened in my name using an address that was not mine and a phone number I had never previously seen. The criminal who opened the account charged {$38000.00} to the credit card and it was sent to collections, which is what led to the drop in my credit score. I called American Express that evening to tell them I am a victim of fraud, and I filed a report with the local police. American Express said they would do an investigation and provide me results within 30 days, even if the response was to tell me that they needed more time to complete their investigation. I also issued fraud alerts with all three credit reporting agencies, disputed that fraudulent credit card and froze my credit with all three agencies. 

Several days later, I filed a report on intentitytheft.gov. I also called American Express again and requested the details on the credit card opened in my name including the account number and details of the transactions on the account. They said they could not provide me this information. At that time, they did tell me it was a business credit card opened by an entity named XXXX XXXX ' where *** was my initials. Prior to this moment, I had not heard of this entity or been affiliated with it. 

On the afternoon of XX/XX/XXXX, I called American Express to follow up on the report to ask them why I had not heard anything from them since it had been more than 30 days since my original report. They said I would hear from someone within 4 days. I also requested details about the fraudulent account including the account number. I informed them that my understanding is that based on the Fair Credit Reporting Act says that I have the right to obtain documents related to accounts opened using my personal information and associated fraudulent transactions. I was told someone will call me in within 4 days to discuss whether they could provide this information. At that time, I requested to speak to a supervisor. I was told a supervisor was not available at that time, but a supervisor would call me within an hour. 

No one called me, so two hours later, I called them back and informed them that I do not think their behavior is consistent with the Fair Credit Reporting Act. I also asked them to retract their reports to credit agencies indicating that the was collections since I had reported this account as being fraudulent. They said they would not remove the information they submitted to the credit reporting agencies until they had done their due diligence. I told them that does not seem consistent with the Fair Credit Reporting Act since I reported this account as fraudulent. At this point, they put me on the phone with another person named XXXX ( ID : XXXX ) who informed me that their investigation into my claim was in fact complete, contrary to what I was previously told during that same call, and that they had determined the account was mine 'because it was in my name. ' I requested to see the details of the investigation, and XXXX told me that those could not be provided to me. At this point, she did tell me American Express would send me the account application and the account statement, but she would not provide a timeframe in which I would receive these documents. I asked XXXX to please ensure the documents are sent to my correct address, not the address used to create the fraudulent account. XXXX connected me with an individual in American Express who removed the address used to open the fraudulent account, and XXXX assured me that the fraudulent address was removed and the requested documents would be sent to my correct address. 

While on the phone with XXXX, I also requested to receive the transcript of a recorded call earlier this year with someone from American Express when they called me to ask if I had applied for an account with American Express. During that call I declined submitting an application or having an account with American Express. XXXX told me that she can not provide me that transcript. She said she could only provide that transcript to law enforcement, but did not provide a reason when I asked for an explanation about why it could not be provided directly to me. 

It is also worth noting that at several points during the calls on XX/XX/XXXX, I requested an address I can use to make formal written requests for the information described above. I was told that I could be provided this information, but after being on hold for a period of time, I was then connected with XXXX rather than given the address. XXXX did not provide the requested address and she made several comments indicating that my verbal requests on that recorded call were sufficient.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation