Consumer complaint received 2025-10-01 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Credit card debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt was result of identity theft
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: OH

Complaint narrative:
This non-duplicative complaint concerns unlawful attempts by American Express ( AmEx ) and its third-party debt collector XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ) to collect and report on a disputed, charged-off AmEx account ending in XXXX. 

Despite : Prior written disputes ( XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX ), An FTC Identity Theft Report ( XX/XX/XXXX ), A cease-and-desist notice, and Prior CFPB complaints ( including ID XXXX, submitted XXXX XXXX, XXXX ), AmEx continues to reassign this charged-off account, and XXXX continues to send collection letters and attempted XXXX without providing lawful validation. 

On XXXX XXXX, XXXX, XXXX produced only historical billing statements from XXXX. No signed application, IP/geolocation logs, chain-of-title assignment, XXXX XXXX XXXX, or certified XXXX was provided. These are legally insufficient to validate a debt. 

Violations Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ), 15 U.S.C. 1692 et seq. & Regulation F ( 12 C.F.R. Part 1006 ) 1692g ( b ) : XXXX failed to cease collection while the debt was disputed ; no adequate validation was provided. 

Regulation F, 1006.34 ( c ) : Requires itemization and documentation of the debt ( not just billing statements ). 

1692c ( c ) : Ignored my cease-and-desist by continuing to send communications.

1692e : False representation of ownership/validity of debt.

1692f : Unfair practice to pursue a debt without legal standing. 

XXXX XXXX : XXXX v. Gallerizzo ( XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX Cir. XXXX ) requires meaningful validation. 

Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), 15 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.

1681s-2 ( b ) : AmEx and XXXX furnished inaccurate and unverified information to CRAs.

1681i : CRAs failed to conduct meaningful reinvestigations, relying only on furnisher parroting.

1681i ( a ) ( 5 ) : Prohibits reinsertion of deleted items without proper certification. 

XXXX XXXX : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX Cir. XXXX ) CRAs must conduct independent investigations. 

XXXX XXXX : XXXX v. XXXX ( XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX Cir. XXXX ) Reasonable investigation requires more than superficial checks. 

Truth in Lending Act ( TILA ), 15 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.

Failure to disclose account terms and impact of charge-off/debt transfer.

Ohio Law ORC 1319.12 : Requires proof of assignment to enforce a debt ; TSI provided none.

Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act ( ORC 1345.02, 1345.03 ) : Pursuit of disputed/unverified debt is deceptive and unconscionable.

Equitable Principles Unclean Hands : AmEx and XXXX continue to act in bad faith by withholding proof. 

Estoppel : Their failure to validate bars further collection or reporting.

Case Law : XXXX XXXX XXXX. v. XXXX. XXXX. XXXX. Co. ( XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX ). 

XXXX XXXX XXXX : XXXX AmEx account ending XXXX charged off. 

XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX : Written disputes sent to AmEx and CRAs. No validation beyond billing statements. 

XX/XX/XXXX : FTC Identity Theft Report filed. 

XX/XX/XXXX : CRAs acknowledged some corrections but reinserted unverified data. 

XX/XX/XXXX : Multiple CFPB complaints filed ( IDs XXXX, XXXX, XXXX ). 

XX/XX/XXXX : Complaint filed against XXXX ( ID XXXX ). 

XX/XX/XXXX : XXXX provided only billing statements from XXXX. No other documentation.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation