Consumer complaint received 2025-06-26 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Fees or interest — Unexpected increase in interest rate
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: HI

Complaint narrative:
Gentlemen, This complaint is a continuation of previous complaints filed since XX/XX/XXXX. There is another critical element that needs American Expresss attention. When I first called American Express and talked to your Customer Service Supervisor, XXXX, ID XXXX, she mentioned something that made little sense at the time. Now, it has come to mean quite a lot. She brought up what was apparently and issue concerning routing numbers as to why the payment was returned. What is that all about? Oddly enough, no one since has mentioned anything about routing numbers to explain anything. Why is that? Is it something your system generated or the banks system? What assures you that your system is infallible to error. That needs to be explained because, as you know, if the routing number is incorrect, the Bank wouldnt receive your request for payment and wouldnt render a response at all. Thats whats so confusing and needs explanation. As stated before, the Bank data in your online payment portal has been there unchanged for years. 

After an exhausting effort to find out what has happened, I can only conclude that XXXXXXXX XXXX  and XXXX XXXX in XXXX, XXXX never received a request for payment from American Express on XX/XX/XXXX especially now since there seems to be an issue with an incorrect routing number. Only after the identical Banking information was re-entered into American Expresss online payment portal did the payment go through on XX/XX/XXXX. Please verify that Im correct to say American Express deleted banking information on XXXXXXXX XXXX  when this happened? Also, verify the banking information re-entered for XXXX is the same information stored in the payment portal prior to this instance. 

I would think, its time for American Express to take an interest in assisting me in finding out what happened instead of resisting. Its clearly not my fault. Its either on American Express or the Bank. Right now, indications are its on American Express. Show me what banking information was actually sent. Show me that the request for payment actually went to XXXX XXXX and XXXX. Show me that you received a response from XXXX that they could not locate the account provided. What was the code you received back and what does it mean. Again, XXXX contends if they responded to a message from American Express, they would have a record of that response in their transaction and communication recordsthey do not! If American Express believes XXXXXXXX XXXX  is incorrect, please provide to the Bank documentation what you sent and what you received. 

Also, your late payment warning says that your APRs MAY be increased to the penalty rate of XXXX XXXX. What exactly defines the parameters of MAY? Is there some sort of check list to determine who deserves the full penalty and those that dont. Point being, please explain what criteria justified the full penalty allowable by law. 

This is what XXXX Assist suggests, under the Truth in Lending Act as well as the Card Act, American Express is required to impose reasonable and proportional penalty fees. If American Express claims they couldn't locate your account for payment, this situation raises important questions regarding the appropriateness of any penalty rates imposed. 

I implore American Express, as a simple courtesy to a XXXX card holder with a perfect record, to reach out to my Bank and discuss the matter. All parties need to know what has happened here! The debate is really between the Bank and American Express yet Im the only one being financially harmed. If American Express is so confident the issue is due to my Bank, please provide all documentation to support that. 

XXXX XXXX XXXX is the XXXX of XXXXXXXX XXXX. We have discussed this matter extensively. His phone number and email address areXXXX XXXX, XXXX.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation