Consumer complaint received 2025-08-09 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems — Other problem
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: PR

Complaint narrative:
Introduction : I respectfully submit this complaint to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ) to report American Expresss unfair, deceptive, and inconsistent business practices in connection with the handling of a billing dispute and fraud investigation concerning my American Express Business Platinum Account. As detailed below, American Expresss conduct reflects serious procedural failures, including poor customer service, a lack of transparency, inconsistent instructions, disregard for legal representation, and the reversal of credits without justification. These failures caused me significant financial and emotional hardship. 

Jurisdiction : I understand that the CFPB has authority under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the Truth in Lending Act ( TILA ) to investigate complaints related to unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts and practices by financial institutions. This complaint involves billing dispute mismanagement and potential violations of those standards by American Express. 


Factual Background : 1. On XX/XX/XXXX, my legal counsel submitted a letter to American Express regarding a series of unauthorized charges on my American Express Business Platinum account, including 4 subaccounts. The purpose of this letter was to clarify what steps American Express had taken to investigate my billing dispute submitted on XX/XX/XXXX, the evidence they used to reach their conclusion of my dispute, and what actions they intended to take in response to my XX/XX/XXXX letter. 

2. American Express had acknowledged my initial dispute, which I submitted in XX/XX/XXXX, through letters issued by its XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX and XXXX, XXXX, letters were sent to me, and XXXX XXXX XXXX, and XXXX XXXX XXXX as sub-account cardholders, confirming that the dispute had been opened. 

XXXX. Additional acknowledgment letters were issued on XX/XX/XXXX and XXXX, XXXX, again to me, XXXX XXXX, and XXXX XXXX, confirming that credits had been applied and stating that unless more information was needed before XX/XX/XXXX, the cases would be considered closed. Letters from XX/XX/XXXX and XXXX, XXXX, reiterated that investigations were ongoing. Further letters dated XX/XX/XXXX and XXXX, XXXX, stated that more credits had been issued and the XX/XX/XXXX, deadline remained in effect. 

XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX and XXXX, XXXX, American Express, through its XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, sent me letters confirming that the related dispute inquiries were under investigation. 

XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received another letter confirming that a credit had been applied and that the case would closed if no additional information was needed before XX/XX/XXXX. 

XXXX. After that, American Express did not contact me or request any additional information from me. I understood my dispute to be closed and resolved. 

XXXX. Despite previously confirming that my account had been credited for the disputed charges and that the case would be considered closed after XX/XX/XXXX if no additional information was needed, American Express reversed the credits in XX/XX/XXXX without any notice or explanation. When I called to inquire about the reversal, no one could explain why the charges had been reapplied to my account. 

XXXX. After receiving no response to the XX/XX/XXXX letter, I followed up in early XX/XX/XXXX by calling American Express Customer Service. A representative instructed me to resend the letter, along with an authorization for my attorney to represent me, via fax to ( XXXX ) XXXX. My attorney complied with this request and sent the documents on XX/XX/XXXX. 

XXXX. Additionally in XX/XX/XXXX, during another follow-up call to American Express Customer Service XXXX XXXX was instructed by a representative to resend the same documentation ( my XX/XX/XXXX letter and attorney authorization ) to American Express XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, FL XXXX, and to XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX at XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX NY XXXX. My attorney mailed the documents to both addresses as instructed. 

XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, Attorney XXXX XXXX XXXX from the General Counsels office confirmed receipt and said that American Express would begin investigating the allegations set forth in my letter but requested additional time due to the need to retrieve records stored in various, hard-to-access locations. 

XXXX. I received no other update until XX/XX/XXXX, when XXXX XXXX XXXX from the American Express Mitigation Division contacted my attorney, not about the pending dispute, but to talk about possibly reinstating my personal credit card account ending in XXXX. 

XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, my attorney called American Express Customer Service to follow up on a response to my original billing dispute, as detailed in my letter dated XX/XX/XXXX regarding my American Express Account. The call was answered by someone identified as employee XXXX, who refused to share any information with her, saying that no valid authorization was on file, even though it had been submitted several times. The agent instructed my counselor to send the documents again to a different address : XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, Texas XXXX. My attorney sent the requested documentation again on XX/XX/XXXX. 

XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX and again on XX/XX/XXXX, American Express sent letters directly to me at home, even though they knew I was represented by counsel. The letters said they could not proceed with the investigation because they lacked information, and they claimed they couldnt reach me. They closed the investigation and instructed me to call the American Express Fraud Department. 

XXXX. Following those instructions, on XX/XX/XXXX, my attorney and I called American Express Customer Service. We spoke to someone identified as XXXX. The agent told me I could not speak to them directly because I had legal representation, and refused to speak with us. She informed us that all future communication had to go through the email address XXXX. The agent then instructed us to submit all further inquiries via email to the address : XXXX. 

XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, my attorney sent a detailed email to that address explaining all prior efforts made by me to obtain a substantive response to my original billing dispute, as detailed in her letter dated XX/XX/XXXX. The email sought clarification regarding the steps American Express had taken, the results of any investigations conducted, and any additional action required to resolve my claim. 

XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, I called the American Express Customer Service and asked to speak with a representative of the Fraud Department. I spoke with someone named XXXX XXXX employee XXXX ), a representative of the Fraud Department, who said she wasnt familiar with my case and counld not further assist me but that someone else would contact me. 

XXXX. I later called American Express two more times, but their system was down. 

XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, my attorney sent additional follow-up correspondence to American Express via email at XXXX, reiterating her request for a response to the issues outlined in her prior communications. 

XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, Attorney XXXX XXXX contacted my attorney to schedule a meeting to address the additional correspondence originally submitted on XX/XX/XXXX. 

XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, Attorney XXXX and my attorney conducted a virtual meeting. During the meeting, Attorney XXXX shared American Expresss general position on my billing procedure dispute regarding unauthorized charges and said that they do not normally share internal investigation results unless they involved in a lawsuit. She said they do not have the resources to provide detailed explanations. She promised to follow up with a summary of the discussion and a copy of my Card Member Agreement. As of the date of this complaint, neither has been provided.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation