Consumer complaint received 2026-04-21 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement — Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: UT

Complaint narrative:
XX/XX/XXXXXXXX Consumer Financial Protection Bureau XXXX. XXXX XXXX Washington , DC XXXX Subject : Formal Complaint Regarding American Express Technical Compliance Without Equitable Review Account Ending in XXXX The transaction Reference Number : XXXX To Whom It May Concern : I submit this complaint to address American Expresss handling of a dispute on my account ending in XXXX. American Express has applied the Fair Credit Billing Act narrowly, accepting merchant documentation at face value while overlooking evidence that the merchant manipulated the facts to their advantage. The result undermines the sanctity of consumer protection rights, which require procedural & substantive fairness guided by good judgment. Factual background On XXXX XX/XX/XXXX, my account was billed {$500.00} by XXXX, identified hereafter as the Merchant. The Merchant denied a promised refund, and supplied documentation in a manner misleading to American Express. The charge, as presented, does not reflect the actual transaction as per the agreement. Dispute process and outcome Initially, I disputed the charge with American Express on XXXX XX/XX/XXXXXXXX or so. Its important to note, during my phone conversation with the representative from dispute department of American Express, I offered to provide a copy of the only email received from the merchant in any of my email account folders ; which clearly had no confirmation number or any type of reference except that I have a reservation The American Express representative informed me that it was not necessary at that point and would contact me if anything further was needed. On XXXX XX/XX/XXXX, American Express closed the dispute in the merchants favor, citing the documentation supplied by XXXX supported the charges. While the process may meet technical requirements, it failed to account for the fact that the filing of my initial dispute occurred at least thirteen days prior to the dates for the booked stay through XXXX. The merchant manipulated and presented the facts that had not been delivered to me in writing or any other means for that matter, leaving me without the protection the law intends. Furthermore, had the information been delivered to me prior to the stay dates, I would have contacted XXXX myself and canceled the reservation. On XXXX XX/XX/XXXX, the dispute was filed for the second time with the screenshots of the only email received. Again, American Express on XXXX XX/XX/XXXXXXXX closed the dispute in the merchants favor, citing the documentation supplied by XXXX supported the charges and that the Merchant claimed that no attempt was made by me to request the cancellation. That claim is also false. Initially, I had contacted the Merchant prior to submission of the initial dispute. The Merchants representative denied any type of assistance to help me cancel the reservation without a confirmation number. Even though I offered the hotel name and my personal information they said without the confirmation number they can not cancel. The third dispute was filed on XXXX XX/XX/XXXXXXXX adding my letter of explanation clearly stating the dates of the transaction and that of when the service was to be rendered. Once more, on XXXX XX/XX/XXXX, American Express closed the dispute in the merchants favor, citing the same reasons as the prior one. XXXX never supplied American Express with proof of an email that was delivered to me with the confirmation number or any of the standard terms consistent with a transaction of this nature. Certainly, someone that has been using credit cards for over 30 years values time and understands how to adhere to contract terms. The practices that XXXX is applying are quite concerning and must be held accountable. Importance of upholding consumer rights Consumer protection statutes exist to prevent consumers from bearing the cost of merchant misconduct. When issuers rely solely on merchant-controlled evidence, the dispute right becomes hollow. The sanctity of these rights depends on reasonable, equitable review not just procedural adherence. Resolution requested To ensure the law is applied in both letter and spirit, I request that the CFPB direct American Express to : 1- Reopen the dispute and conduct a substantive review of all evidence as submitted herein and specifically the fact that my initial dispute claim was submitted 13 days prior to the stay booking ; 2- Remove the charge of {$500.00} permanently and any related interest or fees if the merchants representations are found to be misleading ; 3- Correct any negative credit reporting stemming from this dispute {$500.00}, if any. Enclosures Copies of : [ billing statement, dispute filings, XXXX communications, evidence of misrepresentation, Amex decision letters ] I consent to the CFPB forwarding this complaint to American Express and sharing my information as necessary to secure a resolution consistent with consumer protection law. Respectfully, TN Enclosures

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief