Consumer complaint received 2026-05-15 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement — Card was charged for something you did not purchase with the card
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: KS

Complaint narrative:
AMEX blue card ending in XXXX My social security ends in XXXX I am receiving XXXX which is my only source of income. My phone was stolen as well and my new number is : XXXX My bank is taking their over draft fees as soon as my social security check is deposited and leaves me in this cycle of debt to pay rent and other expenses. XXXX Police case numbers : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX There were also multiple thefts in XXXX. I provided to each card company the XXXX police fraud departments direct line : XXXX. There are other case numbers for XXXX when all this stated. I was targeted by these transients after the murder of my wife and son. I even moved to another apartment complex and they found me there and the cycle continued because my roommate would keep the door unlocked and they would walk in and steal my food and other expensive items. The transient criminals can not be found and they wiped out my personal savings for a down payment on my home. Then they maxed out all my cards and stole my car and burned up the clutch. Then it was towed to a storage lot. I had items take from my car when I was in the hospital with a XXXX condition and my wife and son of XXXX years were murder only a few months ago. All the card companies are aware of this and me being in and out of the hospital trying to get stable but this is unacceptable I have to pay these criminals bills when the merchant could have prevented all of this by " CHECKING ID ''. I am fight with my health, getting my credit back and grieving the murder of my wife and son. I also told them to look at a past usage before the thefts. I spent less than 20 % on each card and they will see the the high spikes in usage. The detectives said because they are transient or ghosts I can not even sue them in small claims because they can not be found. According to the Fair Credit Billing Act ( FCBA ) if the stolen cards led to unpaid balances, fraud disputes that aren't resolved quickly, or if the issuer suspends the account while investigating, that can indirectly affect your score ( e.g., via higher utilization or temporary closure ). My Credit Score score when from a XXXX to a XXXX and they are turning me over to collections for Unpaid annual fee late payment reported direct negative hit. Stolen cards if not reported promptly, or if there's a lingering unpaid fraudulent balance, or if the account was closed/suspended. Account closures ( due to theft or non-payment ) is shortening my average credit history length, which is hurting my scores. I Contacted the issuer ( s ) immediately Explained both the unpaid fee and the stolen cards. Ask them to Waive or reverse any late fees related to the fee ( some will do this as a one-time courtesy ). They refused to do this and issue a provisional credit and send me a new card until I made a payment. The cards stolen cards and properly reported and they refuse to have the charges removed because of fraud. They refuse to reinstate or reactivate the account or set up a payment plan. They will not provide a goodwill adjustment for any credit score impact. I have been a good customer for over XXXX years and was pre-qualified for a home before all of this. I am locked out of all my online accounts and I am unable to review statements. I have frozen all my credit reports to prevent further fraud. My bank card was also stolen and they pulled from my saving I believe to cover past fraud debt on my checking account. I requested from all my card companies : 1. Stopping Fees ( Interest, Late Fees, etc. ) Yes, for the disputed amount only : If you properly dispute unauthorized/fraudulent charges ( from the stolen cards ) as a " billing error '' under the FCBA, the issuer must : Stop trying to collect payment on the disputed amount. Stop charging interest on the disputed amount. Not add late fees or other penalty fees specifically tied to the disputed amount. This protection applies during the investigation ( up to XXXX days XXXX, or XXXX billing cycles ). It has been longer than XXXX days and I see no credits being added back to my cards. They have not reported the account or charge as " in dispute '' ( which is allowed and sometimes appears on your credit report ). They have sent me to collections that is adversely affecting my credit standing even though the disputed amount is still under investigation. My bank is keeping me in this vicious cycle of debt by charging me {$25.00} with each payment and I contacted the credit card companies to stop the autopay because it costs me {$75.00} when they run my card XXXX times for not having the funds to cover the payment. Grief lowered my filter ( as you put it ), making kindness feel like the right response. These transients often lack the internal brakes most people have : Empathy, guilt, or long-term relationship investment. They prioritize short-term gain. My generosity was real ; their taking was predatory. This is why the betrayal cuts so deep. They target openhearted people ( especially while grieving. I have had my roommate and transients banned from the property. I am in XXXX and stress medications and meet with my doctor monthly. They gave me a XXXX XXXX meter to monitor my BP daily. I also meet with a therapist for grief counseling to deal with the self-blame and rage for not being there to protect them. In the meantime, boundaries and self-compassion are my tools.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief