Consumer complaint received 2024-04-10 00:00:00
Product: Prepaid card — General-purpose prepaid card
Issue: Trouble using the card — Trouble using the card to spend money in a store or online
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
XXXX. In XXXX of XXXX, I received an American Express XXXX  from the attorneys at XXXX XXXX XXXX ( a law firm ) in the amount of XXXX. 
XXXX. After several unsuccessful attempts to access the card via venders ( i.e. XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX, I contacted the person who issued the card on behalf of company as a holiday gift to their employees. She contacted the vendor and they informed her that I should continue to contact the help number on the XXXX  card ( XXXX ). 
XXXX. I called that number a few times in XXXX and XXXX, provided the information they requested and they informed me that the amount was still {$480.00} and but I should continue to try to use the card. 
XXXX. Sometime in XXXX I was informed during a call with a member of that help line that the card now contained only {$0.00} because a charge had been made on it. I said this was not mine and was told that they need to file a fraud complaint on my behalf and I that it might take up to 90 days. 
XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX I received an email from CardDispute at XXXX which contained a PDF of the charge made and asked to verify if this was the fraudulent charge. I did so and sent that response back. ( XXXX XXXX. XXXX ). There email stated the below : XXXX, DISPUTE RESOLUTION TEAM, XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX GA XXXX which is different from the first mentioned email XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a response from XXXX that stated I was responsible for revealing the information on the card and therefore I was responsible for the fraud. 
XXXX. I found this response unacceptable and again called the XXXX. I insisted that they file a new dispute and that someone needs to call me as the information provided offered no explanation as what actions had been taken. 
XXXX. When someone called me, I presume from center, I was informed that they closed the case and a check for {$0.00} was sent to me to close the account. 
XXXX. This is outrageous because as the only time I provided any information regarding the ecard was to the persons at the XXXX number. It was only there that any information was provided by me in an effort to resolve. 
XXXX. I have made several email attempts to contact XXXX and they provide no response. 
XXXX. I have tried to contact American Express and they state that the XXXX XXXX XXXX is apart from them, and they refer me back to that above XXXX number. Of course, names are not identified. One person at American Express tried to find back channels but said she faced a brick wall. Also any and all searches, including to America Express regarding AM XXXX cards eventually lead me back to that same number. Clearly it is made extremely difficult to contact people other than through the emails that provide no resolution. I would hazard to quess that this byzantine setup to get accountability provides AE XXXX and American Express with a large amount of funds in the form of abandoned XXXX cards.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation