Consumer complaint received 2026-01-22 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — I do not know
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt is not yours
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: DC

Complaint narrative:
I am submitting this complaint to formally dispute a fraudulent American Express account that was opened in my name as a result of identity theft. I do not own this account, I did not apply for it, and I never authorized its opening or use. This account was opened without my knowledge or consent, and any balance or activity associated with it is fraudulent. 

The American Express account at issue was opened in or around XX/XX/year> and currently reflects a balance of approximately {$2000.00}. I did not submit any application for credit with American Express during that time, nor did I provide authorization to any third party to do so on my behalf. I have never signed a contract, agreement, or applicationelectronically or otherwiseauthorizing American Express to extend credit to me for this account. I have never received, activated, or used any American Express card or account associated with this tradeline. 

I first became aware of this account after reviewing my credit information and discovering unfamiliar and unauthorized accounts appearing on my credit report. Upon discovering this American Express account, I immediately recognized that it was fraudulent, as I had no prior relationship with American Express related to this account and had not engaged in any transaction that would justify its existence. The presence of this account is entirely inconsistent with my financial history, spending habits, and authorization. 

Because this account was clearly opened through identity theft, I took prompt and reasonable steps to protect myself and mitigate further harm. I filed an official Identity Theft Report with the Federal Trade Commission ( FTC ), affirming under penalty of perjury that this account is not mine and was opened fraudulently. This FTC Identity Theft Report documents that my personal identifying information was misused without my authorization and establishes my rights under federal law, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ). 

Despite filing an FTC Identity Theft Report and disputing the account, this American Express account continues to be associated with my name and credit profile. This has caused and continues to cause significant harm, including damage to my creditworthiness, emotional distress, time loss, and the burden of repeatedly disputing information that is not accurate. I have been placed in the unfair position of defending myself against a debt that I did not incur and from which I derived no benefit. 

American Express, as a furnisher of credit information and as the alleged creditor, has a legal obligation to ensure that the information it reports is accurate, complete, and verifiable. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, American Express is required to conduct a reasonable investigation when a consumer disputes an account and provides evidence of identity theft, including an FTC Identity Theft Report. Simply confirming information internally or relying on automated systems is not sufficient when the consumer has clearly stated that the account was opened fraudulently and has provided documentation supporting that claim. 

At no point has American Express provided me with any original documentation proving that I applied for or authorized this account. I have not been provided with a signed application, a contract bearing my signature, a valid electronic consent record, an IP address traceable to me, or any other form of original evidence that would demonstrate that I knowingly and willingly opened this account. Without such documentation, there is no legitimate basis for American Express to continue associating this account with me. 

Furthermore, I did not receive any of the funds, credit benefits, or services associated with this account. Any charges, balances, or transactions reported on this account were made by an unknown third party who fraudulently used my personal information. I did not receive billing statements, cards, or notices at the time the account was opened, further supporting the conclusion that the account was opened and controlled by someone else. 

The continued reporting and maintenance of this fraudulent account, despite my identity theft report and disputes, raises serious concerns regarding compliance with federal consumer protection laws. The Fair Credit Reporting Act provides clear protections for victims of identity theft, including the right to have fraudulent information blocked and removed from credit reports once proper documentation is provided. By continuing to report this account or failing to remove it, American Express XXXX be failing to meet its obligations under the law. 

This situation has forced me to spend an unreasonable amount of time correcting information that should never have been attributed to me in the first place. I have had to monitor my credit, submit disputes, file identity theft reports, and repeatedly explain that I am a victim of fraud. These efforts would not be necessary if American Express had exercised appropriate verification and fraud prevention measures at the time the account was opened or during the dispute process. 

I am not refusing to pay a legitimate debt ; rather, I am asserting that no valid debt exists between myself and American Express for this account. I have no contractual obligation to American Express for this account because I never entered into any agreement with them. Any attempt to hold me responsible for this account is improper and unsupported by evidence. 

I am requesting that American Express acknowledge that this account was opened as a result of identity theft, cease all collection or reporting activities related to it, and permanently remove the account from my credit file. I am also requesting confirmation that this account will not be sold, transferred, reassigned, or reinserted into my credit report in the future. 

Additionally, I request that American Express conduct a full and lawful investigation into this matter, including a review of the application data, IP addresses, device information, and any third-party involvement that XXXX have contributed to the fraudulent opening of this account. This investigation should focus on identifying the fraud and correcting the harm done to me as the victim, rather than attempting to shift responsibility onto me. 

In summary, the American Express account opened in XX/XX/year> with a balance of approximately {$2000.00} is fraudulent, was opened without my authorization, and is the direct result of identity theft. I have filed an FTC Identity Theft Report documenting this fraud. I do not own this account, I did not benefit from it, and I have no legal responsibility for it. I am requesting immediate removal of this account and full compliance with applicable consumer protection laws.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation