Consumer complaint received 2025-07-08 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: FL

Complaint narrative:
This is a formal complaint against American Express XXXX  Bank for refusing to produce the account ledger and associated accounting documentation required to validate or resolve a billing error. Despite my lawful and repeated written requests, the company has concealed the original books of account and responded with billing statements that do not meet statutory or jurisdictional standards. 

I. LEGAL DEMAND FOR LEDGER In response to the failure to credit a {$6000.00} payment submitted on XX/XX/year>, I issued a billing error notice under 166 ( a ) of Public Law 90-321 ( 82 Stat. 146 ). That notice included a lawful demand for the following : The original account ledger containing all debits, credits, interest entries, and balance adjustments, Any records showing how the XX/XX/XXXX payment was received, applied, or rejected, Traceable transactional entries and source logs reflecting the alleged balance. 

II. INSUFFICIENT RESPONSE American Express refused to provide the ledger. Instead, they responded with billing statements, which are internal summaries and not accounting records. These statements : Do not contain ledger entry dates, Do not show credit or debit trace logs, Do not document balance justification or payment application, Are insufficient to resolve or validate a billing error under federal law. 

III. STATUTORY VIOLATIONS PUBLIC LAW 90-321 ( 82 Stat. 146 ) American Express is in direct violation of : 166 ( b ) : Duty to conduct an investigation and disclose documentary evidence of a disputed transaction ; 164 : Duty to disclose written evidence used to justify the billing claim ; 161 ( c ) : Duty to apply payments and maintain an accurate account balance. 

No evidence has been provided that my payment was ever logged, rejected, or credited. Without the ledger, their balance remains legally unverified. 

IV. JURISDICTIONAL VIOLATION NATIONAL BANK ACT ( 13 Stat. 99 23, 52, 53 ) As a federally chartered institution, American Express XXXX Bank is required to : Maintain books of account ( 23 ), Avoid issuance XXXX false or incomplete records ( e.g., billing statements without ledger entries ) ( 52 ), Produce the ledger upon lawful request ( 53 ). 

Their refusal to produce the ledger is a violation of federal bank law and renders the alleged balance jurisdictionally unenforceable. 

V. CONSTITUTIONAL VIOLATION 1 Stat. 97 ( Fifth Amendment ) Their refusal also constitutes a procedural deprivation of property without due process, as I have been denied access to exculpatory accounting evidence needed to contest the alleged debt. 

RELIEF REQUESTED I request that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau : Compel American Express XXXXl Bank to produce the complete account ledger with all debits, credits, and balance justifications ; Investigate American Express for violating 166 ( b ), 164, and 161 ( c ) of the Truth in Lending Act ; Refer this matter to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency ( OCC ) for breach of fiduciary and recordkeeping obligations under 13 Stat. 99 ; Suspend all credit reporting or enforcement related to this account until original ledger documentation is produced ; Require American Express to issue a written certification that either ( a ) the ledger proves the balance is correct or ( b ) the balance is being adjusted based on failure to comply.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation