Consumer complaint received 2026-06-11 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: CA

Complaint narrative:
I am submitting this complaint again because American Express has once again denied my dispute for the transaction in the amount of {$8200.00}, continuing to rely on the fact that the payment was sent through XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX while disregarding that I was a victim of a huge fraud scheme, manipulating into using the payment method and also the overwhelming evidence that the recipient XXXX XXXX has agreed the funds should be returned when he responded through XXXX on the sellers note. And then again on XX/XX/year>, through email. American Express has repeatedly based its denial on the technicality that I used the Friends & Family payment method breaking the terms and condition of XXXX. Please acknowledge that the seller himself broke the terms and conditions requesting money to be sent through Friends & Family and was proven to be involved in a big fraud scheme by authorities including the FBI. However, this ignores the central issue : the recipient himself has agreed in writing that I should receive a refund and does not contest the chargeback. The recipient has confirmed through both XXXX XXXX XXXX and direct email communications that he agrees the funds belong back to me. He has explained that he was also a victim of the underlying fraud scheme and acted as an unwitting intermediary. Most importantly, he has expressly stated that he does not oppose the chargeback and agrees that American Express should return the funds to me. The recipients XXXX account has been permanently restricted, making him technically unable to issue a refund through XXXX. Because he can not process the refund himself, he has conceded the chargeback and is allowing American Express to resolve the matter through its dispute process. XXXX has already reviewed the sellers account to be involved in a fraud scheme hence banning the account and collecting the funds back from the seller. This is no longer a dispute where the merchant claims entitlement to the funds. The recipient has acknowledged that the money should be returned and has expressly agreed to the refund. The only barrier preventing the return of my funds is American Expresss continued reliance on the fact that the payment was originally sent through Friends & Family. American Express should not deny a valid refund simply because of the payment method when the recipient has already admitted that the funds should be returned and has authorized the chargeback by declining to contest it. I respectfully request that this matter be escalated to a senior dispute XXXX or XXXX review team for a comprehensive review of the evidence, including the XXXX XXXX XXXX and the recipients written communications confirming his agreement to the refund. Given that the recipient can not issue the refund himself due to his permanently restricted XXXX account and has expressly agreed that the funds should be returned to me, I respectfully request that American Express reverse its denial and process the {$8200.00} refund through the chargeback process. I also ask that American Express evaluate this dispute based on the complete factual record rather than solely on the Friends & Family designation. When the recipient has unequivocally agreed to the refund and does not contest the chargeback, continuing to deny the claim on a technical basis does not fairly address the substance of the dispute or the evidence presented.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation