Consumer complaint received 2024-06-19 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a company's investigation into an existing problem — Difficulty submitting a dispute or getting information about a dispute over the phone
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
XXXX - Called American Express ( AmEx ) requesting to close my credit card account. This account, along with every other credit line I have ever had, had a perfect history with XXXX late payments. The agent I spoke with told me I needed to pay off the entire balance ( {$23000.00} ) in order to close the account. He said he was freezing my account pending the arrival of my payment, which I told him would arrive on XX/XX/XXXX. He said no charges would be able to hit my account during the freeze, so there is no need to cancel recurring autopayments. 

XXXX - After paying the balance in full ( {$23000.00} ), I logged into my account and noticed it was still active, and a couple recurring autopayments had been charged. I contacted AmEx via online chat, and the representative told me they would waive the charges and cancel my account. 

XX/XX/XXXX - I received a statement from AmEx with new charges, as well as an annual membership fee of {$95.00}. I contacted AmEx again, and explained that I have been trying to close my account. I requested for them to waive all charges, because none of those charges would have hit the account if they had closed it like I requested on XXXX and XXXX. The agent told me the only fee they can waive is the annual membership fee of {$95.00}. So, I paid the balance in full, minus the annual fee ( {$380.00} paid on XXXX ). 

Following this conversation, I noticed my account was STILL NOT CLOSED. I called a couple times, roughly once every 45 days, to try to resolve the issue. I do not have dates documented until the information below. 

XXXX - XXXX XXXX from AmEx Credit Bureau XXXX. XXXX said she waived all interest and late fees incurred between my payment on XXXX and today, XXXX. She said she was not able to waive the annual fee of {$95.00}, and was not able to cancel my account, and was not able to write adjustment letters to the credit bureaus to remove the inaccurate XXXX, XXXX, and 90 day lates, etc, AmEx had reported. She then transferred me to XXXX from the AmEx Customer Service XXXX. XXXX said Customer Service would resolve the remainder of my requests. 

XXXX - The information XXXX gave me was very disturbing. XXXX immediately closed my account. And he said I NEVER HAD TO PAY MY BALANCE IN FULL IN ORDER TO CLOSE MY ACCOUNT. This means I could have invested the {$23000.00}, while making my monthly minimum payments. Additionally, XXXX said he waived the {$95.00} annual membership fee. Then he said he needed to investigate the accuracy of my claims before waiving my entire balance and writing adjustment letters to the XXXX credit bureaus. 

In the months that followed, I called AmEx roughly every XXXX days. Every time I contact them, I get the runaround. AmEx Customer Service says I have to speak with the AmEx Credit Bureau Team. So, I call the Credit Bureau Team, and they tell me I have to speak with AmEx Customer Service. This happened repeatedly until they sent my account to a collection agency called First Source Advantage. AmEx had refused to remove the balance on my account, and refused to remove the late marks on my credit history ( i.e. XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX days late, etc ). I have never had a late payment, including my almost XXXX years of perfect payment history with AmEx. I feel financially and emotionally abused by this experience. I have a few more notable dates to share below. 

XXXX - I answered an incoming call from First Source Advantage. I explained all the above information to the agent, who transferred me to his Supervisor, XXXX XXXX. I explained the entire story again to XXXX. XXXX said he was raising a dispute on my behalf, and he provided the option of a settlement, which I declined. 

XXXX - I called AmEx Customer Service. They refused to speak to me, and abruptly transferred me to XXXX XXXX XXXX. The agent at XXXX XXXX XXXX kept placing me on hold without any conversation, and then returned to the phone roughly XXXX minutes later to tell me, " The person you are supposed to speak to is not available. '' XXXX - I called AmEx Credit Bureau Dept. Like always, they said they can not help me, and provided me with the number for AmEx Customer Service, which I obviously already have. 

XXXX - I called Customer Service, and XXXX answered. She said she can only remove the reported lates as far back as XXXX months. She removed all " late marks '' dating back to XXXX of XXXX. She said in order for the Credit Bureau XXXX to remove the rest of the late marks and issue adjustment letters to the credit bureaus, I need to pay the entire balance due directly to AmEx ( {$640.00} ). I completely disagree with this claim, and told her so, but due to the nearly XXXX  years of abuse from AmEx, I reluctantly paid the amount due. XXXX collected the payment. She said I can now call the Credit Bureau Team to issue the adjustment letters to the XXXX credit bureaus. 

XXXX - I called the AmEx Credit Bureau Team again, and spoke with XXXX ( not sure on spelling ). He told me Customer Service has to remove the remaining late marks before he can issue the adjustment letters. I explained what XXXX had told me, and he insisted her information was not accurate. He said he was helping a Credit Bureau Team agent that was consulting with XXXX XXXX XXXX 's conversation with me, and that he told this agent and XXXX that Customer Service has to remove the late marks. He said he's been working at AmEx for 5 years and knows what he is talking about. He advised me to ask for a Customer Service XXXX. 

XXXX - I called AmEx Customer Service, again, and spoke with XXXX. XXXX said there is nothing he can do, and that I have to contact the AmEx Credit Bureau Team. He then proceeded to repeat information to me a number of times. I explained what the other team had told me, and he insisted there is nothing he can do. I asked to speak with his supervisor, and he refused. He said he would ask the supervisor himself. He came back and claimed his supervisor said the same thing - there is nothing he can do. He then said he would transfer me to the Credit Bureau Team, but instead transferred me to XXXX XXXX XXXX. 

I have been trying to resolve American Express 's plethora of mistakes for almost XXXX  years to no avail. I am beyond frustrated, fatigued, and disillusioned. Please help me.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief