Consumer complaint received 2026-01-19 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — I do not know
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt was result of identity theft
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
I am submitting this complaint regarding a civil lawsuit filed against me by XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, acting on behalf of American Express National Bank amounting of {$14000.00} and/or any other amount. I am not the debtor in this matter. The account and debt being used as the basis for this legal action resulted from the fraudulent use of my personal identifying information by an unknown individual, without my knowledge, authorization, or consent. This situation is the result of identity-related fraud. I did not apply for, authorize, or benefit from the alleged account or any related transactions. Despite this, I am being subjected to collection efforts and a civil case for an obligation that does not belong to me. This has caused severe emotional distress, anxiety, and disruption to my financial and personal life. Being forced to defend myself in court for a fraudulent debt is overwhelming and unjust. The continued pursuit of this debt violates multiple consumer protection laws. Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ), 15 U.S.C. 1692 et seq., debt collectors are prohibited from attempting to collect debts that are not owed and from using false, deceptive, or misleading representations. Proceeding with a civil lawsuit against an individual who is not the true debtor constitutes an unfair and abusive collection practice. Additionally, the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), 15 U.S.C. 1681 et seq., requires that information furnished and reported about consumers be accurate and properly investigated. Reporting or relying on a debt created through identity theft fails the requirement of maximum possible accuracy and exposes consumers to serious harm. Victims of fraud should not be subjected to legal or financial consequences for debts they did not incur. Florida law further protects victims of identity theft. Florida Statutes 817.568 prohibits the criminal use of personal identification information and makes clear that fraudulent use of another persons identity for financial purposes is unlawful. Florida Statutes 501.98 provides protections for identity theft victims and establishes that individuals are not responsible for debts incurred through fraudulent means. The continued legal and collection actions in this case disregard these protections. I am now taking all necessary legal steps to resolve this error, stop the misuse of my identity, and correct the inaccurate records associated with this fraudulent debt. I am filing a police report. I am seeking relief from ongoing harm and requesting that all collection activity and legal action related to this matter cease immediately. No consumer should be forced to defend themselves against a lawsuit based on fraud. I am asking the CFPB to intervene, review this matter, and ensure compliance with the FDCPA, FCRA, and applicable Florida laws. I request that this fraudulent account and all related collection efforts be halted, that my consumer rights be enforced, and that appropriate corrective action be taken to prevent further harm.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief