Consumer complaint received 2026-05-21 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems — Problem with rewards from credit card
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
I am a California consumer and physician residing in XXXX, California. I am filing this complaint concurrently with a civil action I have filed in XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX against American Express ( case number pending assignment ) arising from the same conduct described below. Background I maintained multiple American Express XXXX XXXX card accounts in good standing for an extended period, including personal and business accounts. Over the course of that relationship I paid annual fees of no less than {$740.00} in XXXX alone, including fees for premium card products marketed specifically on the basis of their Membership Rewards benefits. Through legitimate spending across those accounts I accumulated a unified pool of no fewer than XXXX Membership Rewards points, documented on American Expresss own statements as of XX/XX/XXXX. At no time did American Express allege fraud, misuse, gaming, abuse, or violation of any program rule on my part. What American Express Did On or XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX American Express summarily closed all of my accounts personal and corporate and forfeited the entirety of my accumulated Membership Rewards point balance. American Express took this action within days of learning that XXXX XXXX XXXX a separate legal entity from me personally, from my other corporate entities, and XXXX in which I had held no management role for approximately XXXX and onehalf years had filed for bankruptcy protection on XX/XX/XXXX. American Express offered no warning, no opportunity to redeem my points before closure, and no explanation beyond the implied connection to the unrelated entitys bankruptcy. My accounts were current, my payments were on time, and I had done nothing to trigger forfeiture under any express term of the Membership Rewards program. The forfeited points have a conservative cashequivalent value of no less than {$61000.00}, based on American Expresss own redemption rates available at the time of closure. Why This Violates CFPB Circular XXXX I am aware of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau XXXX XXXX ( XX/XX/XXXX ), which identifies the revocation of previously earned rewards based on conditions outside the consumers control including unilateral account closures as a potentially unfair or deceptive act or practice. My situation is precisely the scenario the XXXX describes : My points were earned through legitimate spending and documented fee payments. They were revoked based on a third partys conduct entirely outside my control. American Express invoked no specific program rule violation to justify the forfeiture. American Express simultaneously offers a XXXX postclosure redemption window to New York cardholders demonstrating that immediate forfeiture is a discretionary policy, not an operational necessity, and that American Express selectively applies that policy based on the consumers state of residence. In practical terms, American Express used a corporate bankruptcy event involving a separate legal entity to confiscate the personal rewards of an individual consumer whose accounts were current and who had done nothing wrong. This selective geographic application of forfeiture policies denying California consumers protections voluntarily extended to New York consumers is precisely the kind of conduct the XXXX consumer protection framework is designed to address. What I Am Asking American Express to Do I am seeking XXXX of the following : Full restoration of my XXXX Membership Rewards points to a live, functional account ; or Cash payment of no less than {$61000.00} representing the conservative documented value of the forfeited points. In addition I am seeking : Written waiver and release of an alleged {$3000.00} personal guarantee American Express is simultaneously attempting to collect through its collections department. Correction of any adverse credit reporting tied to the account closures, submitted to all three major credit bureaus. Note to CFPB I am filing this complaint in good faith as part of a broader effort to resolve this matter. I am simultaneously pursuing civil remedies in XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. I believe the facts of my case are consistent with the pattern of conduct the CFPB identified in Circular XXXX, and I am providing this complaint so that the Bureau has visibility into a specific, documented instance of that conduct affecting a California consumer. I am happy to provide supporting documentation including American Express account statements confirming XXXX XXXX balance and annual fees paid. Supporting documents available ( upon request ) : American Express Business Membership Rewards Statement, Account Ending XXXX, closing date XX/XX/XXXX confirming XXXX points as of XX/XX/XXXX. American Express XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Account Ending XXXX, closing date XX/XX/XXXX confirming {$740.00} annual fees paid in XXXX. Filed by : XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX. XXXX, California XXXX XXXX Date : XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation