Consumer complaint received 2026-05-29 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Fees or interest — Charged too much interest
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: MO

Complaint narrative:
Based on this full chat history, here is a detailed, factual CFPB complaint : Subject : Unfair Billing Practices, Undisclosed Interest Charges, and Failure to Honor Waiver Commitments American XXXX XXXX Card To : Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Submitted via : consumerfinance.gov/complaint I am filing this complaint against American Express regarding persistent undisclosed interest charges, a returned payment dispute, and failure to fully honor commitments made by their supervisory staff during recorded chat sessions. Background I have been an American Express customer for XXXX years. I made the decision to close all my accounts after discovering that interest charges had been accruing on my account without my knowledge or consent, including charges related to a " Pay Over Time '' feature I never opted into and was never clearly notified about. Sequence of Events 1. Returned Payment : On XXXX XXXX, 2025, I made a payment of {$640.00} to pay off my XXXX XXXX balance in full. American Express credited the payment, then reversed it, claiming my bank ( XXXX XXXX ) returned the funds due to insufficient funds. I dispute this characterization I had sufficient funds in my account at the time. The reversal resulted in a new balance of {$680.00}, which also included a returned payment fee and interest charges I was not notified about. 2. Undisclosed Interest and Pay Over Time : I never knowingly enrolled in American Express 's " Pay Over Time '' feature. Interest charges accumulated on my account without clear, proactive notification. When I contacted American Express, a supervisor ( XXXX XXXX acknowledged this concern and agreed to waive all 2026 interest charges totaling {$72.00} as a goodwill adjustment, confirmed in writing during the chat session. 3. Payment Arrangement : Following the waiver commitment, I authorized a payment of {$610.00} from my XXXX XXXX account ( ending in XXXX ) to cover the remaining balance minus the promised {$72.00} credit. This payment was submitted and confirmed by the American Express representative. 4. Continued Charges After Payment : The following day, new interest charges appeared on my account despite my payment and the supervisor 's waiver. When I contacted American Express again, a new representative ( XXXX ) explained this as " trailing interest '' charges that continue to accrue even after full payment is received. This was never disclosed to me at any point during my account tenure, nor was it mentioned by the supervisor who arranged my payoff payment. 5. Inconsistent Information and Failure to Honor Commitments : Representative XXXX waived an additional {$13.00} in trailing interest as a " one-time courtesy, '' but informed me that a balance of {$75.00} would still finalize on XX/XX/XXXX. This contradicts the assurances given by the previous supervisor and the payment arrangement made in good faith. I requested written confirmation that my account balance was XXXX and fully closed this request was not fulfilled. My Specific Complaints American Express applied interest charges for a feature ( Pay Over Time ) I never knowingly activated, without adequate disclosure The " trailing interest '' practice was never disclosed to me clearly at any point A supervisor made a commitment to waive interest charges and facilitate a final payoff, which was not fully honored by the system or subsequent representatives I have spent multiple hours across multiple chat sessions attempting to resolve what should have been a straightforward account closure I have been unable to obtain written confirmation that my account is closed and that no further charges will accrue What I Am Requesting 1. A full waiver of all remaining interest and trailing interest charges on my XXXX XXXX account 2. Written confirmation that my account balance is XXXX and fully closed with no further charges pending 3. Confirmation that no negative credit reporting will result from this disputed balance 4. A review of American Express 's Pay Over Time enrollment and disclosure practices 5. I have spent several hours across multiple chat sessions attempting to resolve charges that should never have been applied. I am requesting compensation for the time and inconvenience caused by American Express 's billing practices, lack of transparency, and failure to honor commitments made by supervisory staff. I am happy to provide chat transcripts documenting all of the above interactions. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Account Holder : XXXX XXXX XXXX : American Express XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief