Consumer complaint received 2025-08-08 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems — Other problem
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: IL

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/year>, I mailed a written dispute letter to the address on my American Express bill regarding a credit card debt. In that letter, I disputed the debt and objected to American Expresss unauthorized use of my name in ALL CAPS Commercialized Identity Format ( CIF ). My account agreement was made in my proper legal name format, and this change was made unilaterally by American Express without notice or consent. This is a breach of contract and a material alteration to the agreement. 

Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( FDCPA ) and Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), once Amex received my dispute, they were required to stop all collection activity and investigate. Instead, they : Flagged me as fraud without cause while I was current and making payments. 

Damaged my credit by reporting this flag to credit bureaus. 

Called me multiple times after the dispute was sent, in violation of FDCPAs cease-collection provisions. 

Pulled XXXX  reports on me four times in a single month after flagging me. 

Reduced my credit limit and caused other creditors ( including XXXX ) to reduce my limits solely because Amex flagged me fraud. 

Continued to collect on the disputed debt and ignored both my CIF dispute letter and my separate data collection objection letter. 

On a recorded call dated XX/XX/year>, an Amex representative admitted : We can do that without your permission referring to changing my name format without consent. 

I would need a lawyer to dispute CIF. 

They would not mail me the check from my closed business account because of a balance on a separate, disputed personal/business credit card account. 

This is a direct admission of : Acting without consent. 

Withholding funds to offset a disputed debt. 

Making misleading statements about my right to dispute. 

Violations involved : FDCPA : Continuing collection efforts and account actions after a written dispute, without providing required debt verification. 

FCRA : Furnishing inaccurate information ( altered name, fraud designation ) after dispute. 

UDAAP ( CFPB authority ) : Engaging in unfair and deceptive practices by withholding funds from a closed account, damaging credit without cause, and making misleading statements about my rights. 

Breach of Contract : Altering my personal identifying information without consent when the terms of my agreement contain no authorization for this. 

Evidence I have : Certified mail proof of delivery of my dispute letter sent to the address on my bill. 

Original agreement/application showing my name in correct legal format. 

Billing statements and card showing altered ALL CAPS name. 

Credit reports showing altered name format and fraud notation. 

XXXX  inquiries pulled by Amex after the fraud flag. 

Letters from other creditors reducing limits because of Amexs fraud flag. 

Call recording and/or detailed notes of representatives admissions. 

Summary : American Express altered my personal identifying information without consent, flagged me as fraud without cause while I was current, caused cascading credit damage, ignored my dispute letters, continued unlawful collection, and withheld funds from my closed business account to offset a disputed debt. These actions breach our contract, violate FDCPA/FCRA, and constitute unfair and deceptive practices under federal and Illinois law .

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation