Consumer complaint received 2025-01-28 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Struggling to pay your bill — Credit card company won't work with you while you're going through financial hardship
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: CO

Complaint narrative:
Complaint to American Express via CFPB XXXX XXXX : Request for Remedy : Delivery of Lawful Dollars Represented by XXXX FRNs Extended as XXXX Dear American Express, I am submitting this complaint to request the delivery of XXXX lawful dollars in the form of XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX, which were represented by the XXXX Federal Reserve Notes ( FRNs ) extended as credit by American Express. My request is based on the constitutional and statutory definitions of lawful money, the legal tender provisions, and the unconstitutional revocation of FRN redeemability in gold and silver.

Additionally, I demand that if American Express can not provide proof that the FRNs extended as credit were adequately secured by lawful dollars or deliver lawful money as defined under U.S. law, all legal and financial actions against me must be resolved in my favor. 

1. Federal Reserve Notes as Legal Tender and Their Conditional Nature Federal Reserve Notes are classified as legal tender under 31 USC 5103, which states : " United States coins and currency ( including Federal Reserve Notes ) are legal tender for all debts, public charges, taxes, and dues. '' This legal tender status was conditionally granted under the Federal Reserve Act of 1913, which allowed FRNs to function as valid representations of lawful money because they were redeemable in gold and silver. This redeemability ensured that FRNs represented tangible value in the form of gold and silver coinage, satisfying constitutional requirements. 

Without the redeemability that was foundational to their issuance, FRNs no longer meet the original conditions of lawful tender as required by XXXX law and the Constitution.

2. The Unconstitutional Revocation of Redeemability The U.S. government unconstitutionally revoked the redeemability of FRNs in gold and silver through actions taken in 1933 ( domestically ) and 1971 ( internationally ). These actions violated fundamental constitutional principles : Article I, Section 8 grants Congress the power to " coin Money '' and regulate its value, but it does not authorize the issuance of irredeemable fiat currency.

Article I, Section 10 explicitly prohibits states from making " any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts. '' Unconstitutional Authority : No president, Congress, or judiciary has the power to nullify or suspend the Constitution by decree. Any attempt to revoke the redeemability of FRNs without a constitutional amendment is null and void. 
The removal of FRN redeemability severed their link to lawful money, leaving them as unsecured fiat currency. This undermines their status as valid consideration in financial transactions, including credit extensions.

3. Distinction Between Lawful Money and Functional Money The Government Printing Offices Style Manual XXXX draws a clear distinction between lawful money and functional money : " Federal Reserve Notes are not dollars but are obligations of the United States. '' Lawful Money : Tangible units of value tied to specific weights of gold and silver, such as XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX, explicitly defined under 31 USC 5112 ( a ).

Functional Money : Federal Reserve Notes, as debt instruments, were intended to represent claims on lawful money. Without redeemability, they fail to satisfy this purpose. 
XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX are the only current forms of lawful money minted by the U.S. government and represent the standard for satisfying dollar-denominated obligations.

4. Request for Remedy I respectfully request the delivery of XXXX lawful dollars in the form of XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX, based on statutory definitions of a dollar : Gold Dollar Equivalent : XXXX XXXX = XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX oz, {$50.00} face value each ). 
XXXX XXXX XXXX : XXXX XXXX = XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX oz, {$1.00} face value each ). 
This calculation adheres strictly to the statutory definitions of lawful money and is not influenced by fluctuating market rates. 

XXXX. Interim Request : Audited Financial Balance Sheet As an interim step, I request that American Express provide an audited financial balance sheet demonstrating : That American Express possessed the equivalent amount of lawful dollars ( XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX or other gold and silver coinage ) on its books prior to extending the {$60000.00} credit. 
That American Express moved the equivalent amount from assets to liabilities upon the extension of the credit. 
This documentation is critical to verify that the extended credit was backed by lawful money, as required by the Federal Reserve XXXX and constitutional principles. 

XXXX. If Adequate Security or Delivery of Lawful Money Can not Be Provided If American Express can not : Provide proof that the XXXX FRNs extended as credit were adequately secured by lawful money, or Deliver the equivalent amount of lawful dollars in XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX, Then I demand the following : Immediate discharge of the {$60000.00} credit card balance, confirming that no further obligations are owed. 
Removal of any and all lawsuits or legal actions against me related to this credit. 
Undoing of any deleterious actions, including the removal of any negative reporting to credit agencies or other adverse financial consequences. 
XXXX. Justification for This Request Backing of FRNs : FRNs derive their legitimacy as securities or obligations based on their status as claims on lawful money. Without redeemability or equivalent backing, they fail to meet constitutional and statutory standards. 
Unconstitutional Actions Can not Be XXXX : The revocation of XXXX redeemability violated constitutional mandates and must be treated as unlawful. 
XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX : As explicitly defined in 31 USC 5112 ( a ), these coins represent lawful money and fulfill constitutional and statutory definitions of a dollar.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation