Consumer complaint received 2024-11-07 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Problem with a lender or other company charging your account — Transaction was not authorized
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: PR

Complaint narrative:
Below please find a summary detailing the steps we have taken as part of our request for reimbursement of approximately {$21000.00} for fraudulent unauthorized transactions generated via ACH transactions from or commercial checking account to pay accounts that appear to be credit card accounts with American Express. XXXX XXXXXX/XX/year> We visited the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX to formalize the claim for unauthorized transactions generated via ACH from our commercial checking account to pay American Express in the amount of {$19000.00}. As part of the conversation with the Assistant Manager of the branch, XXXX XXXX XXXX, we were asked to issue a letter for complaint, which was provided that same day. In addition, it was recommended that the account be closed to avoid future charges, so the account was closed and a new account was opened in the name of our company. XX/XX/year> Additional unauthorized fraudulent transactions in the amount of {$1100.00} were reflected in the commercial checking account, so we proceeded to send an additional letter claiming that amount. XX/XX/year> Once gain, unauthorized fraudulent transactions in the amount of {$1100.00} were reflected in the commercial checking account, so we proceeded to send an additional letter claiming that amount. XX/XX/year> We received a response letter from XXXX XXXX indicating that it had blocked American Express access to debit our commercial account. XX/XX/year> We received a letter from XXXX XXXX indicating that ( i ) the investigation had been completed regarding the transactions totaling {$19000.00}, ( ii ) that they had denied the request for reimbursement and therefore recommended that we contact American Express, and ( iii ) that we had the right to obtain a copy of the documents and information based on which the determination not to make the requested refund was made. XX/XX/year> A written communication was received from XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) indicating that American Express had denied the request for reimbursement and ( ii ) suggesting that we contact American Express directly at XXXX. XX/XX/year> We contacted XXXX XXXX 's customer service staff ( XXXX XXXX ) and they told us that the requested information regarding the determination that they would not proceed with the requested refund would be received by mail within a period of no more than XXXX business days. XX/XX/year> We contacted XXXX XXXX 's customer service staff ( XXXX XXXX ) again to verify the status of the detailed information regarding the XXXX unauthorized transactions in order to provide additional information to American Express so that they could commence the fraud investigation. XX/XX/year> We contacted XXXX XXXX 's customer service staff again and upon being informed that no additional information would be provided about the transactions for which we claimed reimbursement, we requested to speak with a supervisor. We spoke with XXXX XXXX XXXX who indicated that she had to escalate the matter and would be getting back to us within a couple of days. XX/XX/year> XXXX XXXX XXXX contacted us to indicate that they had escalated the matter and were in the process of obtaining more information about the fraudulent unauthorized transactions. This information would be provided the following week. XX/XX/year> XXXX XXXX XXXX contacted us to provide additional information about the fraudulent unauthorized transactions. Specifically, we were provided with the ACH tracking number for 26 of the 30 fraudulent unauthorized transactions. We proceeded to call American Express to request an investigation into the fraudulent unauthorized transactions that appear to be ACH payments made from our commercial bank account to American Express. Unfortunately, even when we provided the date, the ACH tracking of the transactions and the amounts of the same, they indicated that with this information nothing appears in their systems so we must request that XXXX XXXX personnel communicate directly with the American Express staff to file a fraud claim. XX/XX/year> The commercial bank account manager assigned to our account called to let us know that they had escalated the matter internally. Representatives of XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX had communicated with representatives of XXXX XXXX in order to resolve the matter but unfortunately they had denied the request for reimbursement of the fraudulent unauthorized transactions. At this point in time, neither American Express nor XXXX XXXX have shown any willingness to collaborate and conduct a joint investigation into ( i ) how a third party gained access our commercial checking account, ( ii ) how such third party was able to authorize ACH payments, and ( iii ) what accounts at American Express were paid using funds from our commercial checking account, and ( iv ) reimburse the funds that were fraudulently retrieved from our commercial checking account.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation