Consumer complaint received 2025-06-30 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Credit card debt
Issue: False statements or representation — Attempted to collect wrong amount
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: AZ

Complaint narrative:
Hi, my mother died on XX/XX/XXXX, after fighting a year of XXXX XXXX and losing. I am her only surviving relative ( her daughter ) and I had just spent the last year caretaking for her until her death in XXXX. I was mentally and physically exhausted after the whole thing. This is the first time I had ever had lost someone, much less my favorite person in the whole world - my mom. She had an American Express credit card with a balance of {$110.00} due on XX/XX/XXXX. It took about a month for the death certificate paperwork to come in, and once it was in- I made a point to email back mom 's credit card accounts, letting them know she had passed away on XXXX. I have proof I emailed American Express on XX/XX/XXXX. 

Then I went into a heavy depression, about XX/XX/XXXX, I was contacted by Transunion Collections agency who were a debt collection agency, looking for who was handling mom 's estate, cause she owed on a credit card bill for American Express. I let them know mom had passed, sent over the death certificate again, and they let AMEX know that mom was deceased. I told them I would be going through informal probate, that is when I would pay back the creditors ( I was informed, if I pay back part of the debt - I am liable for all debt, so we went about it by the book for probate ). 

Since XXXX XXXX after I discussed it with XXXX  and they sent it back to American Express XXXX AMEX continued to harass me- even though I told someone over the phone I was going to probate in XXXX. American Express now wanted some outrageous amount {$540.00} to pay for the principle balance of {$110.00}- they were charging a dead woman and a heavily depressed surviving daughter. I was told they couldn't charge mom if I let them know, and I have proof I sent them an email on XX/XX/XXXX, yet they continued to charge her interest all the way until XX/XX/XXXX. Even after freezing the account in XX/XX/XXXX. 

Here is an exact timeline - XX/XX/XXXX - Mother dies of XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX - Bill is due from American Express - {$110.00} XX/XX/XXXX - Death Certificate from government is delivered XX/XX/XXXX - I contact American Express via email and share my mother is dead; attach the official death certificate to the email ( have proof of email ) XX/XX/XXXX - Mom receives an email of past dues- now {$250.00} XX/XX/XXXX - Mom receives another email of past due - now {$310.00} XX/XX/XXXX - American Express suspends account XX/XX/XXXX - Mom receives another email of past due - now {$400.00} XXXX XXXXXXXX - XXXX collection agency sends a letter ; I reach out to XXXX let them know that my mother is deceased ; I share the death certificate ; XXXX  kicks the bill back to American Express XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX from American Express called me to discuss mom 's bill XX/XX/XXXX - XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ; we discuss Mom 's bill- I tell her I will be going to probate here soon. 
Dated XX/XX/XXXX - American Express mails me a bill sent to " The Representative of -- -- -- Estate '' - bill is now {$540.00} XX/XX/XXXX - I sign the service agreement with XXXX XXXX to begin informal probate ; takes a while XX/XX/XXXX - American Express calls again XX/XX/XXXX - American Express calls again XX/XX/XXXX - American Express calls again XX/XX/XXXX - American Express calls again XX/XX/XXXX - American Express calls again XX/XX/XXXX - I call American Express to again let them know I am in the process of informal Probate, I can not pay until all the debt has been processed ; I asked for a statement during the month of XX/XX/XXXX ( mom 's death month ) and they send me a statement for XXXX. The rep also puts in a dispute for the interest charges and fees since mom was officially deceased on XX/XX/XXXX. 
XX/XX/XXXX - I call American Express again, I let them know they need to send an official notice to XXXX XXXX since they are now representing me/Mom 's Estate ; I ask about the dispute - no response yet. 
XX/XX/XXXX - American Express reaches out and denies the dispute for {$430.00} ; I owe everything including the fees and interest. 

Look I was terribly depressed, lost my favorite person in the whole world after battling a year of XXXX with her and losing.... I was barely functioning as a human being much less worrying about a dead person 's debt. I am however taking care of it properly now ; there is no reason I should be charged the interest/fees. How are they allowed to fine a dead person? This is unsecured debt, they wouldn't even have a claim if there wasn't a house attached to my mom 's will. I am her only surviving relative and now I am alone. I was in and out of therapy ; trying my best to survive after dealing with that trauma. I tried to appeal to American Express but they didn't seem to care.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation