Consumer complaint received 2025-01-06 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems — Privacy issues
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: DC

Complaint narrative:
I am submitting this complaint to formally request an investigation into multiple violations of federal consumer protection laws by American Express ( AMEX ). These actions have caused substantial financial harm, emotional distress, and long-term damage to my credit. Below, I outline the specific issues, supporting statutes, and requested resolutions. 

Violations : XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX AMEX reduced my credit limit from {$11000.00} to {$7000.00}, and subsequently to {$4500.00}, without adequate or timely notice. 

Violation of the Truth in Lending Act ( TILA ), 15 U.S.C. 1637 ( c ) : Lenders must disclose changes to credit terms, including adverse actions, in writing and within a reasonable time before implementation. 

AMEX failed to meet disclosure requirements, leaving me without an explanation or time to adjust to the changes. 

XXXX. Failure to Honor Remittance Coupons In violation of House Joint Resolution 192 XXXX XXXX XXXX and Uniform Commercial Code ( UCC ) 3-603, which recognize the discharge of debts upon tender of payment, AMEX refused to honor the remittance coupons I submitted. 

Violation of the Fair Credit Billing Act ( FCBA ), 15 U.S.C. 1666 ( a ) : AMEX failed to investigate or respond appropriately to my attempts to settle the account using legally recognized methods of payment. 

This refusal left my balance unsettled and contributed to further financial distress. 

XXXX. Mishandling of Identity Theft After filing a police report for identity theft, AMEX failed to : Secure my account against further breaches. 

Investigate unauthorized transactions or issue refunds for fraudulent charges. 

Violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), 15 U.S.C. 1681c-2 : Creditors must block and rectify information related to identity theft promptly upon receiving a valid police report. 

Instead of assisting, AMEX chose to lower my credit limit further, exacerbating my financial challenges. 

XXXX. Privacy Violations By unilaterally adjusting my credit limit and failing to protect my account during an identity theft incident, AMEX violated : FCRA, 15 U.S.C. 1681b : Limits on permissible uses of consumer reports. 

XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ), 15 U.S.C. 6801-6809 : Failure to safeguard sensitive consumer information. 

XXXX. Compromise of Credit Card XXXX XXXX XXXX failure to adequately secure my account and payment methods rendered the credit card on file unusable for paying off debts. 

Violation of the Electronic Funds Transfer Act ( EFTA ), 15 U.S.C. 1693f : Institutions must investigate and resolve unauthorized electronic fund transfers or account errors. 

Impact on My Life : The unjustified credit limit reductions drastically reduced my available credit, affecting my credit utilization ratio and causing my XXXX XXXX to plummet. 

The inability to access sufficient credit led to the loss of a housing opportunity, further compounding my financial and emotional distress. 

AMEXs refusal to honor remittance coupons and failure to address identity theft created a significant financial burden, leaving me unable to secure other credit opportunities. 

Supporting Documentation : XXXX reports showing AMEXs reductions and adverse effects. 

remittance coupons submitted as payment. 

Police report filed for identity theft. 

Any correspondence with AMEX regarding credit limits, remittance coupons, identity theft. 


Legal Basis : The actions outlined above violate the following consumer protection laws : Truth in Lending Act ( 15 U.S.C. 1601 et seq. ) Fair Credit Reporting Act ( 15 U.S.C. 1681 et seq. ) Fair Credit Billing Act ( 15 U.S.C. 1666 ) Electronic Funds Transfer Act ( 15 U.S.C. 1693 et seq. ) XXXX XXXX ( 15 U.S.C. 6801-6809 ) Uniform Commercial Code 3-603 House Joint Resolution 192 XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation