Consumer complaint received 2024-04-14 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement — Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: VA

Complaint narrative:
I am writing to bring to your attention a matter of grave concern involving XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and, subsequently, American Express Company. In XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX perpetrated fraudulent activities by providing, both oral and written, deceptively misleading disinformation relative to the companys refunding of my canceled airline ticket such that I, i.e., the consumer, had to procure duplicate credit card purchases for the same air transportation. The matter was compounded by American Express Companys deliberate and cognitive decision to not intervene, and thus, becoming complicit after-the-fact. Was American Express Companys action tied to the companys potential financial gain derived from its partnership with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX through its XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX 

In accordance with your agencys regulatory and appropriated authorities, I believe that your agency has jurisdiction over such matters ; therefore, and herewith, I am requesting your agencys assistance in seeking a redress for my injuries. 

Basically, on XXXX XX/XX/XXXX, I purchased a round-trip airline ticket for travel between XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, and XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX for {$600.00} charged to my American Express XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXX/XX/XXXX, I contacted XXXX XXXX, XXXX to change my itinerary so as to fly from XXXX to XXXX and from XXXX to XXXX, XXXX ; I called the airline directly so as to use the e-credits that were to be awarded from the cancelation of my original reservation. The airline agent informed me that XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX would be refunding the original purchase price of my ticket directly to my credit card rather than issuing an e-credit. The agents assertion was confirmed in writing as documented by XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX cancelation e-mail ( attached ). Having received both written and oral confirmation that the original airfare would be refunded directly to my XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  I purchased a replacement ticket from XXXX to XXXX on XXXX XX/XX/XXXX ( Ticket # : XXXX charged to my American Express credit card for {$250.00} ). 

In XXXX XXXX, with the promised refund never having been posted to my American Express account, I contacted both XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and American Express Company. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX stated it had no intent to honor the e-mail and a phone agent with American Express Company helped me file a dispute. 

Within two weeks, American Express Company notified me that XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX responded to the dispute and, as such, American Express Company was closing the claim in favor of the merchant. I shared my concern with the American Express Company disputes representative about the response being : ( 1 ) a {$1200.00} receipt for XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX round trip travel between XXXX ( ( XXXX ) XXXX ) and XXXX ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( ticket # XXXX ) and ( 2 ) a copy of only one of my canceled e-ticket coupons wherewith XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX directly cites that both the oral and written promises to refund the airfare to my credit card was mis- / disinformation. Please note that XXXX XXXX and I are not related nor do either of us know who the other is ; I believe that his confidential transaction information was disclosed in error. 

With American Express Companys response that my concerns were immaterial and that its interests were satisfied by the merchant having responded to the dispute, I wrote formal letters to the corporate offices of each XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and American Express Company wherein I formally requested each to reconsider my claim and to make me whole. 

XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX never responded to my letter. American Express Company, on the other hand, resent me the same materials reportedly issued by XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX receipt and one ( 1 ) of my canceled vouchers the flight from XXXX to XXXX. American Express Company has refused to respond to my subsequent submission of a more formal statement itemizing the inadequacies of XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX response. 

I am left with little recourse other than to seek redress through your office. I have attached the following supporting documents addressed above as evidence of the activities perpetrated by XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and, through its cognitive inaction, conspired to after-the-fact by American Express Company : XXXX XXXX American Express Credit Card Statement ( documenting the original purchase, lack of a posted refund, and subsequent purchase of replacement/duplicate airfare ) XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX e-mail ( documenting the trip cancelation and companys promise to directly refund the credit card ) XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX response to the dispute filed with American Express Company XXXX. Letter of XXXX XX/XX/XXXX to American Express Company ( citing my concerns with the information provided in response to the dispute and formal request to reopen the dispute ) XXXX. Letter of XXXX XX/XX/XXXX to XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX & XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  ( formally requesting the company refund the {$600.00} air fare ) On XXXX XXXX XXXX, I received a call from American Express Company in which the agent inquired as to whether XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX had issued me {$600.00} in e-credit. I informed American Express Company that, subsequent to XXXX XXXX XXXX, Incs e-mail cancelation and its promise to reimburse my credit card with the full fare of the ticket, I have received no further notification of any kind from them. I also reviewed with the agent that I never agreed to a change in the form of that payment nor, should the e-credit have been for {$600.00}, was I given any compensation for this unilateral change to XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX agreement. American Express Company has neither responded nor reissued a subsequent hold on the transaction and thus causing me greater financial harm by the interest incurred/ lost on those funds. 
Given the sited situation and probability that this is neither the first nor an isolated occurrence of such unethical conduct, I urge your agency to conduct a thorough investigation into this matter and take appropriate regulatory action ( s ) to address and rectify the situation.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. I eagerly await your response and any actions that may be taken to address the issues outlined above

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief