Consumer complaint received 2025-05-06 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Closing your account — Company closed your account
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: SC

Complaint narrative:
I initially wanted to close my American Express XXXX card because of an upcoming annual fee. When I called in, the XXXX routed me to an automated closing script where it verified that I wanted to close my card, for which I confirmed yes. It then stated that it would read me a disclosure of terms for the closure, which feels like it lasted for more than a minute and included the terms and conditions of closing the card, including loss of pending points, etc. When the disclosure was being read, there were a few things that I learned that concerned me and I changed my mind about closing the account because of the terms listed in the disclosure. However then the disclosure was finished, I was never asked if I agree with the terms or if I still wanted to close the account, instead it confirmed that my account was closed. It then asked me if I wanted to go back to the Main Menu for other actions, and there was no chance of reversing my choice to close after fully understanding the terms of the closure. 

I immediately called back into the XXXX XXXX and this time spoke to an Agent in the XXXX, where I explained the situation and requested to have my account reopened. The Agent didn't understand my situation at all so I had to repeat it multiple times, for which she finally opened a case and said if it was approved then it would be as if I opened a new account, which is NOT what I wanted. I asked to be transferred to Escalations, for which XXXX answered the call and I explained the entire situation again. She said it was American Express policy to read the disclosure and then close the account because as a Customer I have already stated that I wanted to close. I explained the purpose of a disclosure is to inform the Customer of all terms for closing the account, and not confirming their choice afterwards provides no value of reading the disclosure in the first place if you are not going to confirm they still want to proceed. She again said it was American Express policy. 

Because of my frustration in her answers, I asked her to close my other American Express XXXX card. She proceeded with the closure procedure, and read me the same disclosure I had heard before when closing my other card. At the end of the disclosure, she asked if I agreed with the terms and wanted to continue with the closure. I explained to her that this additional question to me asking to verify that I still want to close the account after disclosing the terms is what should have happen, and I asked her why she asked me to verify closure but the automated system did not ask for confirmation. She said that it is again American Express policy and she can not control the automated system. 

There is a clear inconsistency with American Express policy on closing accounts with American Express, and when Customers close through the automated system there is no verification requested by American Express if the Customer wants to continue with closure after explaining the terms of the closure.... they close it regardless.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation