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Consumer Affairs


Is this your Business?

American Express - Corporate Card


Consumer Complaints & Reviews

I have had my corporate Amex cards (platinum and green) for 2 different corporations for over 5 years. Amex unilaterally closed my accounts. My credit scores are 726+ and I did not have any delinquent/outstanding payments with them. When I contacted them to find out what transpired, I was told that my accounts were being closed because I had 8 inquiries in the past 30 days. I immediately was concerned that my identity was stolen! I signed up for credit bureau services and found out that I did not have 8 inquiries—in fact, I had zero! I called Amex again and was told to fax the pages from the credit report and that I would receive a letter. The letter I received told me that I was not eligible for reinstatement! It seems so unfair that they can close your accounts without any warning or real reason.

We have been a client of AMEX since 2004 and have been in good standing with the company. Recently, we were sent a request for financial information so our account could be reviewed. We were a little bit late for the first time ever in February 2012, but paid March early after an agreement with AMEX.

Today 3-29-2012, an individual in the business department called and spoke with my bookkeeper and asked for the last two years of financial information. She told the individual we do not have the information, as the accountant still has not completed the tax statements. So we cannot send any at this time. The representative by the name of Marty did not make any indication of why they needed this information other than for a "review". There was no mention of spending limit reduction in any way.

Less than two hours later, the entire account was placed in suspension and the limit dropped to $13,000.00 for all six cards. This left an employee stranded at a gas station unable to get fuel. I called needing assistance and was told by another individual that there was nothing she or anyone could do to help. With our current balance at $47,000 and our spending limit cut to $13,000, we would have to come up with the difference just to get down to the "limit", our monthly operational expenses rely solely on AMEX.

At this time, the company does not have the ability to pay the entire balance, but does have the ability to continue to pay perfectly, as we have for the last 12 years and provide AMEX with income from interest and transactions. With this decision, I as the owner do not have any other choice other than to ask each employee to finance their own expenses and then reimburse them. This of course would make it impossible to pay AMEX as we have been. Therefore, I have only two decisions to make. Close the business and let 6 employees go and declare bankruptcy.

I have no one to turn to and the last AMEX representative did not seem too concerned that she just killed a successful small business that has been in business since 2004, and additionally, may have screwed themselves in the process if I have to declare bankruptcy. She said the only option I have is to send the financial statements. Even with that, they could not guarantee any positive outcome. They may even cut the limit below the arbitrary level of $13,000.

This is a perfect example of how malevolent a large financial institution can be, and demonstrates their complete disdain they have small business that provide a valuable service. If your organization knows of anyone in the government or the media I can share this tragedy with, I am ready to show the country what is actually wrong with the economy. I have been growing every year during this so called recession and AMEX has just stopped that.

I have an AmEx corporate card for about 15 years. The bills get paid without fail but occasionally there's a lag between AmEx statement closing date and the actual payment of the charges and that generates a late fee that American Express just harasses its customers with late fee after late fee. In the month of February 2012, three late fees of $39 were charged to my account which one local customer service rep was kind enough to remove one but it came back. The next rep said she'll take it off and then another late fee which they call a delinquency charge was charged. So to the person looking at this, it looks like they've given me a break two times but it's the same charge somehow in the end I have to pay. Frustrating that our company has our expenses tied to American Express because if it wasn't for it, I would never want to do business with them. I read about American Express being asked to return all late fees collected. I can't wait to see this happen. Fleecing the consumer. Customer service has changed since it has been outsourced. It's not American Express anymore.

Simply stated, I made an overpayment to AMEX and requested it be returned. No problem I was told.

It is 3 weeks now, full of sorrowful customer service reps telling me one thing or another to no avail. American express has devolved to the levels of all the other,

Refuse to answer questions regarding their request for highly sensitive personal information.

My card was cancelled with no change to my credit history with the exception of the purchase of a KIA Forte because of gas prices. My net is over $11,000 a month, I made all my payments on time. I work 160 mile away from home, so I have a high monthly payment from $2,200 to $3,700, which I always paid. As a disabled veteran of 26 years, a master's degree holder in accounting and an auditor, I am responsible and have been to AM, with no respect back.

I have been a loyal member with Amex since 1989. Last year without any warning or any notice, they decided to cancel my account. I have an impeccable credit rating and I have had a good history with Amex. Thus, there was no reason whatsoever for them to cancel my account. This is an outrage for what appears to be now a common practice for Amex to close their client's accounts for no apparent reason. This is not fair for us and it is a matter that needs to investigated and brought forward to litigation.

Why are credit card companies allowed to randomly sabotage peoples' credit and exacerbate credit problems unabated? We have been with AMEX since 2001 and have on many occasions paid off the card to the tune of several thousand dollars most recently in December of 2010. In the course of three months, we have paid them $13,474.00 (never being late) and we are rewarded by them dropping our credit line by over $11,000. When I called them to discuss the matter, I was told it was based on other factors outside of our dealings with them.

I asked Bryan at AMEX specifically how customers of over 10 years with no late payments and a history of paying off our card could be treated this way. His answer was that it is all in the membership terms of the credit card--a truly customer service driven response! Since credit is based on a balance to credit line ratio, why can credit card companies unabatedly tamper with that based on random credit checks.

I asked the representative why our history with them isn't a factor in their decision and he said, "that's not what I said," and I told him their actions speak differently. Bryan told me that "he is not there to change my mind and there is nothing he can do about what I think." Clever response for a company who obviously cares nothing about the care we have taken to be good customers.

Credit card companies should not be allowed to adjust someone's credit line below the 30/70 ratio which affects a consumers' credit score without direct cause! A random risk assessment amounts to credit tampering and a direct assault on consumers!

After 21 years of being an AMEX card member in good standing and reaching a credit limit of $20,000, I received an email yesterday which lowered my credit limit down to under $4,000. When I contacted them, they were not interested but offered me the opportunity to submit my pay stubs and account statements for their consideration. This is totally an unacceptable customer service on their part and I'm going to pay off and close my account with them in the near future. If you are thinking about getting an American Express card, do not!

They are mean and they violate any and all FDCA that have been written. I have been with Amex for 12 years and always paid on time. I was never once 30 days late in my history. Due to the economy and lack of jobs, I have been working 12 or more hours a day on commission basis, with my first check to come to me in 10 or so days. The clown from Amex told me and other people that, "You don't want to help yourself." I spend less than $10.00 a week for the food I eat is my two hours a day. Instead of cash I get paid in food.

Everyone should live like this. Amex should be closed down. This caused 60 pounds of weight loss. With the constant threats from Amex, I can not sleep. A few years ago I had brain surgery and I really don't want to go back into a semi-coma. Amex enjoys this from what one collector said. Very sad.

In 2008-2009, I had a small business in St. Thomas, VI. I have over $3000 in charges approved by AMEX that they refused to pay. My processor TXDirect and myself have tried to get payment and cannot. Per my processor, I am not the only business they have done this to. They have stolen from me, as I trusted that because I had approval codes, signed tickets, and let my merchandise go out my door I would be paid. I even thought that me holding out paying my AMEX bill would make someone in their organization listen to me and they would pay me so that I could pay them.

Stupid of me, because AMEX is now suing me for payment. They don't care who they screw as long as they get their monies. Sad.

In November 2009, I informed American Express via telephone that I had changed banks and as a result, the needed automatic payment was canceled. I have repeatedly requested that American Express cancel my systematic payment via telephone as well as through a correspondence from the Better Business Bureau. 10 months later, American Express is still attempting to debit my former bank account to collect my outstanding balance with them. Needless to say, there isn't enough in the credit union account to cover that has caused me late fees with American Express and overdraft fees for from my credit union.

I have no problem with settling my debt with American Express as I am doing with my other two accounts with them. However I refuse to pay until they correct the errors that they have caused. I was dropped as an American Express client because of their errors and lack of customer service. As a result with American Express not complying with my request, I have been charged $700 in fees by my Credit Union as Financial Assurance and $350 worth of late fees which total $1050.

American Express was so desperate to reduce my credit limit that they sent me an e-mail rather than wait for the regular mail. Despite always paying on time and paying often triple of more than the minimum required, my credit limit was reduced. Before the reduction, the ratio of debt to credit limit with American Express was less than 70 percent. After the reduction that ratio was reduced to 96 percent. There were signs that American Express was in trouble even before this because with increasing regularity, local businesses refused to accept American Express cards - Bank of America being the largest. Because I could not use the card to pay retailers directly due to their unhappiness with Amex, the only way to access my credit line was to request cash advances via my Bank but Bank of America will not make cash advances to American Express here. Within 24 hours of my call to American Express complaining about the fact that I could not access my credit, I received the email reducing my credit line. It felt retaliatory, frankly. I am about to go on a trip to take care of my mother in her eighties.

I will not have access to the credit line I earned by paying my American Express bills. The irony here is that I made concessions via my union that were a direct result of the taxpayer bailout which was supposed to open credit lines for us all. They have our money now and are contracting credit to us while we have less money than we expected to have because we bailed them out! I believe that if so many of us who have been paying our bills are seeing this kind of action on behalf of American Express, that they are clearly in financial trouble! Let's agree not to bail them out the next time.

At a previous job, I used the company AmEx. I was not a "co-signer" on the account, nor did I ever agree to be personally liable for the business-related debts I charged. I left that company earlier this year.

As part of my new job, I opened a new AmEx account and used the new card for business-related expenses. Upon returning from a trip, I logged into my new account online to get a report of my charges, only to find that my account has been suspended! I called and spoke with a "specialist" and then a supervisor, both of whom informed me that since my previous employer was delinquent in their payments, they have suspended my current AmEx account until the old one is brought current.

They also explained to me that I am jointly responsible for the balance on the previous card! I explained the situation to them and told them flat out that I wasn't liable and wasn't going to pay them anything. And I asked them to take my name off that card. They replied that they couldn't do that, because it was "their policy."

I don't believe they would successfully prevail in any action to recover from me, but everyone should know that AmEx (and possibly other credit card companies too) has such a "policy" that users of corporate cards are viewed as personally liable for debts incurred. I intend to cancel my AmEx account and will not deal with them again.

I have been an AMEX Gold Card holder since 1984. I am the CEO of my company for the past 17 years and have been a loyal Amex user up to today (July 12, 2010). I found out via email that my account had been canceled due to not complying with their request for copies of bank statements and tax forms. I was informed of the need to perform a "financial review" after I was told that my newly issued Gold Card was declined!

I was trying to pay an important lawyer retainer fee for my family trust when this happened. This was very, very embarrassing to say the least. I was told that I needed to call Amex to find out why the charge was declined. I initially thought it was due to the fact that there had been several recent fraud incidents using my account, and a new card was issued to me (This is another issue. Someone physically swiped a card that had been cloned. I never lost my card! Amex let the $4,900 charge go through, even though I had been charging things in Colorado since January and I'm still here in July, and have been using my Amex card here a lot! What idiots!). The lady, Chris, I spoke to at Amex told me the "Financial Review" had nothing to do with the fraud. I personally doubt it, but when I pressed her for a reason that this was being requested, she said it was a "random and routine" thing. Hm.

Now, as of today (7/12/10), after speaking with another Amex representative on the phone, I was told by her that the financial review was due to information from Experian. Well, I have never missed a payment for any accounts I have and have only been late a couple times due to stupid things like slow mail or bank problems, not due to my ability or willingness to pay my just debts. Anyway, I was being told that I needed to have my 2009 tax return and several months of bank statements sent to them!

I told her that I was not comfortable giving such personal information to them, and especially after the fraud incident. I also tried to explain that due to my circumstances, I had not filed my taxes yet (sent an extension) and my bank statements were back home, in Miami, Florida! I attempted to explain to this person my situation, but she said that I could not use my card until they got the requested documentation. I told her I wanted this in writing and I was not going to discuss further as I was on the lawyer's time clock at $300/hour! The economic effect is the delay of important legal actions for my family trust. This has created an unnecessary delay of about a month, thanks to their actions. They did physical damage in terms of my mental state!

Well, I was trying to get the paperwork together for them, but also have been dealing with more serious matters. My father passed away after catching MRSA at a local hospital after being admitted for a simple back injury. I have a mother who is in stage 4 of Alzheimer's disease, and I am the successor Trustee of my family's trust. I have been away from home and my business for almost 6 months now. I can't leave until a lot of legal and financial things are settled. This is what has been my priority and still is.

This has caused such mental anguish for me that I'm considering a lawsuit to get just compensation for what Amex has done. Even the Amex representative I spoke with today was incredulous that I was being dealt such a blow after being a loyal, on time 100% customer! She insisted that I speak to someone to reinstate the card. I did, and boy did I regret wasting the time on hold just to hear the same stupid request from yet another person!

Amex will never get my business again. My business is also an Amex Merchant. I am ordering our company to cease any and all business with Amex and we will no longer accept Amex cards. I assure you, the reader, that every chance I can get, I will make it very plain and clear why I will never use or accept Amex credit cards ever again! I am pretty much getting to be of the attitude that I am just not going to play this game with any company that thinks it can just ignore their own agreements and stoop to false advertising to get business, and to ** off their good customers. Boy, does this company need to be reviewed by the Feds! Personally, I think this company will be bankrupt and gone in less than 10 years based on my own dealings with them.

American Express closed accounts for second time in two months. Well, I have nothing good to say about American Express credit cards. They have the worst business practices we have ever seen. Last month, they decided to close our accounts and this was done by a rude account manager that asked 50 million questions and then said the accounts are closed cut up cards. So we asked to speak to someone else and all we had to do is send some forms in and our accounts were opened back up. This was on 04/15/2010.

On 05/18/2010, after we used both accounts for a purchase, now we get a email stating that our accounts are closed. Here we go again. We do not understand how we can make a purchase at 6 pm then at 6:05 pm our accounts are closed for no reason. We always pay about 600% over the monthly payment because we use cards all the time. American Express customer service is by far the worst. I was told on 05/18/2010 by an American Express agent that she can not see why the account is closed and was going to have a manager call us on 05/18/2010. I am still waiting.

So in summary, I would not recommend to use American Express for either business or personal. We will be sticking with our Visa and MasterCard accounts for we have not had one ounce of problems with them. They do not just close our accounts for no reason.

After having an American Express card for several years, they cancelled my account without a reason, or advance notice. I have a perfect payment record with American Express, and in fact, always pay several weeks in advance of the due date. They sent me an email notice at 7:47 PM that said my account had been canceled immediately, without explanation. The customer service reps were rude, and cited a recent negative posting on my credit report as the reason. I investigated the report, and as expected, found no new/negative items listed. I have had a spotless record with American Express, and used the card frequently, however, they closed the account without advance warning or explanation.

They notified me after hours on the 15th, and I have two business related accounts that are automatically scheduled to be deducted from the card on the 16th. I suspect there may also be other negative consequences as a result of the unannounced cancellation, but it is too early to determine the actual damage.

I had a Corporate AmEx card many years ago with a previous employer, Honeywell. About six years ago, when my division was sold, I left Honeywell, the card was returned and the account balance paid in full.

About 9 months ago, after about 5 years of no contact from Amex, I received a past due notice and a bill in the mail for $302. There was no information in the bill regarding what the bill was for or details of the charges. The next day, I received a letter in the mail from a collection agency asking for payment. After many phone calls, nobody can tell me what the charges are for. AmEx has told me that they can't give me a billing detail because the account is so old so I have refused to pay the bill. The first collection agency has given up and a new agency has sent me a letter asking for payment and a reminder that my credit score will be damaged if I don't pay them $302.

I don't think I am being unreasonable in refusing to pay a bill that I know nothing about. If someone can give me a detail of the charges and I agree with them, I will pay the bill. I don't want my good credit to be affected but I don't know how to fight this. Please help. Thanks.

I recently ran my annual credit report and discovered AMEX has requested my credit history 14 times from April 2008 and the most recent request was January 2010. I do not have any accounts with AMEX and did not authorize them to run a credit report. I have a concern that these unauthorized requests for my credit history will affect my credit score.

I am a small business owner that like many small business owners last year (2009) had a difficult year. American Express informed me over a year ago that my business credit card went from 90k credit line to 60k. I understood that completely and had no concern. Three months later, my payment date fell on a weekend and my payment was one day late according to them even though it was sent automatically from my bank (like it always is) to get there a day before the due date.

I called them immediately to get my huge interest rate hike back (17.9%) to my normal rate (9.9%) and they didn't budge. One week later, I received a notice that my card's credit limit was decreased again to an amount of $200 of what I owed them! Needless to say, that didn't help my monthly business spending expenses! Not only did they do this to my business account, they did it to my personal credit card account as well. My business suffered greatly in 2009 and I was late on another payment because of the weekend and my rate went to 29.9% on a 18,000 dollar balance.

I have nobody to blame for my business suffering in 2009 but myself, but they certainly had a huge role in my financial situation related to my business spending availability. Once AMEX lowered my personal card from 50k to 5k, my other two personal credit cards followed suit (2 Visas). American Express is not friendly to small businesses and the hundreds of people and the time spent over the phone with them was worthless. I paid off my two personal accounts with AmEx and closed those accounts. I will never do business with them again and wish there was some way to stop all their tactics they pull to make businesses and people suffer!

I have had American Express Gold for over 10 years. I had the flexible pay (pay monthly payments on larger amount purchases) for the 10 years. I made a $12,500 purchase in July and American express refused to allow flexible pay because they sent a letter a few days earlier that the flexible pay is suspended. I would not have possibly known since it takes 7 to 10 days for most of American Express letters to reach their members and therefore, I had no way of knowing that I have to make the payments by end of month. Otherwise, I wouldn't have charged the $12,500. I had 10 years of flexible pay and I charged that amount not knowing it is suspended.

American Express has to let me know by email or online notification (there is no message online even when we have online accounts set up), or decline the charge or at least give some type of time for end users to receive such a letter. They put me on $1,050 monthly payment. At first, I thought it is a win win situation. The payment is much higher than the flexible payment would have been, but still I accepted since I pay my bills in a few months anyway. However, no one told me that this payment plan is still going to be reported to Credit Bureaus as 30, 60, 90 day past dues, without knowing I am 210 days past due and has drastically lowered my score. If I would have known this, I wouldn't have agreed to payment plan. In addition to the credit report, my chances of getting any type of credit card and getting a job has been affected.

We have offered American Express as a payment option for our customers for 21 years. They our now taking money back from us for an incident that was not our fault. The customer purchased a pre-pay phone. Under warranty, they took it to the carrier of service. It was deemed customer abuse by the carrier. The customer never tried to return the equipment to us. They put in a claim to American Express. American Express said that they emailed us the dispute notification. We never set up email account with American Express. They never mailed us anything. We never knew about the dispute. We found out about it when they took the money from our account, again not notifying us, which messed up our account and cost us more. We have temporarily suspended accepting American Express, pending the outcome of this situation.

We opened an American Express Merchant services account for our business to enable internet sales when we were in Tuttle Oklahoma in 2006; but we never did get the company in production, therefore we never used the American Express Merchant internet Services, so we contacted the merchant services division and were told that we could not cancel the account, but we could downgrade to a lesser service account and only pay $7.95 per month, so they did the downgrade. We have still never used their services internet or otherwise, and cannot get them to cancel our merchant account and we continue to be charged $7.95 every month electronic withdrawn from our FAA ECU bank for no services rendered. Would you Please Help? Thank you!

I am a small women business owner and have been using AMEX since aprox.1993 personal and business since 2005. Both my accounts have been paid always in time and always above the minimum amount.

At the beginning of 2009 I was unceremoniously advised that my credit will be reduced, personal from 25 k eventually I a believe now 5 k and business from 7k now is 1k. The reason being my own credit history. I was surprised because I know that was a mistake I called amex and was advised to get a copy of my credit and fax it to amex and some one will get back to me regarding this matter. I did that in May 2009 and until now Dec 21 no one ever got back to me.
My business jETBlue is now paid off by the end of this month so it will be my personal account, my small company processes AMEX payments around 10k a month as of now I still am accepting AMEX as a form of payment with my business.

I would like to advise you of the consequences of your reckless behavior had on my business and my personal credit: Other credit card follow suit all along my credit report still until now spotless, my buying power diminished almost disappeared. During the economic situation we all lived through that could have not been a worst time for this to happen.

I feel that AMEX betrayed me and my business and owes both an apology and some sort of retribution to fix the damage done.

I am giving you this opportunity to do right thing by me, before I take this story to the media. I will aggressively make and effort to find others you treated the same I am sure they are out there ,I will contact FCRA and an attorney and start a class law suit against your company .I will await for your response but not for long .

I own a restaurants and among other credits cards, I also accept American express. I have a merchant account with American Express which is used for all the money transfers, credits and fee charges. For the past 2 years I noticed that they have not been sending my money to the account and have tried multiple times to resovle this issue. Just recently they notified me by letter that they have been sending the money by mistake to a different establishment. They were able to refund/ pay me only for the past 3 months, but they tell me that they cannot go back for more than 90 days. So they refuse to give me my money, they also refuse to look into this case or investiage further.

American Express Gold cars member since 1999. I lost my job in July of 2009 and I called AMX about setting up a payment plan. I talked to Shree in the Philippines and asked if I would be able to keep my card and make payments on a monthly until I went back to work. She told me that I did not have any thing to worry about. On Oct. 9th I made a payment of $1100 to American Express and a few days later I recived a letter stating that my card was canceled.

I called and tried to talk to the about this matter to no evail. On 11/23/2009 my wife talked to AMX about a payment plan again and she was told that I would have to call and set it up. And that we had only two weeks to complete. I called today 12/1/2009 and at this time it has been turned over to a collection agency. This is twice that American Express has lied to me. Can any thing be done about this?

Unfair interest rate hike from 9.9 to 15.25 and no option to opt out. They claim they sent a notice, but the last 6 statements do not list the upcoming APR increase. Customer service claims there is not an opt out, however the American Express website shows an OPT OUT option.

We did not have any late payments etc.

I called American Express corp about my Open card account for my business for which I had to enter a payment program because I could not pay the entire balance. The agreement was made, and I received a copy of the terms of the agreement. I have done exactly what I was required to do by American Express, paid all payments on time, and American Express, in breach of the agreement, has accepted all my timely payments as agreed, but has now listed me as a "cancelled, uncollectable debt" on my credit report, and refuses to even respond to not only myself, but my attorney asking for correction of this matter. My credit record has been tarnished, and my business and myself have personally be denied credit and had credit lines frozen because of this report. They will not respond

I have had my account with AX for over 7 years. About a year ago they decided to give me a preset spending limit. With no notice and no just cause. Said it was due to economic times. Then last week charges were being declined. I called AX and I had over $2,700.00 available to use. I told the rep that charges were still being declined and she tried to get me to pay my balance to zero, even though the bill wasn't due for another 3 weeks, my balance was $275.00.

Come to find out after 40 minutes on hold...They said that they can now choose what to pay and who. That they will decline any charges they see fit even if you are in good standing with AX. Needless to say 1 week later I get a letter stating they are closing my account and that I may get a negative report on my credit. How ever the bill of $275.00 isn't due until Dec 2.

They closed my account letter dated on Nov 20 and received Nov. 27. They have perposely gave me a negative report when they closed my account even before the bill was due. Such a cheap move. However, had I been contacted stating that they were closing my account on _(date)__ and that I need to pay them _(the balance)__ by ___(date)__. Then I would have done so.

I paid my bill timely and was in good standings. However, AX you gave me a bad credit report even though the bill wasn't even due yet. So thanks for allowing me to be a loyal payer and you (AX) for nothing but a bad credit report! What a rip off!

I have been an excellent business customer with American Express. I have never been late with a payment and almost paid more than minimum way before due date. First, they lowered my credit limit from $11,500.00 to $7,000.00; then they demanded for me to FAX over 3 years of my Income Tax Records ( I refused ). I had logged on to make my usual payments and found out they had closed my account! You can imagine my surprise. I am being treated like this for being an excellent customer? I have excellent credit on all my debt, never been late or defaulted on any of them..etc.

Now they are demanding I pay off my balance of $7,000.00, or 10 equal post-dated checks or it will go into collections! OMG! They are not giving me any options. Please help, anyone who can give me advice on what I should do. I cannot afford the 10 payments or pay the balance in full. I told them all I can do is continue to pay the $250.00 a month. They refused. What are my rights here?

I booked a reservation for Howard Johnson Express, Washington DC, confident that merchants affiliated to AMEX are proven, according to their stated policies. This was not so. I found in the reviews ( as a matter of fact reviews were not available at the AMEX page) that the hotel is not safe, nor clean and service is the worst. (rats, roaches, bed bugs described in the reviews) I asked for a cancellation, but they refused, tried to change to another How John Hotel at Buffalo where I will travel the same week, they refused.

I consider my claim was reasonable and AMEX did not honor their satisfaction policy. Amex Forfeited 335.00. I place this claim in order to advise the false publicity of the so called service satisfaction they brag about. There was no other loss because there is no way I'll stay in such a place.

In March, someone logged in to open.com (amex's site), changed the shipping address to some 3rd party in California, set email to some guy he hacked in TX and then proceeded to charge up $1800 to egghead.com Amex did NOT hold me responsible for the charges. However, my identity is still stolen. I put a freeze at all credit buearus, got a new card, changed password Filed a police report w/local police. Police never did anything and AMEX would not turn the detail of who/what/when over to me. So I don't know exactly what information they took or used to be able to login to my account and then call in to update his information once I changed the user/pass.


On this Nov 8th, it happened again. They logged on the site and changed the contact email address for the account to an erroneaous email that I do NOT have contact or access to.

I have NO information from police. No information from AMEX. I am convinced their information databases that hold my data are being compromised. Either through their website, calling in or a collection of things. I just don't know and NO ONE will help me. AMEX has been nice, but gives me NO information. I have someone(s) w/enough personal info to impersonate me and have no information to prevent that.

To the management team of the American Express,
last summer I received a card from [them] with a high credit limit. I was so thrilled when I finally received that card and I began to use it without hesitation and that allowed me to make my monthly payment on time every month. Before I got the card, I had several credit cards by other companies; I was able to get rid of all of them after I received my American Express card because I wanted to save money and accumulated miles on that card.

This past December I went on vacation, the vacation started from Seattle to Baltimore Maryland and Fort Lauderdale Florida. I did not have enough cash to use on my vacation, the only hope that I had, was that American Express card. It was so unfortunate, when I got there to the hotel to check in my card was declined. I asked the front desk Clerk to swipe it a second time she did exactly what I asked her to do for some reasons the card does not seem to be going through. It was 1 a.m. in the morning and I was so tired and wanting to go my hotel room to get some rest--imagine that--I was obligated to call American express to sort things out.

The precious Lady That I was on the phone with me had the nerve to tell me--oh Mr. R. I am sorry to inform you that your limit has been decreased from 16,000.00 to 2,000. 00 dollars, I was shocked when that lady gave me that news. not only I was shocked I also have to admit it was very embarrassing and humiliating on my part. If that precious lady was authorized the hotel bill for me that night. That was the only way I could have stayed there otherwise I would have found myself in big trouble in Baltimore. That vacation went really, really bad upon my check out day, I needed a car to the Airport the fare was 90 dollars. I had to call American express again for a second authorization so I can make it to the Airport.

Before we hung up, I asked her how about when I get to Fort Lauderdale how I am going to get my rental car. That car has already been reserved on that card? She kindly told me that I have to call one more time to get another authorization for my rental. Believe it or not if I knew that I was going to endure this type of tragedy by humiliating myself like that I would definitely stop that vacation for I really did not have to go through all this mess.

It was a Saturday afternoon; I went to get my car from Enterprise. I was authorized 500.00 dollars for the car it was 2 o'clock and enterprise was about to close, I could not get the car the amount was too small for enterprise because they needed to authorize 600 dollars on the card. The clerk at enterprise told me "I am very sorry there's nothing I can do at the moment you will have to wait 24 hours for a second transaction." It will not do you any better whether you call American Express back to authorize more money on your card." On top of that they close on Sunday so I WOULD have to wait until Monday.

I finally gave up; I called a friend of mine to come get me from Enterprise because they were unable to provide me a ride home. It was so hot especially by being in hot stormy weather in south Florida. One of the guys at the office kindly gave me some advice how to catch a bus down the street to my family's house. So I waited and waited the bus never showed up--of course it was holidays the buses do not run as usual. My only obligation was to call that same friend one more time to get me home.

When I got home that evening it was approximately 4 p.m. I quickly crabbed yellow pages and started calling car companies just to find a car to drive for that one week vacation. Everywhere I called was either sold out or over 700 dollars for a car. Luckily I called that one second hand car dealership and they were able to find me a mistreated car that was just returned by a customer. The lady said to me, Mr. R., we're just about to close, this is the last car that we have available this evening, if you do not get here in 20 minutes, you would have to wait until Monday to get the car. So my friend and I rushed to that one place on Highway 95 we were able to make it there in 15 minutes speeding because I was desperate getting my rental. When I finally make it to that place they showed me the car that I was going to drive I ended up paying 400 dollars for that damaged car as compare to 300 I was going to pay for a brand new car at enterprise--can you imagine how mad I was? At least they did not have to authorize 600 but 300 dollars that was how I got my car. All I kept doing was shaking my head back a forth moaning. That car was the most pathetic car I ever saw in my whole entire life as a rental. So in my situation, I had no options but taking the car because I was in the need for it.

All these things happened to me is because of American express. it's been one year since I have been paying high interests on a card that went up to 500 dollars over its limit. I can understand that they were trying to protect their business; they should have the common courtesy to notify me by mail or by a telephone call to let me know that they were going to decrease my limit and I would have though about that trip twice.

I cannot use the card. I am paying high interest and it will take me a long period of time before I can actually use that card again. this is so frustrating for me as a customer and what they did to me is not very nice at all. On top of that, wrote them a letter several months ago, they somehow ignored the letter by no responding to me.

Abner Richet

I was unemployed and I called Amx to let them know I would like to use the insurance that I paid for several years. The rep told me it was a seperate company. So I called and the ins company agreed to pay the bill until I returned to work. I called Amx and told them this. Amx agreed to let me pay 150.00 per month on my gold card and the ins would pay my cash rebate card. A few weeks ago the insurance company sent my a letter to inform me that my card was cancelled and they no longer could pay my card.

I called Amx and I was informed that they cancelled because I was late with my payment. I told the rep of the agreement I had made. They told me they could not check because my account had been sent to collections. I told them I have been paying the agreed amount since March 09 and never recd any call of my payment being late. They said they could not do anything for me.

I have been an Amx card holder since 1986 and this is the thanks I recd. If I had broken the agreement I made with them I could have understood why they cancelled my cards. They did not have the courtsey to call me. Now I have the collection agency annoying calls all night even on weekends.

I received a notice in the mail that AMEX was going to raise my interest rate to 27.9% because of my recent actions. I called them to find out what recent actions caused this astronomical interest rate hike. they responded I was late on last month's payment. I asked by how long they responded 3 days. American express stated I could "opt out" of this interest rate but they would have to close my account. I stated I would not agree to the interest rate hike and they closed my account and all access to my billing history immediately.

I have been a member of AMEX for 16 years with a stellar credit history and a credit score of 820. AMEX closed my account without even discussing alternatives. They are using the interest hike as a threat tactic against good customer to get them to agree to a higher interest rate for a minimum of 12 months. This is an unfair and unethical business practice.

After this decision I now have to contact every company that I have auto-pay with and change my accounts. They have given me no time to do this and other accounts are now late do to their rash actions to close my account for no apparent reason. Also they will not even allow me to review my accounts online to change my auto pay accounts. Please do not enlist in paperless statements as they hold you hostage to your information.

I have had an AE account since 1995. Recently my account limit was reduced from $30,000 to $20,000 without notice. This ironically also made it appear that my account balance was high. AE closed my account, without notice, the "day" after they sent a late payment letter, which it turned out was not late, just an amount paid that was lower than the current bill.

Apparently, this was a tragic mistake. It was my first "late" payment in 14 years. Customer service was not interested in what I had to say, they simply said we are closing the account....unreal! Shameful!

Like most people's complaint, I too was notified by AM EX that my account had been closed because of incorrect info,, I had a 10k credit limit and outstanding balance was 5k. I have never been late with any of bills. I just hoping this does impact my credit rating.

Thursday I called Am Ex to verify available funds...more than $800. I sent a family member from Az. to NM with the knowledge he would have funds for food, fuel, and lodging. Two hours later the card was denied twice at a fuel station. I then called AM EX and found after talking with three people that the card was cancelled. I documented the time of the calls and the people with whom I spoke.

I wrote a letter to CEO of AM, CEO of Am Stock Exchange and Customer Services with pieces of the card in each letter explaining my situation and AM EX's solution was to apply for another card as mine had been cancelled. I have not yet received a letter of cancellation.

I called this morning Tues. to pay the balance of my card and they asked for my phone number and I asked why...reason: so it would be on record when I applied for a new card! That won't be happening I said. I had been a member for 33 years. AM EX was my first credit card. I used AM EX almost exclusively for travel, food, fuel for my business. My family member was essentially STRANDED in NM.

I can't wait for a Class Action Suit to be brought against them. After being a member for over 33 years I am shocked, angry and incensed. My credit availability had been consistantly lowered which I didn't mind as it helped me to pay down debt. But for the last year I had 0 balance. So I was totally unprepared for this action on their part.

AMEX is really socking it to cardholders now. I've been with them for many years, I have impeccable credit, but when I was two days late on a payment recently, they notified me that my interest rate would now skyrocket to 27%--or possibly more--for at least the next year. Ordinarily, I don't carry a balance. A recent layoff changed that, and these people now have me cornered. So much for all those years with them.

I encourage anyone and everyone to join me in dumping AMEX as soon as possible, and in writing Congress to reregulate these sharks. This is flat out usury.

This is the e-mail I sent to American Express, it explains everything: My wife was just told that American Express refuses to accept her payment prior to her due date. Yes, you read that correctly. The result is that AE will then be able to raise her interest rate. I think a few lawyers would absolutely love to get ahold of this information for a very LARGE class action lawsuit. A credit card company that blatantly refuses a payment so they can raise a customers interest rate. Sounds like a great story for NBC's Dateline, and a monster image damaging statement for American Express.

A "policy" that American Express has states that if you make an online payment, you can not under any circumstance make another payment for 24 hours. My wife accidentily typed in "$20.00" rather than "$200.00". As soon as she got the confirmation for the incorrect amount, she attempted to make a second payment for the additional $180.00. That was refused. So she called into customer service which again REFUSED to take a payment.

Now remember, this is still all before the stated due date. Had anyone cared in one small amount, she would have been able to make her payment, been on time, and not been THREATENED to have her interest rate increased. She was told that a "note" would be placed in her account, but that would not guarantee that she would be able to keep her interest rate.

The bottom line here is that American Express specificially refused to accept a payment on time so that a customer's interest rate would be raised. Two things of note here. 1. It seems illegal to refuse a payment in order increase a person's interest rate. 2. If her interest rate does get raised, you can guarantee that I will be making it very public that American Express refused to accept a payment in order to raise a person't interest rate. My wife's interest rate may be raised because they refused to accept her payment.

I had a gold card from American Express. I always paid my payments on time and used alot of money on the card. I earned over 30,000 air miles. American Express closed my account and first of all never let me know that they did until I tried to use my card and it was rejected. I call american express and ask what happened. They told me that american Express had closed my account that management decided on that and that there was no way to reinstate it.

After years of paying my bill within a 30 day period they decided To close. I asked for my air miles and they did not give them back to me. Now I received the calls at my work from a collection agency and ask for payment of $379.00 of which I owe them. I asked for my air miles and they still do not want to give them to me. I can receive my air miles, or receive a gift card in a certain amount. My understanding is that I could turn my miles into gift cards.

I cannot do anything because they will not give the miles that I earned by using the American express Card.(REWARDS)This was an issue since they first closed my account. They never intended to give me the miles, which I believe belongs to me. They did not inform me of closing the account. so prior to this I had no opportunity to collect them.

They do not respond to calls asking that reinstate the miles. They sent my account to a collection agency - which continues to call me at work. I asked the collection agency to call my home because I am not allowed to have personal calls at work. They have not stopped calling my work and they never call me at home.

I just received a notice from American Express increasing my interest rate from 5.2% to over 15% (prime + 11.99%). I have been a card holder for 20+ years and have always paid bills/balances ontime. I called to ask them the reasons behind the increase and was told that all cardmembers rates were increased to prime + 11.99%.

The customer service agent told me there was nothing she could do about the increase. I was also informed that even if I close the account the increase would still affect my account. This card is used for business accounts and I usually carry around $30k on this card. The interest I pay is going from $150/mo to close to $500/mo. I have no idea what my minimum payment will be, since I currently pay around $600-$700 a month minimum.

There is no way I can pay this off in less than 1 month (or even pay it down significantly) so what can I do? What in the world has our government done to the banks that would allow them to charge honest, hardworking citizens outrageous interest rates with no recourse? Please provide me with some help regarding this situation as I am at a complete loss as to what to do.

Just got notices that Amex intends to raise all my rates on three card by approximately three percentage points. This amount nearly a 25% increase in my rates. Never been late, never paid an over the limit fee. Who do I contact. They are doing this in my opionion to up rates before the new laws go into effect next year. Just let me know who the voice of authority is in this regard. The notices are not giving an "opt out" option, but I bet there is one.

*sigh* Let me join the masses of appauled Amex customers! I had been using my American Express card for years paying off very small balances month after month just building my credit score. In 2007 I opened a restaurant and charged the card up to the full amount -- $10,000. I double payments for 6 months or so; all the while they chopped my limit down as soon as the payment was made. Oustanding balance of $9,500 maximum balance was set to $9,550!

So on and so on.... I finally found myself in a financial situation just two months ago ( 6/01/09 ) to pay my oustanding balance of $7,500 IN FULL! I called Amex and bargained with them to 1) Drop my interest rate which they did. and 2) STOP CUTTING MY OUTSTANDING BALANCE if I send you this money! They said they would, "Try there best but it was out of there hands" I figured at worst they would cut my maximum usage on the card to $5,000 and I'd increase my debt to credit ratio and gain on my credit score.

On july 14 after paying my balance in FULL and NEVER missing a payment... I log online to check my card and IT'S CANCELLED! The reason? High revolving balances -- I PAID ALL MY CARDS IN FULL! I have $0 debt on ANYTHING! To many inquiries (maybe 3) Level of delicuency (I missed one payment on a banana repulic card 5 years ago and paid it in full and closed it!)

Un believable! My restaurant accepts American Express cards, and the batches not only cost more; but take longer to hit my bank account. Does American Express care that I've been a loyal personal customer and business customer for YEARS now? Absolutely not. I'm so furious I cannot express it in words.

In february 2007 I was a victim of the Nigerian 419 scam. I was contacted via email for a job working for a company collecting their outstanding receivables. They were paid with Amex Gift certificates. I had to cash them and keep 5% as payment. I went to the banks and none of them realized they were fake, until i deposited them.

I contacted Amex hoping they would reinburse me for the fake gift certificates and being negligent for not notifying the banks. They never responded. I lost $8500 hundred dollars. I contacted the FBI and they told me this scam was around for awhile. Is there anything you can do to help me recover my money. I am still paying off the bank.

Be advised that this Debt was Legally discharged in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, San Diego, CA., in 1993. The Court sent out the proper notices, in 1993, to all Creditors declared in the Bankruptcy, and NONE of the Creditors (including AMEX) contested it, so it was finalized by the Court. In addition, NONE of the Creditors (including AMEX) have ever contacted me with Dispute, so why am I getting this NOW from AMEX, sent via Regular Postal Mail (not Certified), after nearly four decades of silence from AMEX.

Prior to filing Bankruptcy, I contacted my Creditors to try to arrange a payment schedule to avoid Bankruptcy, and AMEX was one of the Creditors who was hard nosed and refused to make any such arrangements, so I too had no other choice but to go equally hard nosed and File Bankruptcy.

The Bankruptcy no longer shows at all on my Trans Union Credit Report, and only shows on my Experian and Equifax Credit Reports as Account Status Closed, Closed by Credit Grantor\Consumer Credit Card, Credit Line closed-grantor request-reported by subscriber, Pays account as agreed, Paid Satisfactorily, High Balance $1,018, Balance $0, Past Due $0, when it shouldn't show at all by Law as I understand it, after 2+ Decades since the Bankruptcy was granted by the Court (in fact it should have been gone after 10 years).

I Legally Decline this offer, and will if necessary file the appropriate Complaints with AMEX, the Credit Bureaus, the Consumer Agencies, the BBB, the FTC, and the Court.

I had an american express credit card since 2005. My credit card was shut down by american express the beginning of this year because I am a bad credit risk. They didn't lower my credit line, they just closed the account. Well I used this account because American Express had an extra year warranty on purchases. I made a major laptop purchase on March 13, 2008 and now it needs repairs.

American express won't cover the expense because I do not have an open account. I feel this is very unfair and they should be abiding by their extended warranties even though the account is closed. The account was closed by their choice, not mine.

I have been a customer in good standing for over 3 years. In late 2007 I built a work shop for my remodeling business and activated about $33000 on one of my Amex cards. in order to do so, i had to close another i held with them. thereby combining the total credit limit to use a 3.99% rate that was good for "the life of the loan". Without fail, we paid on or before the due date.

In Februrary of this year, my mother (who pays the bills for the company and is a professional book keeper/forensic accountant) became ill and paid ONE statement $87 short. Not late, not a missed payment, short. Immediately, the charges poured in and the interest rate went into the double digits.

Since then, we have spoken with numerous individuals, who have agreed that this oversight doesn't warrant the penalties. However, their "review board" refuses to reduce the interest rate and i now pay over $200/month in interest charges. During one phone call, i waited on hold over 45 minutes for a supervisor; i finally hung up.

They also reduced my credit line. This is a gross case of gouging and taking advantage of circumstance. Several penalties and substantial interest rate increase. The minute penalties/fees were dropped. maybe $100 or so.

In December 2008, American Express canceled my credit card account ending in **, without any warning. I had been an American Express customer in good standing since 2001. Along with the cancellation, AE took away the reward points that I had earned, which totaled 110,345.00 points. There was zero balance in my account when the cancellation took place. Prior to the cancellation, I had a balance of $6,278.07 that was paid in full.

Additionally, just four weeks before the cancellation, AE charged my account a $75.00 renewal membership fee. I called American Express to request for my reward points, and at first I was told that for a $25.00 fee, my points could be reinstated. I agreed to the fee, however, minutes later, I was told by an AE customer service agent that "our system is not letting me do that" and suggested I write a letter to the rewards department in Fort Lauderdale, FL, reassuring me that if I write the letter, my reward points will be given back to me to utilize in the very near future.

Since then, I have called AE numerous times, wrote a letter, and faxed a letter to AE, requesting my reward points, and the annual membership fee to be returned or credited back to me, but have not gotten any replies from AE. The funny thing is, although months after AE closed my account, I am still receiving monthly statements from American Express, with zero balance due, but with a $2,100 total available preset line, a $1.05 credit balance, and 110,345 available membership points.

I feel that American Express stole my hard earned points from me, has charged me an annual membership fee in October 2008, and canceled my card in December 2008 without crediting it back since. I am very upset and outraged by these facts! I feel that American Express not only stole my points, and has criminally charged me for one year's worth membership that I no longer have, but it has also put me through months of stress, as I was bounced back and forth, by American Express, calling them, and writing to them, trying to get my issue resolved without getting anywhere.

Furthermore, I feel that I was teased and insulted by having to open monthly statements from American Express reflecting an open account, when in fact American Express had closed my account months earlier! At this point, I want American Express to return my rewards points along with the annual membership fee. I would like an attorney to contact me.

The reward points this year were to be used to buy necessities for my company, and give gift cards to my hardworking employees as part of their holiday bonus. I was counting on this especially because of the bad economy, and actually used my card to charge items (purchases that I could had paid cash, knowing that come December 2008, I will utilize my points).

I have been an AmEx Gold card member for nine years. During that time, I have only been late (greater than five days but less than 30) twice. American Express previously had no pre-set spending limit for my account and this was reflected in my credit report as a limit of $0. After imposing a spending limit in the fall of last year (or perhaps late summer), the credit report never reflected the limit and still shows $0. Because the limit is shown as $0, this makes my utilization rate for all available credit over 100%. Based on this, another card canceled my account.

While visiting Copenhagen last October, my husband had his wallet stolen. It happened the day before our departure back to the US, but we did not realize it until shortly before our flight. We called all our credit card companies upon our arrival home, including American Express. On the night before our departure, the stolen card was used at what turned out to be a strip club to the tune of almost $10,000.

We have filed several fraud cases with American Express, but they have repeatedly said that it was not fraudulent because there was a signature and the merchant has a copy of his driver's license. Of course, they had the driver's license--the whole wallet was stolen! Amex now wants payment. Citicard had no problem agreeing that fraud had occurred; that stolen card was also used at the same establishment with charges of $20,000. Not only did we not make these charges, but we do not have the resources to pay for what American Express failed to do in the first place, which is to protect the consumer.

The strip club must have been in cahoots with the pickpocket, as we don't see any way someone could spend a total of $30,000 at a strip club! We did not file a police report at that time, and of course, we do not have any receipts. Being up against American Express feels impossible. We just don't know what to do. My credit will suffer if I do not pay. My credit will suffer, if we negotiate a debt settlement. Unless I take out a bank loan, we cannot pay this amount.

I have been an American Express member for about 6 years. I was never last with a payment, balances low and all of my accounts with them were closed without notice. After speaking with them, they informed me that they needed a letter from my attorney stating my income, SSI, address and employment. In addition, they informed me to submit my IRS taxes from the last 2 years to prove my true income. I did all of this.

After attempting to have my American Express platinum card opened back up, they informed me that they didn't get the IRS forms in the time allowed. The IRS forms states that it takes 60-90 days to mail off the forms and American Express only allow up to 60 days to obtain this information. After speaking with customer service rep, they informed me that I had to resubmit the IRS forms and attorney information again within the time allowed or they won't be able to reopen my account. I informed the rep that nothing will change in the forms sent from the IRS, so I don't understand the issue. She explained that they can't use the information if it was past the deadline even though the information won't be different.

I have excellent credit, with no mortgage, no credit card debt or even an automobile loan with a six figure income. I don't understand why a company like this would do this to their loyal customers. I will never work with American Express again.

In March of 2009, I received a letter from AmEx stating that my credit limit was being reduced due to a review of my Experian credit report which showed 'possibly' one of 4 issues: too many open accounts, too high debt ratio, too many inquiries, too many charges. I wrote for and received my credit report and there were no issues whatsoever. I have the same number of accounts that I had when I opened the AmEx account. I have never missed a payment on any account, there were only 3 inquiries in the past year, and I have more than 2/3 of my total credit available to me. On the 3rd of June, I called to ask that they reduce my interest rate, which they did. On the 4th of June, I paid $1,500 of my $2,100 balance. On June 5th, AmEx arbitrarily cancelled my account, sending a letter with the exact same reasons as were stated on the March letter.

I called on June 11th to inquire and they said that they had a new policy and that my account was cancelled due to no fault of my own. I expressed concern about the fact that they were going to add a black mark on my excellent credit rating. I pressed the customer service representative about the mark on my credit. She just kept repeating that their policy had changed, that I had too many open accounts (remember, I have no more accounts today than I had when I opened the account), and that they were canceling me due to this new policy. I pressed her by asking her how AmEx would view a "cancelled by company" mark on my credit rating and her response was, "I am unable to answer that question." I asked for a supervisor and was placed on hold for 10 minutes, during which time I Googled the AmEx cancellations and found this has become their new policy--to cancel accounts in good standing and damage the credit reports of those with excellent credit. I decided to hang up and file a formal complaint.

I went to use my card to rent a car and it was declined. I pay my bill not only on time but twice a month so I am able to pay down the remaining balance quicker. When I called to find out what was going on, they said it's because of my credit report. So I got online and ran not one, but three different reports, all said the same that my credit is in good standing, no late payments and all credit cards show that I don't owe very much on them.

This company is losing good customers by doing this and hurting the people that have been faithfully paying their payment on time. This is going to hurt my credit score, and I did not do anything wrong!

Any changes to auto pay takes 1.5 billing cycles! Poor. I have made changes to auto pay and thinking that industry standard is 3-4 business days for payment changes, I get late fees and finance charges because American Express is not consumer friendly. Your online site need updating, code script re-written, auto pay and online computer pay sites linked to share information or bold caps disclaimer informing consumers any changes will take affect after 45 days! Your own customer service reps agree site is poor and designed to generate fees for AmEx. I've sent the normal letters to "Email Us" as viewed in the attachment, noting my frustration on AmEx's lack of updating software. I even tried to prepay my outstanding balance by $2000 to have a credit balance and can't! I have to wait for a billing cycle? A customer wants to give you money and AmEx won't take it? I sent five letters to AmEx, last one's to CEO.

Auto pay is designed to generate late fees and finance charges. Sign up takes 45 days, any changes you need to cancel and re-apply and that takes another 1.5 billing cycles. AmEx computer pay site and auto pay are not linked. So your bank account info such as default bank will not be same as auto pay (if you have more than 1 bank account). Two separate companies, yet on same site! AmEx is behind the software update time frame. Also notice when you sign up to auto pay it defaults to the 20 day payment date. That is designed to generate last day to pay bill, so if there is a problem, too late for you to phone or do a computer payment. You're zapped with late and finance charges. I even tried to pay ahead and AmEx won't take the money. For email addresses, go to corp. site and look at media contact to get email format and then to corp management site to get names!

As I am an expat working in Oman, I still have to pay some bills in Germany. I did transfer 480 Euros via internet banking (like 3 times before), with the same data like usual to American Express in Frankfurt on March 3. I was very surprised when AmexCo called on April 15; they are still missing my payment.

I did contact first the telephone hotline with the reference number from the confirmation which I got meanwhile in printing. My account was deducted by the amount and the money was sent. The very next morning I went to the Seeb branch to check again the details of the transfer. I was talking to the manager and he confirmed all data sent were correct. I told him to investigate where the money was sent to, and why AmexCo did not receive it. He promised to update me the very next day.

Five days later still no reply. I went again to him. He replied that as he did not had an update, he did not call me. I was very upset and told him I was previously working in an international bank and if any bank receives money which they cannot transfer to the beneficiary, they have to sent it back the very next day! So where is my money? He explained something about the way the money is sent from Oman via New York to London to arrive finally in Frankfurt. Absolutely nonsense!

So the mistake is with AmexCo. The next 10 days, I called AmexCo twice a day to check and HSBC to find out what is going on. On May 15, the manager called me and said they had found the amount at their branch in Frankfurt, where it was the whole time. Due to a software update in Oman, the money was deducted and sent without any information about where it should belong to. Why it was stuck there for now 6 weeks, he could not explain. I will cancel my account on the next opportunity. Definitely!

Inappropriate business tactic to confuse and harass customer:
1. Unnoticed credit limit reduction. No paper and calls made to notice me to credit reduction.
2. No statement has been made for last three months without notice, specially for business reason, I need statement all the time but for last three months, I have not received statement. A late charge has been enforced and they stopped my card for further use because of that.

3. Inappropriate treatment and harass customers with non-English native speaker, with bi-standard judgment and harassing words using their fluent but unnecessary country accent.

American Express became a monster who thinks they can control and manipulate customers to fulfill their greediness.

On May 29th I pulled up to the Costco gas station to fill up before going in to pick up a few things. I swiped my AMEX card and it was declined. Certain there was a mistake I tried again, & again..declined. I immediately assumed something fraudulent had occurred causing them to block my card for my protection as I knew it wasn't anything on my end. Perfect payment history, never carry a balance etc. So I called them right away.

After going through all of the security questions the man says to me "Ma'am are you aware this card has been canceled?" I was shocked! I said "No! I didn't cancel it!" He said to me "Ma'am after reviewing your account we decided to close it on the 27th. We sent you a letter in the mail. (this was the 29th so of course I had not received the letter & was not notified by phone) I was caught so off guard I didn't know what to say. When I asked him why, he claimed that they reviewed my credit summary and decided I no longer qualify. RIDICULOUS I have a perfect credit history and when I say perfect I mean PERFECT. The only thing that has changed for us was a home loan pre approval on the 26th (the day before they canceled my account)

Now, I can understand why they would rather not have someone who never carries a balance, has no annual fee and gets a cash back check at the end of every year. They are not making a single cent on my business and still sending me money one a year for rewards BUT the way they went about it was all wrong. They punished me for being a responsible consumer. The kicker is that when they canceled my account they forfeited ALL of my cash rewards that I have earned this year, so I will now not receive the rewards that I earned for being a responsible AMEX card holder.

Today I called & I asked the rep "can you tell me where it says you can cancel my account without notification and then take my rewards on top of that "She said "It doesn't say that WE can cancel your card and forfeit your rewards but it does say it the card IS canceled then the rewards are forfeited" Now, I could be wrong here but I think that gives us consumers a legal leg to stand on. WE did not close our accounts (from what I see this is happening to MANY of us) THEY canceled them without notification and in most cases without valid reason.

Many of us can prove this by showing copies of our credit reports with no derogatory changes. They have dinged our credit by closing our cards (especially the ones with unpaid balances) and also taken our cash rewards that we earned by being responsible. They should be ashamed of the way they are doing business. By canceling my credit card while I still had a small balance from the months purchases my credit rating stand to take a hit.

My husband and I have been AMEX gold and Optima account holders for a combined 40 years. This past January I missed the payment cut off date by 3 days and immediately upon noticing this, I sent them a payment for significantly more than the min. due. A few days later my husband rec'd a call from AMEX (he is the card holder I am the authorized user)informing us that they were reducing our OPTIMA credit line from $32,000 to $4,500.00. When questioned why, they told us that we had a history of late payments (not true, just this one, in over 18 years), when that was proven to be wrong, they told us that we had a derogotary statement on our credit report (not true, we had our most recent report in December, with an outstanding credit score, over 800), after numerous conversations w/ AMEX and never being able to get beyond a "supervisor", we were told that our debt to income ratio was too high. They don't know our income (which is well over $200k/yr) and we only owed $4,500.00 on the card. Then the arrogant, little "snot" told my husband to reapply later.

So, I wrote a letter to Senator Christopher Dodd and told him my story. Senator Dodd asked us to help him get the Credit Card Reform legislation passed and we have supported him in getting this legislation passed. When we were interviewed with the TODAY show, AMEX wanted us to "waive" our privacy agreement w/ them so that they could expose our credit file. We denied the request. They tried really hard not to let the segment be aired.

AMEX is in trouble and I am glad to be a part of bringing this monstrosity to its knees. We will never again be an AMEX cardholder and we hope that anyone who sees our story, will cancel their cards. Due to the signficiant decrease in credit line, our FICO scores have decresed from 830 to 780. I am ready to sign onto a Class Action against AMEX.

my american express card that i have never been late on was cancelled by the company with no notifiation. There is balance of $147.21 cents. No where near limit. I went to purchase a 298.00 mini laptop for Mothers day. To my embarrassment. my american express card was cancelled with no notification what so ever. This incident cause me undue stress. I am a disabled veteran of the armed forces.

I had never had an American Express card before and now that I've gotten my credit in proper order I decided it was time to apply for one. After a credit review AMEX granted me a gold card with no preset limit and a ridiculous amount of points if I spent a few thousand dollars within the first month. I was actually very excited to deal with them and was going to transfer all my re-occurring charges to this card. Within the first few days I charged a few hundred dollars just to get the ball rolling.

I used the card in the morning to purchase gas and later that night I decided to make a run to the supermarket to buy a few things, but when I got to the cashier my card was declined. I told the girl to swipe it again and it came back declined again, at which point she said she had to confiscate the card. Now by no means was I going to let a 17 year old making minimum wage take away my credit card, so I snatched it away from her and she screamed for the manager who promptly strode over and decided he was going to take the card back by force, bad idea on his part, as he ended up sitting on his ass next to the lotto machine.

The next day (today) I called Amex to inquire about the mix-up. I was informed there was an attachment to my account and I had to speak to the phone reps superior. A woman named Veronda (or something like that) picked up the call and informed me that amex had re-reviewed my credit and decided my income to debt ratio was too high and they had canceled my account without notice. Not a call, not a letter, not even an e-mail.

Now much like the previous night I blew my top and asked her what kind of bunch of morons do they have working over there. She informed me that if I continued to be verbally abusive she would have to. I cut her off and screamed at her "what are you going to do? all you can do is hang up on me, you've already canceled my account moron."

Now I have an outstanding balance of about $500. Nothing special and I could easily pay it off if I felt like it, but this is all about principle and the only way amex is getting that money is over my dead body.

I had a CostCo-American Express card for just over 2 years. I pain the balance in full every month and was never late. I went to use my card on Feb 01 at a grocery store and it was denied. I used another card and called American Express the next day. Found out that my card had been cancelled due to an "account review" that showed a negative credit history. I ran all three reports; nothing whatsoever had changed. Then they changed their story and said it was due to my debt ratio; I have NO debt other than student loans. Then I got different stories. No one would help; they just treated my rudely and told me "that is their right" to cancel cards. Ridiculous. I made probably over 10 phone calls to them and was treated horribly everytime.

In August of 2008 I made my normal payment due to American Express. In the next few a days a hurricane would be hitting my area in southwest Louisiana. Preparing for the hurricane takes money out of your pocket. I went to fill up gas cans for a generator, all of the cars tanked up, food items, etc. and to my surprise my card did not work.

I called American Express and they informed me that my then credit line of $21,000 would be dropped to $14,000. I owed $16,000 and had made a $2000 payment so therefore I had no line to use. Of course very upset and after hours and two days on the phone with American Express they only offered to let me spend $300. I had to stop payment on the large payment of $2000 I just made. We ran our household on this line and being in the mortgage lending industry hurricanes always delay closings.

They put me on a $500 a month payment plan which I kept until the end of February. I realized that back in August they had sent this account to collection (I have never had anything sent to collection) with the assurance that as long as I paid the $500 a month due to the hurricane disaster clause I would be OK. They lied to me over and over again. I owe around $13,000 at this time and paying a recovery company $431 a month. They have now messed up my credit the only negative thing on my report.

When a refund check expires un-cashed, American Express does not issue another check, and they do not credit the customer account. The money remains in an Amex bank account in their name, and they apparently have no intention of ever re-paying the customer. Estimated $20,000.00+

I have been abused over and over by American Express. They have lowered my credit limit for absolutely no reason. I have the Platinum Business Card and have had it for 6 years. I have had balances of $8000.00 plus in one month for business travel and paid faithfully, in full on the due date. I am reimbursed everymonth for my travel and pay religiously every month, the entire balance. They have made up some story about, whatever they can (this never makes any sense) and they transfer you around to people when you call that make up something else. This is outrageous.

I am discontinuing the use of this card this month and will use Discover or another card in the future. It's incredible that this is allowed to continue after reading thousands and thousands of people's stories about the outlandish abuse that AMEX is allowed to continue! Ruining my credit score by lowering my limit for no reason.

I am furious with American Express for the inability to manage their business accounts. A customer with American Express since 2000, our credit has been continually increased (unsolicited by us), and now has been decreased with no prior warning and with no reasonable explanation. We have an outstanding credit score, no late payments, only one other credit card, a very low mortgage, and have followed every rule in protecting our credit rating. Our limit was decreased from $24,000 to $14,000 in January 2009.

Then in April we were decreased to a ridiculous $3600. We charge a minimum of $3600 per week and make multiple payments to the card per month! And look out Costco. We spent over $70,000 at [their] stores last year. Most of this was charged to our American Express card. Since [they] allow only American Express charges at [their] stores, will be the next to suffer.

The truly infuriating part of all of this is the route that the executives at American Express have chosen to approach this problem. First of all, the limit was reduced without prior notification. I received a letter in the mail an entire week after the deduction. Then, when calling American Express, their customer service is horrible! If we treated our customers like this, we would have been out of business years ago! The line of baloney that their reps are giving out over the phone is nonsense! Pure lies about our credit rating and history! They claim they have reviewed our credit. This cannot be true. They then asked us to fax to them our own credit reports for their review. Now, why would this be necessary if they had supposedly already reviewed them!

I could go on and on! Needless to say we are canceling our American Express Delta credit card and we will no longer accept American Express at our business! Everyone I know will hear my story and I am very interested in a class action suit against American Express!

I have read so many similar situations with American Express but really need to sound off as well. I have been a Gold Card Member since 1986, never defaulted...have also held Optima Card and Blue Card. Out of the "BLUE" our credit limits were cut almost in half on both the Blue Card and the Optima Card with no notification. I found out looking at my accounts online. We also carried the sign and travel account on our Gold Card account. We booked a condo rental and put it on our Gold Card and then transferred it over to the Sign and Travel portion of our account. A week later I was notified that the sign and travel portion of our account had been cancelled. No reason, other than when I called I was told "because you spending habits have changed". What the heck does that mean?

Bottom line, if I had known it was cancelled I would never have used the Am Ex card. Thinking that I would have several months to pay the rental fee, I now had to come up with $4000.00 immediately. Disgusted with Am Ex, I paid off all balances on all cards. We did not use any of them for several months until just recently. We put two international airline tickets on the Blue Card. A couple days later I was called (at least they notified me this time) that my credit limit had been cut again to the exact amount that we had just charged on the card. There goes a mark on my credit report since it drastically reduced the amount of available credit. When I asked why they were doing this I was told that derogatory reports from Experian.

Ironically, I had just pulled my credit report using Am Exs credit watch product and I had an "Excellent" credit rating with Experian. This is actually only a couple of things that this company has pulled on us, I could actually write an essay on their unethical practices but I have wasted too much time on them already. I have cancelled both the Optima and Blue cards but reluctantly keep the Gold card only because I have had it for so long. It just seems like their tactics are illegal in some ways. Especially stating false information from Experian.

We received notice in late 2008, that, after just raising our credit line to $20,000, Amex was reducing our line to $13,800, which was just above our most recent balance (approx $13,400). We had recently been using the card for Christmas and home renovations for an upcoming new baby. This was done without first notifying us of the same. It was only through regular monitoring of all accounts that we discovered this issue. It our intention all along to pay it off in Feb/March time frame and in fact did issue a payment for $13000 on 3/10/09 (prior to the due date).

Two days later, we attempted to use the card and it was rejected at which time we called the company. They said they cancelled the card due to our credit report with Experian only (not the other 2 bureaus) but wouldn't tell us anything else and wouldn't reinstate it or place us through to somebody to make a complaint. I asked that the call be recorded so that our call was on record as I advised we intended to file a complaint. Again, they cancelled the card without first notifying us. In fact, the day we made the payment, they cancelled the card. I later learned that they were repeatedly checking our credit reports, more frequently than ever before.

I am not sure if this affected our credit scores or not. It then took them weeks to put in writing an explaination of the cancellation. To make matters worse, they failed to mail us a monthly statement until less than a week before the payment was due (what was left after making the $13K payment, approx $400-500). When we did get the statement, it reflected a statement date of 3/29 with a due date of 4/18. It also reflected we have a credit line open and did not reflect a cancelled account. Because their explaination for cancellation was "due to Experian credit report", we checked our credit reports, which we do anyhow 3x's a year for each of us for each of the 3 bureaus, and the reports reflected a good score averaging 730 range. It had been higher, in the 800s (Dec. time frame) until Amex cut our credit limit in 2008. They then reflected the account closed to the bureaus but failed to report that we also paid off the card.

As a result, it reduced our debt to credit ratio, which in turn reduced our credit scores (still a good rating though), which in turn prompted other companies to reduce our credit limit on cards with no or little balances. We were in the process of refinancing our mortgage to get a reduced rate and because of the actions of Amex, it cost us more in points to buy down the rate since the banks are now requiring a score of 740 or higher.

We asked Amex to reinstate us and they refused, despite the fact that we regularly paid off our balances and/or paid more than the minimum if we did carry a balance, paid on time, and used the card exclusively. We obtained this card and used it solely so that could obtain Hilton Honors points. Up until this point, they regularly urged us to use the card, to transfer balances, etc. and when we did, they yanked the credit from under us. We do hope that some type of action can be taken to reinstate our card and limit. We would make excellent witnesses and have an excellent credit history. Our other credit card balances are 0% offers and we intend to pay those within the next year.

AMEX has lowered our credit limit after paying off a large chunk of debt with tax refund. The problem was they do not have to give notification and bills that automatically go to the card were rejected. The limit was lowered twice in the past three months. The sore spot was the arrogance that AMEX displayed to me on the phone regarding this policy. I have never been late and self lowered my limit from 24k to 15k two years ago.

We always pay our bills but am confused why we are being treated like credit risks and bums. I will never use an AMEX product again.

On 4/6 I was called by AMEX and since I was away on business I had to call them back. I was informed that my credit limit was being reduced by over $11,000 effective Oh, it's today.. I asked for the reason and was told that it was because my balance doesn't go down much. After trying to explain the reasons for that and being TOTALLY IGNORED, I asked to speak with someone that might be able to help resolve this. The person I was talking to told me that I could if I wanted to but they were not going to change anything either. After the other person came on the line I tried to explain that I use the card to pay for business travel and when I am re-reimbursed I pay for all of those charges plus extra.

By the time I pay those charges I have already traveled again so that it will always look like the balance doesn't change that much and if they look at the actual activity they could see that. It was like talking to a wall. She then told me that I must have problems paying my bills. WHAT!? She could tell I never pay ANY of my bills late and ALWAYS pay EXTRA. I told her that the limit was reduced so much that it would make it impossible for me to travel for my job. She informed me that the only choice I had was to pay the balance down so I could work. When I asked why AMEX would do something like this to a card holder that never paid late. Always paid extra and had excellent credit I was told it didn't matter. Their decision was final.

Then she asked me if I would like to apply for ANOTHER CARD! I said, Wait a minute. You've essentially told me that a) I'm a bad risk. and b) Must have trouble making payments on the balance I DO have and yet you are offering me another card with ANOTHER BALANCE? Why not just leave the balance where it is? She then parroted the same lines about paying down the balance or getting another card. Contrast this rude treatment with that I received from another card company 2 years ago when they wanted to increase my interest rate. The person I spoke with told me it was due to my debt / income ratio. I explained the balance was high due to college expenses for my daughter and that they could see that I paid all of my bills on time.

After discussing things awhile he said that they would monitor my account for 3 months and make a decision then. In 3 months, not only did they not increase the interest rate, they lowered it! But the main thing is that I was treated fairly and was listened to. If they had still increased the rate, I wouldn't have been happy but at least they had treated me FAIRLY and LISTENED. AMEX has made a very stupid decision in treating their GOOD customers like this. They make a lot of $$ off the interest I pay them every month. I would have thought they would want to make $$. I guess not.

Well, AMEX. I did apply for another card but it wasn't an AMEX. Yours is sitting in my desk drawer never to be used again. BTW AMEX, I was talking to someone at work on Friday and telling them about the shabby treatment you're giving everyone and they said they were about to apply for an AMEX card but not now. So there's one new customer you won't have. I wonder how many more people I can keep from making the mistake of doing business w/ you? And AMEX, you can bet I'll tell EVERYONE I CAN.

We recently recieved notice from American Express that our acount has been canceled due to the following reasons: 1. Too many accounts with balances. 2. Proportion of balances to credit limits on revolving acounts is too high. 3. Length of time accounts have been established. 4. Number of accounts with delinquency. The letter also stated that their cancellation of our account may result in negative reporting of this account to the consumer reporting agencies. We have had an account with American Express over 5 years. Four months ago we had recieved notice from American Express that they were lowering our credit limit. To be fair, I was a week late on a payment two months ago due to having misplaced the bill. Other than that I don't believe we have been late or over the limit since being a customer.

We had just made a large payment ($1225) before recieving this cancellation notice. Our balance had only been $1249 and our credit limit was $1800. We don't think this is right that they will make a negative credit report on us when the information they used to cancel us was partly created by them from lowering our credit limit in the first place. I have reviewed our other credit accounts and do not find that they are close to the limits. We called American Express and spoke to two people, one of whom was a supervisor. All they did was restate what was in the letter, which was not very helpful. The worst part is the negative effect reflected on our credit report, which has already happened due to the fact that they lowered our credit limit down almost to our balance.

This will cause a negative effect on our credit rating.

I never paid late, never missed a payment, always paid more than the minimum payment and American Express lowered my credit limit 2 times already. I contacted them and they were rude on the phone. They are hurting my credit for no reason, I was always proud of my credit and this company is ruining it. They have to be stopped. They are the worst in the industry.

My credit score is being affected and it will affect my ability to obtain credit in the future, besides the aggravation every time I receive these credit reduction bad news

I had a humiliating experience today with American Express. They keep soliciting me about every month wanting me to take out a SkyMiles credit card, So I noticed on the bottom of the mail solicitation with the fake credit card that I can stop receiving offers by calling a toll free number to opt out. So I call the number and the pre recorded person ask: your name, your address, your birth date, and then your social security number if you want to be free from solicitations for the next 3 years. I'm so fed up with getting this solicitation every month so I gave them the information.

But after I hung up I felt like that's unbelievable that I have to give out that kind of information just to be left alone from these vultures. Now thousands of others will have my personal information and it was done supposedly legally by American Express, Experian Information Solutions, and Equifax as stated on their terms and conditions which I did not even agree to. Does a person have any rights at all anymore? I wish there was a way I could take legal action against these con artist that stole my private information and Im sure will be using it for something.

This is another of what I'm sure are many, many complaints about American Express reducing credit limits. I have three accounts with Amex - none have ever been paid late - yet they use a model for deciding which accounts to reduce limits on which does not account for a persons assets. In this economy, people are conserving assets against the unknown even though they have enough in the bank to pay these accounts off. This action by Amex affects a person's credit score due to balance to credit limit ratios. I have already paid off these accounts which has cost them thousands in interest payments and I will never do business with Amex again.

This negatively affects my credit score due to the credit linit to balance ratio as described by Fair Issacs (FICO).

I have had an American Express card since 1986--while in college no less and always paid my balance (as I should). My cards (gold and blue) were both cancelled because I was told due to a high credit/income ratio. What does that matter to them? I have always paid my balances--always. All credit is listed under my name and my husband has only the mortgage plus his income is much higher than mine. What difference to them is it if I am paying my account as I should monthly? I was trying to make my payments online and couldn't access my account.

When I called the customer service (not sure which country because very thick accent and hard to understand), they told me my cards were cancelled and placed with a collection agency. I was not notified of any of this plus I as put into collections? I was just going online (before the due date no less) to make the payments. Like several others, I have always felt privileged to have American Express cards. NO longer. They seem pretty shady now and I will never go back even though they keep sending me letters asking me to come back--for a small, and ever-changing, fee.

PLEASE! Any class action suit would be okay with me even though I would normally never, ever think of suing anyone. I have worked incredibly hard to maintain a great credit score and with this blemish, I now have problems. It's just not right.

I went in to get a car loan and denied. I haven't been denied for anything in over 20 years. My credit was always perfect and now with this from AmEx, I now feel like a low-life. The guy at the bank said it is denied because of some negative reporting from American Express. It shouldn't have been reported to begin with though.

I had read of the problems people were having with Amex, but naively thought it wouldn't happen to me. WRONG! Both Amex and BofA cut my lines and raised interest rates over 10% on some of my lines. Phone calls were unsuccessful to lighten our load, so we will have to suck it up and try even harder to get these mobstedrs paid off. I don't know why the usury laws do not seem to apply to these people. God knows they should!

I will go out and spend less, which will directly impact businesses we deal with. their recession will now last a little longer because of the greed of these predators.

American Express has cancelled our account WITH NO NOTICE and is threatening to report to a credit agency on an account that has never been delinquent and for credit report that has not changed on over a year. We found many people online that had been in good standing with American Express and were looking for class action lawyers, etc. Our account is in good standing, we have always made more than the minimum payment and when we paid a huge amount of the balance, our credit limit was decreased with no explanation, when we made another huge chunk, our account was cancelled with no notice. We are trying to buy a house soon and have been meticulously protecting our credit. American Express has screwed us over for being very good customers.

They are also threatening to report the cancellation to a credit bureau thereby officially messing up our credit because we were good customers. I left that message on a board online after I discovered that there are several people who are being screwed over by american express, this is the only credit card my husband and I own and by cancelling it, American express is wiping out a significant amount of our credit history and impeding our ability to get a house. Please advise if you know of any class action or of any body that would be willing to take it on. In the meantime we are getting ready to talk to the press. Thank you.

American express has informed me that my merchant account will now be Immediate Full recourse Program: they will immediately and irrevocably charge back the full amount of the disputed charge without contacting me or sending me an inquiry and I will have no right to present any written response to dispute the charge

I have had no charge back issues so far with the 3 accounts I hold with American Express. However I can not take the risk to have a client buy 10000 dollars worth of inventory and get stuck with the bill because my client just disputed the charge - without valid cause. I will be forced to stop accepting ax, and possibly lose business because their policy is simply robbing vendors...what happened to normal business practices? first ax reduces my clients credit limits now they give them the power to not pay their bills- without cause. This practice should be illegal.

Just notified today - 4/2/09 by American Express of an additional credit limit reduction - now having been done by American Exress to us numerous times in the past several months. Our accounts over the years have always been in good standing. We've appreciated services of AMEX but are most unhappy over these many thousands of dollars now in reductions of credit lines that had been available to our business' (dimishing the usefulness of the accounts dramatically).

Our multi generational family business' have been able to continue thru thick and thin since the 1930s. We plan to continue on with our business' with or without the long relationship we previously enjoyed with American Express. We believe the arbitrary decisions cutting limits on accounts as we have experienced are extremely harmful to the hoped for recovery in the current economic downturn.

American Express reduced my credit line twice without notification. I went from a credit line of $35,000 to $16,000.

I am close to my credit limit and now my credit score has been reduced significantly.

I received my american express student card in July 08. My balances were always paid in full on time each time. They increased my credit limit by 1000. My carry over balance has been 0 for the entrie time I've had my card.

On March 18, 2009 American Express canceled my card for no reason. I have never been late with any of my credit cards. I have a 800 credit score and American Express stated they canceled my card because of my credit report. I asked the Rachel supervisor over the 1-800 line could she go into more details because according to the letter I was mailed it stated their decision was not based on anything from the credit reporting agency.

I asked for a supervisor of Rachel in order to get a clear understanding as to why my card was canceled. Rachel informed me she was the highest person and there was no one else I could talk to because she was the boss. I asked for the name of the board of directors she stated she did not have that information and did not have a clue who the president or vice president of this agency. There has got to be something that someone can do about this type of behavior from American Express. I have a perefect credit score this is unacceptable.

I have been a sole proprietor, offering professional services since October of 2008. I am only required to have a local (city) business tax license to operate. This is my only official business document. This license expires on the 31st (12/31/08) of each year and a new one is issued following the March 2, 2009 tax due date. A new license is issued within 30 days assuming that it was submitted on or before March 2, 2009. American Express called me on March 13, 2009 saying that they needed to verify that I was a valid business. They said that they had 24 months to make this verification from the start of opening my merchant account, which was opened in September of 2008. To verify that I was a valid business they would need a current business license. My business license expired on 12/31/2008, and I was waiting for my new license to be issued, which would be valid until 12/31/2009.

Since I could not provide them with my only valid document, they placed a hold on distributing any funds processed from American Express purchases. They allow the charges to be processed, but withhold the funds from my business. Furthermore I was called on March 27 by American Express where they further threatened me to shut down my account all together if this document was not provided. This would mean that they would keep the funds charged to American Express card users for A minimum of 60 days (customer service agents words).

There are several obvious complaints here but the real issue is whether what they are doing is illegal or unscrupulous. The timing of their pursuit (although they claim it is random) seems serendipitous. This is the only time within the year that I could potentially be without this valid business document, and it just so happens to be the time that they call. Also, shouldn't I be earning interest on the funds that they are withholding from my business? They certainly have no problem charging interest to their users.

The economic consequences are not yet calculated because I am still in the midst of the issue. However, there are significant funds being withheld from me by American Express, from purchases made by my clients. These funds could be used to expand my business or to earn interest, so there are obvious financial repercussions. American Express is using financial punishment tactics. They are also abusing their power because they know how many small businesses are reliant on their services.

Yesterday I went to Costco to purchase some goods, and my American Express (AE) card was not accepted. I called their 888 number and was told it was due to some external delinqency I had. I assumed it must have had something to do with my student loans so I called the federal loan tracking number and talked to a woman by the name of Shirley, who told me that none of my loans were delinquent.

So, I called American Express back again and talked to five people, one of which hung up on me. The people I talked to were Triseilla, Samantha, Adrian, Denisse, and finally a supervisor (Gabriel) from the Credit Operations Dept. All I was told was I was up for review on March 18th and that a report from Experian led AE to decide to close my credit card, that is, without calling me, emailing me, or sending me a letter of any sort. My question to them, which I also asked Gabriel, is am I or have I ever been delinquent with my Amercian Express account? Any derogatory? I know the answer. I have paid on time and am on good terms, yet they still decided to close my account based on secondary information that claimed I was delinquent when I am not.

I have requested a credit report and a list of my rights and it shall take 10 days to arrive. According to what I see I expect to follow up on any information I receive. I find it quite sad that a company of your reputation would act in such a manner, without even caring to contact me. If they had bothered to contact me I could have informed them that I just finished a Masters of Science in Nursing from the University of San Francisco, and I am now recently working at a top notch hospital (rated number one in many areas) as a Neurological Nurse on a Neuro/Trauma unit, and that I would have no problem paying any of my debts.

Nevertheless, they decided to go forward without verification of any sort. Naturally in our economy, I understand that their action was a pre-emptive decision based on fear. What type of consumer service is that? Thank you for your time. Still waiting to see if such action has created bad credit.

On Feb 23 i made a payment of my Amex gold acct. with two seperate checks. one processed with no problem and the other did not process due to AMex taking down an incorrect routing #. On feb 26th my office called to again submit the routing information and we were told there would be no further problems. On March 2nd i came to my office and received word that our accounts were cancelled. I provided the routing # again for the third time, which by the way always had sufficient funds for payment. The payment processed. all office cards were cancelled with an attached letter stating that the reason was due to a returned check and insufficient funds. furthermore my platinum accounts were also cancelled with no notice.

I have been a member of AMEX since 1991 with excellent payment history. I was told by the worker at AMEX that my accts. were also cancelled due to derogatory comments. I downloaded my report from Experian and discovered one false comment on my report and have since hired a credit repair company. The funny thing is the comment has erroneously been on my report since June of 2008. AMEX is really full of it. My credit score is presently 740 even with the error that will take 30 days to correct.

consequences are that my credit score will more than likely be adversly affected.

I am in the processing of going throught a divorse from my husband. He was the person with the higher income earner in the household. And has stopped providing me any money to pay the bills and has aslo left the house. I have a court date at the end of March for spousal support. I tried contacting the Attorney General Office twice in regards to my case with the above menttioned Law Office. All of my other creditors have agreed to a monthly payment plan as well as my two other accounts with American Express but they are not with this Law Firm office.

They have nailed and tacked a summons on the out side of my gate to my home and when I tried contacting the collection agency and working out a payment plan with them. They refused to except what I could afford to pay them in October 2008 and have turned my account over to this law firm.When I contacted them they agreeded to except my payment of @250.00 per month for six months.They mailed me another copy of the summons and want me to have it notarized and signed agreeing to pay them $750.00 per month after my six month plans term is over.

I can not pay them $750.00 per month and keep a roof over my head for my daughter and I. Having them tack and nail this lettter to my door and threating me to take my assets along with dealing with abandoment from my husband financially has taken a toll on me physically. I have to stay strong in the eyes of my daughter and always assure her that her Mother will not allow us to be placed on the streets and that is what will happen if I sign and agree to making a $750.00 mthly payment to American Express.

My deadline to return this letter is by the 10th of this month. I would really appreciate a quick response on what steps to take to protect myself or what rights do I have as a person who has been in good standing with American Express since 1991.

I read through the other complaints and felt like I was re-living exactly what happened to me yesterday in dealing with inept service reps at American Express. Back in October 2008 I signed up for the Amex Gold Card. Since October I've charged in the neighborhood of $18K and have always been on-time with payments. The first diappointment transpired when I Amex offered to allow me to postpone payments on certain charges (i.e. go outside the 30 day window) which I took advantage of and then suddenly they disallowed that feature.

The next blow occurred when they sent me a notice that my credit limit was reduced to $1300...meanwhile I was averaging $3500 per month in charges. I called cust service to be treated [poorly] with someone that was reading a script. I blew my top and asked to speak with a manager who was as inept as the first person I spoke with. They said that they evaluated my credit report and acted accordingly.

What on earth? I told them to cancel my card on the spot. Absolute fools. They are penalizing good people with outstanding payment history. I will never get a card from them again. NEVER!

The above credit card compinies lowered my credit limits because of the state of the economy. American Express dropped my credit limit and told me it was due to the fact that people were paying thier mortgages with credit cards. So they were dropping all high credit limits due to this risk. I do not have a mortgage and always paid my bill on time and always paid more than the minimum. Discover cancelled my card because I hadn't used it. Bank of America dropped my credit limit due to the economy excuse.

The compinies told me this would not have an effect on my credit scores. Well it has, my credit score has dropped more than 30 points. I pay my bills on time and I should not be penalized for the state of the economy.

I have been receiving automated phone calls (around 25) telling me I need to call them about and important concern regarding my account. They have been calling my work number and it has been harassing me. I have called them back 6 times and they keep telling me sorry and that they will take my number off their list, but they still continue to harassing me after I have called them.

I have been stressing out physically, not knowing if someone has stolen my identity or my card number. I am tired of the harassing phone calls at work and my boss can't believe a business would continue to call as much as they do.

On 2/28/09 I received a letter stating they were cutting my open credit line down to a pre-set limit, which happened to be a few dollars above my balance. They stated this was due a recent review of my credit report & payment history over the last 6 months, and known financial resources, specifically: -too many creditors have reviewed my credit report; -my average payment amount vs my bill/balance has been too low; -based upon my credit report, my monthly payments made are too low in respect to my total outstanding debt -my present balances/spending levels on my American Express accounts and other accounts have exceeded my demonstrated ability to pay; I am not sure what information they were looking at.

This is the second time AMEX has cut open line to a fixed amount (Spring/Summer 2008) and in December 2008, they just removed the spending limit. I have an excellent credit report, excellent credit scores with all 3 credit agencies, have not missed any payments to any credit card or car payment or have been late. I also subscribe to the 3 credit bureau monitoring with alerts and have not had significant inquiries except for in August 08 for my car lease (the old car was traded in) and in November for a one card.

My payments for my AMEX bill are currently only $67/month, and I have been paying at least $200/month for each payment which is received by AMEX a week before the due date and my balance in the last 6 months has decreased over $800 plus any new charges which only occurred after Christmas. Additionally, since AMEX is so concerned about my credit, they continue to lower my interest rate, where most card companies would be increasing it through the roof.

It could possibly have a negative impact on my credit rating.

Hello, I'll make this short and right to the point. I recently had my account cancelled by American Express without any warning. I've paid my account on time and had recently paid down most of my balance. I got a letter from them saying they cancelled me because I have average credit. I do have average credit because of many medical bills that went to collections years ago, but have been working hard to build my credit back up over the past 2 years.

Now, with my credit history improving I was planning on re-financing my home this spring in order to survive during these trying times. American Express has ruined my improving credit history and probably any chance of re-financing this year. During these trying times you would think a huge company like American Express would want to help their customers, not stab them in the back.

Ruining my Credit!

I am having a serious nightmare with AMEX. Their application for a business card is deceptive and predatory and is not intended for consumers, yet they are trying to state I am personally liable for corporate debts.

One corporation I am an officer of which has had serious downfall cannot pay its debts. There is a bill of approx $80,000 with AMEX - Costco's Open card to which I signed up for as an AUTHORIZING OFFICER of the corporation in 2006.

Based on the items below, do you feel that I am personally responsible for the debts incurred? Should I continue to fight this or sign up for some sort of program for payment?

I requested a copy of the application for which I signed up, and the application states that my social security number is on the form for purposes of the Patriot Act to confirm my identity. I signed up with the use of the Federal Tax ID number.


The application terms and conditions state, "I as the Authorizing Officer designated herein and the Company (a) request that you open an account in the name of the Company, (b) request that Cards(s) be issued on that account as indicated on this application and other applications, (c) understand that you will renew and replace the card(s) until I cancel, (d) agre to be liable for all charges to the Card Account made by all Cards issued on the account now or in the future (e) agree to be bound by the agreement governing the account and (f) REPRESENT THAT THE CARDS WILL BE USED FOR COMMERCIAL OR BUSINESS PURPOSES." (Please note - there were no personal purchases made.)

All bills were paid off in full at around $20K+ per month until approximately August, 2008.

The application I requested to be sent to me is barely readable, yet decipherable, and the terms and conditions which were on the back of the application do not state that I am "Jointly, Individually and Severally liable" as the people at AMEX try to tell me, from what they pull off of the web as how their current applications appear, in contrast to the original application.

AMEX has violated collection acts by threatening to go after our home. I have written formal dispute letters stating that I am not personally responsible for this debt and that the threats to turn my account to the credit bureaus on my PERSONAL account are basically unfounded and will be fought.

I have filed a complaint with the FTC.

They closed my other card for my accounting business, very unfortunately - I do continue to pay that one off and will protect the credit of my accounting business. They keep insisting that the two businesses are "tied" by my SSN.

I believe they have a responsibility to lend on the business's credit, not my personal credit, correct? If not, they certainly are violating credit acts, very misleading between what is considered a consumer and what is considered a business -

To view this yourself, go to costco.com and click at the bottom of the page where it says "credit cards", click on the card and click one more time to open up what is clearly a deceptive practice of pursuing credit for a business vs an individual.

That being said, where do I stand? Am I on the right track of continuing to file disputes? How am I to protect my personal credit report which is extremely important to me?

Thank you so much for your immediate assistance.

I've been an American Express card holder since approx 1996. I have had corporate card, green card, and gold card over the years. I've never defaulted on a payment. I recently became unemployed and had to initiate a mortgage restructuring to lower my payment and fix the rate. The company I hired to help with this advised me not to make my mortgage payments until the restructuring is completed so that the mortgage company would see that it is critical to get the payment lowered and the interest locked. I got a new job 2 months after becoming unemployed, although my salary is over half less than what I was making.

American Express contacted me for no apparent reason and told me that my account was going to be reviewed based on the previous years w2 and tax return. They completed the review and while I was on the phone with them, released the account (Weds. 2/18). I used the card that evening to make a small purchase. The following Friday (2/20), I went to use the card and the purchase did not go through. I called American Express and was informed that the account was cancelled the day before; however, I was not informed of this. I was told the opposite, that the account was ok to use. When I asked why it was cancelled, I was told it was based on my financial review results, specifically late payments. I asked what my next steps were and was told the decision was irrevocable. I called back later and after I was hung up on by representative #NNOVB339, I called back again and was told I needed to call the credit bureau to ask them to remove the derogatory comments from my credit report. This is the worst customer service I've ever received. If I was told all of this information on the first phone call instead of having to call 3 times, I may not be so disgusted.

I have been a loyal customer with AMEX since 2007, I've never had any collection issues with them at all, although i did come close to my limit a few times, I've also comepletly paid off the balances on them in full, and obided by the payment as agree'd, Feb 09,2009 i paid 1,950.21 which was my balance in FULL, i also paid two 500 credit cards i had, and one 300 credit card i had, and i was getting my credit cards under control and paying them all off to get my credit score back up.

well today Feb 18th, i received a letter stating my account was closed NOT due to delinquency, or inactivity, but because when they ran my credit, they said: too many accounts with balances too many inquiries last 12 months proportion of balances to credit limits on bank/national or other revolving accounts is too high length of time accounts have been established it sounds like i just applied for a new credit card? i didn't though, i bought a house in June 2008 and I've had major purchases on my credit cards for my new home, I've been in good standing with all my credit cards, and am not late on a single one, also I have 2 Paid off vehicles under my credit ALSO one that i have co signed for, that is in current status.

I paid off my credit cards so that my credit score would increase and would be out of debt, and now that they closed my account which i had 2000 credit line it will now decrease because of the closed account. when i called spoke with a customer service rep, she said those were the reasons , and that i can challenge the decision and it would cost me 25 dollars to reopen the account if it was approved? that is not fair at all! i had a 0 balance on my credit card when i paid it off, and i know it will take at least 30 days for the other cards to show paid off but, i don't think it is fair at all to close a customers account when he/she is paying as agreed. i want my account back open.

I earned the right to obtain credit with American Express in 2007 and I dont feel it is fair for them to look at my credit score when ever they want to see if Im worthy of having there card, for all they know I could have 50 grand in the bank, I feel I was discriminated agaist because a few weeks ago I tried to negociate my interest rate down. and they transfered me to there debt department and offered me different choices which I did not take any of, and then I paid my account in full. I wasn't even notified by e-mail or telephone, or even given a warning that something like this could happen. They also said that my credit cards havent been open long, Im 22 years old. Ive had credit since Ive been 18 and I bought a house! How can they say all this now when they approved me in 2007 when I was only 20 years old? I had even less credit history then!

its going to lower my credit score that was and could have been emergency money extremely embarrasing, lost faith and trust in AMEX the high standard card its worse than having a collection on your credit because at least you know that YOU DID IT and you yourself lowered your own score but someone else creating a decision based on [lies] to affect your credit? all the good credit people are going to go [down] at this rate!

I was recently notified (by computerized phone call) that one of my 3 American Express Cards lines had been reduced from $15,000 to $1,000. I was shocked! I have been a member for 10 years, never been late, over-limit..good FICOs' etc. I also have a Costco rewards card and a business gold card. Today I received the letter confirming the phone call and went online to discover they had also lowered the Costco card to $1000. NO notice at all! I never carry a balance on any of these cards and frequently when I anticipate high charges I send in several thousand at a time in between cycles.

I am livid! This same thing has occurred with my son. He was advised that the fact it says no preset mean they can put it anywhere they want without notification. I was advised that Teletracker had given deragatory information. It will take 5 days to discover the problem. I believe it is because I am being profiled. Live in Phx/scottsdale. Real Estate profession, husband commercial building. Bingo! I asked the customer service person...why don't you ask for me to submit tax returns, bank account information and current FICO's? I also told them, that not everyone abuses their credit and some people are in fact still working and doing well.

When the financial system and banks collapse I hope it will take American Express with it. I closed my accounts today because $1,000 credit lines are sub-prime. They do as much damage to my credit report as I supposedly do closing them on my own. Believe you me...they are tracking where we shop and live. Don't shop at Walmart, Target or God Forbid anywhere else that the affluent may not shop!

It really doesn't matter in the long run to me. I will never, ever pay a cent to American Express nor any of their entities again.

I have personal and Business American Express Cards. I have carried a balance on their sign and Travel portion (legal, and according to their standards) and have, 99% of the time paid my cards on time. Since the credit crisis, and American Express's well publicized losses due to imprudent financial practices, I have had regular reductions in my available credit limit for both my business and personal cards, DESPITE the fact that during this time, I have been paying my cards on time, often EARLY and for OVER THE MINIMUM PAYMENT. In actuality, I have been paying them off, not running up bad debt. The letters and calls re new terms to your credit agreement continue, all with several hundred to thousand dollar reductions to my limit, DESPITE, demonstrated prompt, over the minimum payment history. the individuals that I have talked to at American Express, have almost uniformly been nasty and condescending.

When I called American Express once to question yet another reduction, they told me that their credit limit restrictions were due to me having opened so many new credit accounts.: I checked my credit report, in a panic, since I have not opened any new accounts. My credit report confirmed no new accounts, and that I am NOT in arrears on any accounts. So they are 1) Lying about the reasons for alterations in credit 2) Upholding their employees treating customers, me in particular in a nasty and condescending manner 3) Punishing me for the financial misdeeds of others, despite the fact that I have been paying, and paying them off.

At this point, I truly hate credit cards, and look forward to the day that I am rid of them. I might add that I also informed American Express that in the middle of this hard financial time, I actually have had a 25% INCREASE in pay based on performance. They, of course don't care. For the record, I am a physician, with a steady job, 2 homes (one in So Cal), and have regularly had credit limits INCREASED for responsible spending/paying with other credit cards, so I am NOT a flake.

On the rare occasions when I am traveling, and need to use the Am Exp card instead of cash, or debit, i am truly shaking in my boots, because I never know when they are going to arbitrarily reduce my available credit. I think it's truly criminal that they can do this to someone paying their bills, meeting their credit obligations, and fulfilling the rules. they need to be OUTED reported and fined for unfair, harassing practices against consumers. It's not our fault that they as a company made bad credit decision.

I had an American Express card with a $2500 credit limit. When I obtained my card, I explained to AmEx that I had some derogatory credit due to medical from an auto accident where I was hit by a drunk driver. The insurance had yet to pay and the Victims of Crime program agreed to pay the debt provided that the provider of such services send them the explanation of benefits form from Medicare. The provider refused to send the form, and three accounts were in collections. American Express issued the card anyway with a $2500 limit.

After a few months, I received a letter from American Express lowering my credit line to $500 due to the same medical derogatory issues that were on my credit, even though I paid off my account and other accounts regularly monthly. None of my credit cards are late and I have always made bigger payments than the minimum payment. I spoke with a very rude person at American Express who said there was also an application for a new home in another town that I have never heard of. I explained to AmEx that I am a victim of Identity theft (which they knew when I applied as I have a 7 year ID theft notification on my credit bureau.) The woman told me that none of the derogatory accounts said that they were medically related, nor was there a fraud notification on my bureau.

I obtained a copy of my credit bureau, contacted the bureau as well as the creditors, paid off the creditors from an advance from my attorney on the drunk driver case, and cleared up the housing issue. I contacted American Express via mail per instruction from the very rude woman, but they still left my credit limit at $500. Although I have never charged even $500 on the AmEx, I feel that I was cheated by them.

My credit was reduced to $500 limit from $2500 limit which also reflects on my credit bureau.

My american express card was cancelled, they said I had a late payment back in august 2008, but in fact I paid 3 weeks early and have always paid my bill early. When I argued my point they said it was also because of my credit report reveiw. When I had told them my credit score had improved since I had the card, they brought up the fact that I had two american express cards with high balances. Again my arguement that my first card with american express in 1986 was a business card closed with no balance went back to my late charge in august and so on. So fustrating to talk to employees that have the brains of a brick wall.

This will hurt my credit rating that I have been trying so hard to improve.

I have been a loyal customer with Amex for the past 5 years.I carry the Gold Amex and charge it thousands of dollars every month and pay it off in full every month on time. no delayed payments...no delinquencies what so ever. I also carry the blue cash card with a limit of $5000 that I use form time to time and pay off in full immediately. I was happy and glad to deal with Amex till I was shocked by an unjustified reduction of my credit limit by 90%! There is no reason at all!

I received a letter form the them stating not valid reasons such as high deb t(actually I don't have any!) public records ( there is no such things at all!). I tried to call and of course a rep answered by reading back what's in this letter. Honestly and after taking some time time to think, the only true reason that can explain this action by Amex is that they are trying to get a piece of the 700 billion dollars bail out by trying to show that they are suffering from financial loss by cutting people's credit lines.

I think it is totally unfair that a financial institution like Amex can affect people's credits and scores anytime they want for any reason. I see myself that I was punished for my good history and responsible attitude all those years. I think somebody should stop this kind of actions by any means...either by taking this issue to the Congress and/or by a class action lawsuit. Thanks Lowering my credit scores and negatively affecting my credit for no reason!

First notice dated October 30, 2008 states that American Express had lowered my credit limit on my cc account. It went from 10,000 to 5700.00. Also my new cash advance limit had dropped to 200.00, in which I never use anyways. To top it off I have never been late on any credit card in my entire credit history. I have credit cards for 10 years and it's clean. My balance on this card is 4800.00. I have a total of 4 credit cards in which I have always paid on time.

Here are the reasons for their decision: 1.Your total debt is too high relative to you payment history. 2.Your repayment history with us and others is not sufficient to support your spending activity or outstanding balance. 3. The average amt of pymts. in relation to your overall balance on your American Express acct has been too low. 4. Your credit score as provided by Experian. According to Experian, your score is based on the following factors in your credit report: a. too many consumer finance company accts. b. too many inquiries last 12 months c. proportion of balances to credit limits on bank/national or other revolving accounts is too high. d. lengthy of time accounts have been established.

Second notice dated January 31,2009 states my account was canceled. Reason: 1. The balance on your Amex Exp account is too high relative to you credit limit. (of course because 3 months ago they lowered my limit from 10,000.00 to 5,700.00) 2. My monthly pymt is too low in relation to your outstanding debt on all of your credit card acct. (I think this shouldn't matter since I always pay 100.00 a month which is required and sometimes more on other accts) 3.Too many consumer finance company accounts. info below provided by consumer reporting agency which were factors as to why they closed my acct. 1. Too many inquiries last 12 months 2. Proportion of balances to credit limits on bank/national or other revolving accounts is too high. 3. Length of time accounts have been established.

This is pretty lenghty and I'm concerned because I haven't changed much as to how I spend and pay my credit cards. I thinking their doing this due to how bad the economy has gotten and where it's heading. Anyhow I still don't understand why they closed my acct so soon when they just lowered my limit 3 months ago. Now I'm hoping they don't try to raise my APR. I told the rep that this is unfair because I've been a loyal acct holder since I had this acct and that goes for all of my accts and even my husbands.

Even all our car leases are perfectly clean, never a late payment in history as well. She basically said she truly apologize for this but their was nothing that she could do. She wouldn't say since their trained to speak that way but all I told her was that it doesn't make since how quickly they made their decisions and changes without even speaking to me.

In O8 I had fraudulent activity on my credit report and in Dec. American express canceled my card without any warning. I since got a the bill and paid it off in full the amount was 84.59 but out of the blue I got a call from a collections agency looking for 19.00 for American express. I would have paid this amount if I knew it was due. Now my rewards points are gone and they refuse to reinstate my card even though I have an apology letter from the company that made the fradulent information on my report.

Everytime I've tried to speak with anyone from American express they keep sending me to this collections agency. I don't want to pay a collections agency when the bill should never have gone to collections in the first place and I certainly don't want a collections debt to show up on my credit report. The collections agency keeps sending me back to American express and I'm caught in a back and forth run around and nobody will help me.

I couldn't get a car loan. My credit that I've taken such good care of all my life is suddenly in the dirt. I can't get a loan for a house and I'm out my rewards points. I'm upset and it's been a real emotional upsetting situation for me. I don't know what to do.

I looked online to see my year end summary from American Express only to notice a message on the account stating account has been cancelled. I immediately called American Express and spoke to Leslie. She looked at my account and stated that the reason they cancelled my account was because of late payments and that the balance was too high. and that I'd only made minimum payments which didn't put a dent in the balance. She also said their decision was final.

My history with American Express is that I've had a card for at least 20 years, first a corporate card and later a personal card. In 2007 I spent at least $50,000 with them and paid it all off. In 2008 I carried a balance for a few months. Then in late summer (I am not sure of the date) I paid the balance down about 25%. Immediately, Amex lowered my limit to the amount I owed, and their letter of explanation said I had late payments, and another reason was they didn't like my mortgage lender. So for the next few months, I paid the minimum on my account whereas my habit previously was to pay more than the minimum.

Then I decided to pay off the entire balance. I did this online. Not more than 2 days later, I received a phone call from Amex wanting to update my information, such as verify my address, my income, etc, much as they would do if they were doing a credit check. At that time I expressed to the woman who called that I was worried Amex was going to again lower my limit. She said she didn't work in that department but would note my account. So basically, I'm now being punished because I chose to make minimum payments for a few months and because I chose to pay off a high balance card. Those are my prerogatives under my card agreement, right? And as for late payments, my payments may have been a few days late, but never 30 days late. Not ever.

When Amex lowered my limit a few months ago, I'm sure it dinged my credit score. Now that they've cancelled the card, I'm sure my score is falling even more. What am I supposed to do if I need to get a mortgage, buy or repair a car, etc? I won't be able to obtain credit, but I haven't done anything wrong! I can't see how the credit card companies are being allowed to get away with damaging peoples credit scores in this way.

After years of not missing a credit card payment deadline, I missed one on my new American Express Corporate card. I was signed up for electronic vs. paper notification. I attempted repeatedly to pay online, 01/12, 01/14, 01/18. 01/19, 01/20. The American Express site was down, and I could not review my bill. The amount due in the notification email was different than the amount due on the telephonic pay your bill, so I wanted to understand the difference before making payment.

When I finally got a hold of a person on the 20th and had access to the website, I was able to get my questions answered, understand the bill, and make a full payment. However, I was forced to pay a penalty, and began incurring daily finance charges. I tried to make a full balance payment to eliminate the daily finance charges on 01/31 and 01/05 but the site was down.

Once again, I finally got a hold of a person on 01/06, and although the site was down, I was able to make a payment based on our discussion that cleared all the balance, interest, and penalties. American Express wants to save money by using paperless billing. They therefore incur an obligation to keep the site up the vast majority of the time. The site's repeated outage is more than an inconvenience; I have the right to know what I am paying for and ensure the accuracy of the bill before making payment. However, the company threw the liability of timely payment back on me stating that I could have called an operator; I did not need access to my account to make a payment.

American Express Canceled My account out of the blue. Dinged my credit refused to pay the rebate as of $344.67 The cancelation was all based om arbitray subjective information. Is there any way I can sue them in a class action or regular law suit to restore may credit and recieve my $344.67?

Affected my credit rating, basically stole $344.67 dollars earned for using the card.

We have been with AMEX since 2003. The bills was always paid on time. Suddenly they start decreasing our credit limit by more than 90%. Last thing they did whitout any notice was they deactiviated all the cards. When I called them they said they want me to fill up form 4506-T and submitt this to them in 5 days, or they will cancel my accounts permantley. I do not feel comfortable with this situation. I am going to pay them off and never deal with them again.

I have to come up with over $6000 just to pay them off when they offered me a balance transfer of 1.99% for life. Also by decreasing my credit limit by 90% it caused my debt ratio to limit be high which lowered my credit score.

After 26 years of doing business spending millions of dollars and never missing a payment my small business has been capped at $2,000 per month without notice. When I inquired why I finally was able to learn that to continue with the no preset limit I needed a FICO score of 750 plus better than a 40% equity to debt ratio. I was told when I accomplish that to come back and AMEX will revisit restoring my no preset limit. By the fact that AMEX has now capped our company they have lowered our credit rating even further making it impossible for us to do business. AMEX qualified for a bailout by our government with our taxpayer dollars but is putting the small businessman out of business. Simply Disgraceful.

Remains to be seen.

I have been AMEX GOLD EXECUTIVE Member since 1982, a span of 26 years. I have spent millions of dollars with AMEX and have never once missed a payment I received an email notice from AMEX that they were limiting my COMPANY spending to $2,000 per month. My average bill always paid on time is more than $5,000. AMEX saw fit to kill me as a small businessman. When I told my employees the news they assumed I was in trouble and sought other gainful employment.

AMEX has ruined my business without due cause. AMEX advertises and charges an annual fee for no restrictions or limitations on spending. I have heard they have done this to other small businesses as well. AMEX has solicited the small businessman saying this is the only card we would ever need. Now they are putting us out business as we can't even go on a business trip as we are capped on our spending. I could understand if it were an ordinary credit card with a revolving line of credit? But it isn't as the bill is paid in full every month. What is going on here? Someone should start a class litigation against this company.

american express lowered my credit limit and brought down my fico score. is this a fair practice? good thing we're not using the card when they emailed me that they lowered my credit limit for the 4th time in 6 month (20k to 1k). the day i receive that email from them. i called and close my account.

I have been a member of American Express since 1995 when I started my company. My expenditures through American Express have exceeded $600,000. Like many small to medium size companies, we fell upon financially challenging times and yes, I suffered cash flow issues, which caused me to fall behind in my payment. I am happy to say that the tides have changed and my industry is on an upswing! American Express called me and arranged for a payment plan for the remaining balance, payable over a twelve-month period.

We agreed to payments of $1600 a month and I acknowledged that I could not use my cards. totally fine! I remained current with my payments. Two weeks ago, I received another call from an American Express agent asking for another payment, which was unusual, and I was told that my account was being referred to collections. I stated that I had made arrangements with another account representative but [their] employee who I was now dealing with became rude. I made an additional $1000 payment trying to avoid collections action.

Well, sure enough, I received a call from a collection company that now had my account. The agent with that company treated me with dignity and respect leading us to agree that I would pay down the balance within ninety days so American Express would be satisfied! In conclusion, I am disappointed in American Express as [they] did not honored its agreement with me and furthermore caused a blemish on my credit. As I stated previously, my company is on an upswing and I cannot conceive the notion of ever using [their] product again.

Ruined my credit!

I received the following email re my account. The previous limit was $3000. I have not been late in paying. I use this account for frequent travel for my business. I've had the account for about 2 years. Can they do this?

"We are contacting you to let you know that after a thorough review of your credit profile we have lowered the credit limit on the account listed above. We wanted you to be aware of this change immediately. Your revised credit limit for purchases is now $1,300.00. The new cash advance limit is $200.00. Please ensure that any additional cardmembers on the account are also aware of this change. We have sent you a letter with a full explanation of how we came to this decision, but wanted to contact you via e-mail to ensure that you were aware of the change as soon as possible. Sincerely, American Express Account Services"

I use this card for business trips. I won't be able to make these monthly trips for training and will not receive necessary contininuing ed credits etc.

Amex is doing a scam on the public by advertising in the media and on its online site that there is no pre-set limit on their charge card which you pay in full each month. Maybe in the past that was true but when you are embarrased after a DECLINE at the merchant you find that they are perpetrating false advertising on the public and they don't have the decency of any warning of the limit till it is too late. Shame on you AMEX

the credit card companies and banks want the help of the taxpayers but they act like loanshark mobsters with their customers who have excellent payment records

I received a threatening letter today from American Express that they cancelled my credit card. I have been a member since 2001 with no balance. I believe that my account was unduly and unfairly cancelled because I do not use the card. My question is...Why was I issued one back in 2001? I have been a member since 2001 and I am so distressed that this threatening letter stated that this cancellation would also be reported to the credit reporting agencies!

Amercian Express has delved into my personal history after seven years and I believe that the economy the way it is today they are closing accounts of hard working consumers like myself to get rid of us! I do have several credit cards with no problems as I have them for family and medical emergencies. I hope that Consumers Affairs will truly investigate this scheming tactic as I know other consumers will be devastated by this letter. Thank you for your review and I look forward to your response. I have kept the card and the letter for future inquiries. I have also contactd my local media and American Express Corporate Headquarters via mail. HAPPY HOLIDAYS

In Oct 2008I was approved for an American Express Gold. I used the card at the end of Nov for Business Travel and some other business expenses. I thought it would be easier to just use this card and pay my Bal each month then I would not have to chase a bunch of reciepts. I used in Nov 2000.00 of my 12000.00 limit I then flew to New Mexico from NC knowing I had this card and seeing all the commercials where people aren't taken serious unless they have AMEX. Well I got to NM and attempted to pay rent on my Office there with this card . I was declined.

I called and inquired as to why and it seems that AMEX pulled a credit report form Experian and stated I had to many enquiries, my debt ratio was too high, and I didn't have a long enough lenght of credit history. I was floored and very worried because I left everything else in NC and brought no cash. Luckily I was staying with my daughter so I managed. But I then pulled my trio Credit Report and My exuifax showed the inquiry from the AMEX and the Delta Visa and a few other inquiries which I had done for Business purposes. ANd the Experian had NO New inquiries at all. But this is their reasoning. I hadn't even recieved my frist bill and they cancelled me.

Well the same thing just happened to my husband. He used his card to buy something for christmas so I wouldn't know until after christmas. And they cancelled his today. For the same reasons as mine. Ya know what this does look bad on my credit because the consumer closed the acc. Not to mention the points that their inquiries have taken from our scores. So for business owners we are screwed if we were counting on this card helping us . And they trully did make me think I would be able to use the card like any other Credit Card.

My score was 684 now it is 644 . Hubby's was 701 now it is 6 something. They lied when the approved me for this card. They gave me no oppurtunity to make my first payment nor my husband. ANd the have wrecked our credit scores. It will take another 2 years for it to go up. And neither he nor I have any late payments, past do Balances or anything. We pay everything on time.

I have been a customer of American Express for more years than I can remember and about a year ago Amex cut my credit in half which really [upset] me, but since I have a small balance it didn't really matter. Well today 12/15/08 I received a noticed that they cancelled my card completely. I have ALWAYS paid my card on time and my balance at the time of cancellation was only $91.00. I called and got the usual I'm sorry. I understand there is a credit crunch out there but I pay my bills. She refused to reinstate my line of credit and I told her that was fine because when the credit starts flowing again and they send me notices saying we want your business I was going to tell them [no].

On December 14th, 2008 I reviewed my credit profile on americanexpress. On my account i had a spending limit of $4000.00 that has been applied to me for quite some time now. My account has always been in good standing and i have never been late or missed a payment. I use this account for business and personal use. I had been saving some extra cash for christmas amongst other things, and being with a newborn baby this year this is money that i needed to have available to me for Christmas and the Holidays. I wanted to pay $1345.00 on my card, so that i would have an available spending limit of 1700.00. This would give me the couple hundred that i needed for Christmas and still pay my balance down on the card (Which i thought was a good idea).

After i made the payment immediately my credit limit was cut in half. Meaning now, I have a maxed out account which will in turn effect my credit rating and also now i do not have the money that i was relying on for Christmas. In the mix of all this stress that has been placed on my back (a hard working, tax paying citizen) I realized that American Express did NOT warn me of this action, No letter was recieved, no online notification, Nothing! This is fraudulant to me. I know they have disclaimers, but it is so broad that should be illegal. Things like this is why our economy is suffering and our families are hurting. It isn't right.

My family is suffering stress, and a loss of a promised Christmas that i can no longer deliver due to this. Had i recieved warning of this action(s), things would be drastically different. I would still have a lower balance on the account, but we would also have had a christmas that my family deserves.

I have been a member of American Express since 1997. I have Gold and Platinum cards for my business. I am never late with a payment and always pay above the minimum charge. Recently, the more I pay, the less credit I have available, and I can't seem to get a good explanation. They keep decreasing my spending limit. As a small business, I don't feel it is fair that a customer in good standing should be penalized for those that do not pay.

I used to always tell everyone how great of a company American Express is. Now I just want to cancel everything with them and move on to a more reliable company. They are providing such poor customer service and I have not been receiving any letters letting me know they are changing the interest rates or cutting my cash flow (line of credit). They just do it with no warning and no notice. It's not fair.

On 10/30/08, I called AMEX to inquire about receiving checks to draw against my available balance of $13,000. At this time I had a balance of approx. $1500. I was informed by the customer service rep that I was approved for checks, they would be mailed, and I had until 9/2009 to use them. I received the checks, and proceeded to use one of them for $3000. I never received any notice from them regarding any New Policy. It wasn't until 11/10/08, when I checked my balance online that I noticed my available credit balance had been reduced to essentially nothing.($114) When I called, I was told that due to a credit check thru Experian, and a high debt ratio, my available balance was reduced. I was also told that they would not honor the check for $3000.

I reminded the customer serice rep, and an account manager as well, that I was currently involved in a case of Identity Theft, with an ongoing claim with AMEX, who allowed a new account number to be sent to an address different than the one on file, and that the crooks racked up charges of $10,000, and that this was the reason for a high debt ratio. They insisted their New Policy had nothing to do with the ongoing fraud case, and it became clear that they were reading from a script and wouldn't listen to anything I had to say. But apparently when they checked my credit history on 8/29/08 and 9/11/08, whatever debt ratio they saw wasn't an issue. Yet they took issue with the debt ratio on their 10/30/08 account review. There wasn't much of a difference between the two, except of course, for the fraudulent charges they allowed to occur.

Because I called and was told that I could receive checks, knowing that I would use one of them for $3000, I withdrew $3000 from my savings account to take care of a financial matter. I then deposited the AMEX check to replace what I had withdrawn. I never would have made this move without checking first. Because of AMEX, I am now out $3000 in my bank account. Never mind bouncing a check for the first time in my life, and fees quickly adding up on this one issue.

It wasn't bad enough that AMEX allowed me to become a full blown Identity Theft Victim, after more than a month of warning them about it. But now they decide to play games with their customers. All because they are looking to jump on the Government Bailout bandwagon, by becoming a bank, so they can get 3.5 billion in funding. This is absolutely dispicable! I've never seen such an outright case of immoral business practices. As far as I'm concerned, this borders on illegal business practices! They need to be stopped, before sending thousands of customers into financial ruins with their tactics!

I was just contacted at work by American Express, telling me that my credit limit was being reduced. This was after I had already been talking to agents on the phone. Therefore, I had assumed that my there ws no credit limit. I have only used the card once, and have yet to recieve a statement, though I had contacted them for an address to send payment. The payment has been sent. I am a single professional male with no debt, outright ownership of two properties, and I make $109,000 a year. Needless to say I have immediately closed my account and cut up my card.

I have been a loyal Amex customer since 1981. Over those 27 years I have acquired 5 different Amex accounts, one personal (Platinum) and 4 business accounts, one of which is a business line of credit. I pay my bills on time every month and do so via the Amex website Summary of Accounts page. At the end of October I used my Gold Amex business account to pay one of my vendors for merchandise (since this is their payment policy--no terms). A few days later they call me to say the charge has been declined. I give them another card number to charge this merchandise to---it too was declined. This was shocking, not to mention embarrassing, never having been notified that there was a problem on any of my accounts.

When I contacted Amex, I was told that one of my accounts was in default (10 days late). Upon checking my payment confirmation page, I knew there had to be an error, since I had confirmation numbers for the 4 accounts I paid. When I called Amex again, I was given an entirely different reason---there were serious delinquencies on my Experian Credit Report. I sent for my Experian Credit report and there were 24 pages of perfect payment records. When I again called Amex, I was told my FICO score had declined rapidly. Of course, what they didn't say was that it had declined because Amex had lowered my credit line on all but my personal Platinum card. My business accounts had gone from no spending limit to just a few hundred dollars above my current balance. They of course took no responsibility for causing my FICO score to drop due directly to their actions.

In my 27 years of dealing with American Express, I never had any conversations that weren't courteous and professional. Almost all of my conversations with this matter were handled abruptly, and to say the least, rudely. They kept repeating the same mantra that I guess they were told to say to the phalanx of angry callers. I have cancelled my no spending limit Platinum card, which now has a limit of $500 over what I owe. My Platinum membership dues are $400 due in December, leaving me a big $100 to use. I have to maintain at least one of my business cards so that I will not lose the membership rewards I have accumulated. I would venture to say that I have spent and PAID millions of dollars to American Express over the past 27 years. How frustrating and disgusting to think this is where loyalty has gotten me.

Since I am a small business owner, American Express's actions have put my business and my reputation in serious jeopardy. The stress this has put me and my family under is literally incalculable.

Amex cancelled two cards for a debt, paid, from over 15 years ago, violating all state and federal regulations. Amex than apoligized repeatedly and reinstated the cards after 15 hours of phone calls. Less than 3 months later they again cancelled the cards for no reason. This affects my credit score as I am in the process of buying a home. I now have 5 hours of phone calls to them with no reponse, language skills or the ability to correct the problem. I am not irresponsible, I pay my mortgage on time, I have great credit which Amex has impacted in the most negative manner.

Have cancelled cards twice and damaged my credit rating. The same cards in three months after apoligizing for the error and reinstating them, only to cancel them a second time.

we recently recieved a e-mail that our cedit limit had been lowered on our american express credit card. We have always made payments on time. I also learned that it could lower credit scores. I think that there should be a law against them lowering your credit score.

I don't really care about lowering the credit limit, but my credit score is very important to me.

I have a customer with AMEX since 2001. I had a business line of 10K a business account management for 16K. always paid on time, never late. total balance was $2400. Receive a letter of reducing my credit to $1000 because of dun and bradstreet. thay claim that there are no info about my company.

Feel betrayed, chocked by this. Told AMEX that is a file about my company but its 5 years and not been updated. Nothing negative. Not every business has to have a file with D&B. it is not fair my fico is 798. there nothing in card agreement when i apllied mention D&B. WHAT IS GOING ON.

I has appeared that in the past 3 weeks that any time I attempt to use my AMX Gold card, charges are declined. Call and asked to be told that spending pattern was out of sorts. Thought ok did buy a fair bit that day preparing for a hurricane (but under $500) Week later a monthly charge for a rental facility ($46.00 charged to AMX for over the past 3-4 years....Declined.

Called Customer service was told that if I would send thim in an extra payment then I could continue to use the card. I have been with American Express since 1986, payments are made on time but it is very embarassing to be told card declined with all payments are being made and on time.

AmEx decreased my limit and sent me a letter with false reasons! I monitor my credit very closely and had just pulled my reports, which have never looked better. Regardless, AmEx said: 1 - too many accounts with balances. *I have fewer accounts now than when I got their card. 2 - too many inquiries within the last 12 month. * No way. Very few inquiries; I'm not shopping for any credit. 3 - Proportion of balances to credit limits ... *False - I have paid off several cards and my proportions on the remaining cards are quite low. 4 - Length of time accounts have been established. * No idea what they mean, as they phrased it ambiguously. I have no brand new accounts.

I called the number on the website for customer service, after transferring the balance to a better card. I told the woman I want the card canceled. Then, I read her the points listed above and she told me I was not allowed to hang up (oh really?) and that she had to transfer me to another department for cancellations. While on hold for many minutes, I got out my tape recorder. When a new person finally came on the line, I started recording. I was on speaker phone, speaking loudly enough to make sure to be heard, and was immediately scolded for yelling. I told the woman I was speaking into a speaker phone and tape recorder and needed to make sure the conversation was audible. I offered to demonstrate the difference and show her what it sounds like when I yell.

She got very upset, interrupted me constantly, and said she would hang up if I did not stop recording. She started yelling, saying, I DO NOT GIVE YOU PERMISSION TO RECORD THIS CALL! She yelled it several times! I told her that I do not give YOU permission to record my call, and she said they have to for quality assurance. I said, me, too. She threatened again to hang up. So, I lied and said I stopped, but I kept recording. Then, I told her to simply cancel the card. I said cancel the card and I'll deal with you through the FTC. Anybody know where I can publicly post the recording?

I fear they will now cancel my personal card, so I am looking at my other cards to get that balance transferred, as well. This was a very upsetting call. I cannot understand why they would do this, and why they needed to create false statements to do it. Why can't they just say that their decision is based on internal data that has nothing to do with my credit score? Did they violate truth-in-lending laws?

American express sent me the gold card with the incorrect csc number. I was unable to return something online. The customer service number sent me through a run-around, no answers, unable to overnight the card or access my account information. No one had any answers.

I was tranferred 9x before I decided to cancel my membership. Isn't the convenience and 24 hour customer support the reason why we subscribe to american express? how ironic, they can't even meet the standards they promise their subscribers.

Someone stole my wallet on vacation in Florida (I live in Massachusetts) and I reported my wallet stolen. Three credit cards were used before I canceled them and two of the credit card companies credited my account for the fraud charges, but American Express (AM) did not. The charges on the American Express card was over $15,000 which brought my card over the limit. There was only one charge for this amount at one store. First, why did American Express approve this charge that brought my card over the limit? Second, before my card was stolen I would have to have the clerk at a vendor, i.e. for example Best Buy, call American Express to get any charge over $1,000 approved and they would ask me several security questions.

There is NO WAY the person that stole my wallet knew my security questions. So American Express must have approved this Fraud charge without having the vendor call them or else the charge would never have gone through. Either that or American Express screwed up and approved the charge without asking any security questions and because American Express screwed up they will NOT credit my account. I believe the vendor should pay for this charge or American Express NOT me. American Express says on their website "Use the American Express Card online or off, and you won't be held responsible for any fraudulent charges. Period. No fine print, no deductible --just pure protection, so you can shop with confidence"

Obviously this is NOT the point. I called them over 50 times and got the run around. I was charged another $5,000 in interest charges, because I tried to settle this myself for over a year to no avail. Finally I hired a lawyer. She got the run around also. We both received letters from American Express with peoples names, but NO call back phone numbers or addresses which states that there is no FRAUD because the card was "not used without my consent," which is B** S*** as someone stole my WALLET! I believe American Express screwed up and approved the FRAUD authorization. I don't know why American Express just doesn't go after the vendor because that vendor should have ASKED for Identification. I have asked American Express for the security tapes, but that state they don't record conversations and there are NO tapes, but when you call them, they state "this line is recorded."

I HATE American Express and think they are the biggest scam artists out there. I can't believe they try to create this "you must rich to have our card" appeal, when they are a bunch of thefts. My lawyer, which I already paid over $2,000, stated it will cost me another $15,000 to hire a Florida lawyer (where American Express is located) and American Express has a staff of cheap lawyers that they will fight the case with. So, yes I would win the case but I still won't make out because it will cost me another $15,000 to do it and time and flight and hotel costs. I exhausted every avenue on trying to get my $20,000 ($15k + $5k interest charges) back but don't have any more ideas.

I can't believe our government is allowing a firm like this to run TV ads that state don't worry if card gets stolen. Why doesn't someone in our government look into American Express and see how many others there are like me that they are screwing. I believe American Express STOLE back the $15,000 from the vendor and then STOLE my $15,000, so now they made $30,000 + another $5,000 in interest charges. CAN I SUE AMERICAN EXPRESS? CAN WE START A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST AMERICAN EXPRESS? $20,000+ ($15,000 in a fraud charge + $5,000 in interest charges)

We recently received a credit limit on our account of 3800. We have been using this account for our small business and we pay them in full everytime. Our credit history with them is excellent and we do not understand why they lower down our limit. We filed for bankruptcy in 2004 because Duke energy, the company we worked for, was beyond our control and the time we filed for bunkruptcy we did not owe american express any amount. I hope you can help us with this.

This big credit card companies will not help small business get back on their feet. We now have a contract with Colonial pipeline and we have been using the card. Out of the blue, they lowered the credit limit because of other factors not related to the way we pay them. If they will not give back the credit limit we used to have, we will not be able to continue working for Colonial pipeline and we will not have this income and continue on

I received an email from American Express thanking for signing up for online bill payment. Becasue I have not signed up for online bill payment, I tried calling American Express to inquire about the email notice. I ended up spending ove an hour talking to several people who were unable to ascertain 1) why I got the email; and 2) whether or not my account had been activated for online payment. Each person tranferred me to "someone else who would be able to assist" me. None did. The last person - Ray ID# 40798 at the Greensboro call center (supposedly) simply hung up.

AMEX should not be allowed to do this sort of stuff to its customers. I still don't know why I got the email informing me that I had signed up for online bill payment; I still do not know if the account indeed has been set up for online bill payment; therefore, I still don't know if there is any reason for concern about unauthorized activity on the account. I want to know if there is any unauthorized activity on the account. It's THAT SIMPLE and should be easy to determine.

American Express advertises that if you are starting a small business you should get one of there small business credit cards and they will help you succeed. Well we did and like many small businesses, starting out we ran over our $5,000 limit time to time, paid the penalty, and went on. Thing got a little better and one month we paid $3,000 on the account owed. They credited the account the $3,000 and immediately reduced out credit line by $3,000. So much for helping a small business.

This has reference to your letter 2.7.08 regarding refusal for my application to have American Express First Credit Card. As you written that on the verification of the documents submitted by me, you have decided not to issue said Credit Card, but could you please clarify the reasons or which documents is found wrong, as this is very much important for me to know the fact. However, I am responsible officer and designated as Dy. GM (Finance) in 3rd largest cement and ready mix manufacturing company in the world and getting enough salary which is required for issuing said credit card. To issue such card is sole discretionary power of your Bank but one should know the actual reasons behind it. I also request to return my original documents which I have given to representative consist of my personal information etc.

I also request [their] good self to instruct [Amex] representative not to waste time of persons like me unnecessary. They should tell exactly what they want or required for issuing such credit card. I have wasted my valuable time with long conversation with representative. I am waiting for reply.

My account was suspended for late payments. I received an offer of reopening an account if full payment was made. AFter full payment AMEX refused to honor their promise.

My business has been affected drastically by the state of the economy. I had two AMEX cards one a business credit card and the other a business line of credit card. I cleared up the business credit card (shredded it)and only have the business line of credit card. I agreed to a payment plan suggested by American Express and have adhered to it without fail. I made a $4000 payment outright then making monthly payment via debits to my checking account.

Now American Express tell me that all the cards are closed even my personal AMEX card because of the delinquencies in the past. Even though I am making good faith efforts and payments they are taking action and closing all the accounts. I am voluntarily not made any charges on any AMEX card for over six months to control the credit problem yet despite my adherence to their payment plan they say they have the right to close all the accounts and cancel all the rewards miles (over 150,000) I have with them.

Even though I am doing all I can to show my effort to make the payments on this one account that I have left with AMEX they cancel all my air miles and close all open AMEX accounts. I feel this is an under handed betrayal to the payment agreement I have with them. I feel I have no incentive to pay the balances even though I admit I owe them the money.

But despite my efforts AMEX decides to take actions against the company and me personally for a corporate debt. Do I have any rights in this or can American Express do whatever they want? I don't know if this complaint will go anywhere or do anything. I am not seeking legal action as I probably can't afford to do that in my current situation. I will never ever do business with AMEX again after this is over.

Last year, on the advice of an American Express representative, I obtained an American Express Gold Card. He said it was a more beneficial card for my needs than my American Express Blue Card. I was told at that time that there was no annual fee. This month, although my balance is paid in full, I received a statement that states that I must pay 150.00 annual fee. When I questioned the fee, the reps transferred me to different departments. I was told by a supervisor that I either needed to pay the fee or close the account, they also said I could open a different account that did not have a fee.

All of these options will be detrimental to my credit score. If I close the account my credit rating will be jeopardized, but if I don't pay the fee and keep the account open, I will look like I am not paying my bills in a timely manner. American Express refused to reduce or waive the fee. I do not believe that Amex should be able to take advantage of customers in this way.

Purchase was made in our gallery for over 22,000.00 and processed by credit card machine, client used American Express card. Purchase was on 4/5/08. On 4/10/08 no funds were deposited in our bank account. 4/15/08 still no funds deposited. Called American Express after I received a statement from them saying the funds were deposited on 4/6/08 (Which were not) I was told by AE that the funds were deposited and the check with the bank. I call my bank; they said no record of deposit showed and to cll AE back. I called AE back was told again to call my bank. After calling my bank and talking with several reps they got AE on the line with me. I was told that the funds were on Hold because of the high amount of the charge. I told them that our gallery had processed other charges higher than this. I also told her that AE had said the funds were deposited and I even have a statement showing that AE made a deposit on the 6th of April, which they did not. The AE rep said she could not do anything about that and that the Submission Monitor Department would have to have this. I ask to speak to them, was told they were closed. I ask her to have them call me, she said they do not call back. I ask for a direct phone number - she said she can not give me that, but gave me an 800 number.

Today 4/16/08 eleven days after the purchase, I received an e-mail from the client saying he had talked with AE and was told his card was charged the 22,00.00+ on 4/5/08 and that the funds were transfered to my bank (They lied to him). I called the 800 number. The person at the 800 number (after 10 calls) said that my funds were on hold and that AE needed a fright bill showing that the paintings were shipped. I told her that the paintings were simply being taken to the home of the client. She said the client must sign a proof that he received the paintings. I told her the client was on the mainland, not Hawaii. She said she would not release the funds until she had a signed proof of the items delivered. I told her that after 12 years of doing charges of this type I have never had to do this. The client has always just charged on his card, signed and that was it. In short, here is what we have. My client used a AE card on 4/5/08 for over 22,000.00+, it was charged to his account on that date. Our gallery received an Activity Statement form AE saying that the funds were settled in our account for 22,000.00+ on 4/6/08, not true. On 4/15/08 still no funds and was told 3 times by AE that the funds were deposited; not true. I was also told by AE that they had been trying to contact me, not true, they could have even mailed me in all this time.

Today, 4/16/08, my funds are still on hold 11 days after the purchase. The client is told the charge processed, he was charged, our gallery is billed from 4/6/08 for over 600.00 fee for using AE and we still do not have the funds in our bank. Needless to say we will no longer accept American Express Cards. I recommend that any business, dealing in art, not use American Express. They are difficult to work with, have proven bad customer service, lie, and use the client and business owners funds to timely use funds for their (AE) gain.

Client purchased over $22,000.00 in art, framing was ordered, sales person paid,and after 11 days and looks like it could be over two weeks, no funds were deposited to our account from AE. We ere lied to over and over again. Even the client was told the funds processed.

Apparently, because of an internal credit review, American Express drastically reduced my credit limits. I have six current American Express credit cards. The most drastic reduction was from $10,000.00 to $700.00! Others were reduced to just over what was the current balance, all from $10,000.00 credit limits. Their form letter stated negative reports on my Credit Report. There are NO negatives on my Credit Report, from any of the three credit bureaus. Over the past 15 years, I've had more than 100 credit accounts, i.e., car loans, mortgages, credit cards. More than 60 have been closed, paid in full, and always on time...NEVER LATE. ALL of my current credit cards, including American Express, have never been late, and moreover, monthly payments have traditionally been 4 to 5 times the minimum due. I proved to American Express that a) there are no negatives on my credit report, b) I have never been late of any account over the past 15-20 years, and c) as they have reduced my credit limits, others, such as Bank American, Chase, Citi, Capital One, Home Depot, Nordstrom, JC Penney, and Shell have all (without request) INCREASED my credit limits with them, due to my excellent history with them.

Keith Herr of American Express states the reason: "as a member of the credit granting community, we seek to establish practices that are comparable to other standards within our industry." He refused to acknowledge my second letter with documentation of my credit report status, credit line increases by several reputable credit card companies, and how unfair these arbitrary reductions have been.

It has affected my credit score, because now my debt ratio on my American Express cards are excessive, compared to all my other accounts that are less than 20%.

My credit card limit was reduced $6,000.00 for no apparent reason by American Express. When I called customer service on 1/18/08, they could not give me a valid reason for this credit reduction. I manage my American express card very well, and I make a point not to get too close to my limit. My credit score is approximately 750 which is excellent. I am requesting that a logical reason be given to me regarding this issue. Also does the bank have a right to run a credit inquiry on my credit report without my authorization?

I am planning a family vacation in the next 4 months, and my plans were to pay on my existing balance on my American Express Card therefore allowing me a comfortable available credit amount. I had not planned on maximizing my account. However, I feel I have been treated unfairly and disrespectfully, and I have a high regard for my credit and the creditors that I give my business to.


I had a American Express Corporate card. When the business I worked for went in default they never paid my last expense report. The charges on the card were company expenses. American Express would not work with nor accept monthly payments to payoff. This has now been put into collections.

I worked with an indvidual and explained the situiation and made a good faith down payment. I was given a deadline to get some payment plan set. I explained that this has put a negative mark on my credit and have tried to work with American Express. On October 22, 2007 i received a call from a very rude and threatening individual who was putting words in my mouth that I nver stated such as I was stating I would not pay this acoount which I never said or implied.

I hung up after being on the phone for over 15 minutes. Another individual called me on a private number stating I had 24 hours to get some payment plan in even though I was given until the end of October 2007. Lies, threats, and harrassment have been the only way they work. Why cannot they try working with people and support getting the account paid.


First my credit report now carries a negative mark. I now for weeks get daily harrassing calls from the American Express collection agency using abusive language, lies and threats.


My company used American Express Corporate accounts for production and business activity.

We keep all the cards current, and never had a problem.

We discovered that one of our employees had convinced a bookeeper to issue a card in his wifes name. This card was often paid off in part, and our bookeeping department lost track of the rolling forward balance (or so they claim). The CFO was a friend of this employee - so who knows. Finally, charges began to rack up, and along with a series of other financial scams and games - this employee was able to tank the company. After 15 years of profitable operations, we were brought down.

But then Am Ex went after the individual card holders, not for their debt, but for the debt of the former employees wife. They said that all of the personal signers were personally responsible for the other card holders - fraudulent or not. They've actually sued one of the other employees for the charges of the wife.


I own a small service company and allowed a highly-educated new employee to use our American Express Corporate card for gas and supplies. Employee's card was stolen by a roommate, who charged $200 at a grocery store. AX contacted me and made me aware of the suspect charges. I was delighted with the level of protection. Card was cancelled and AX deemed the charges as fraud and refunded the charges.

Employee was able to contact AX directly, get a new card without anyone's permission and have the new card sent to his apartment. AX never called, emailed, nor mailed us to notify this happened. AX said that the employee had the right to get a new card and AX doesn't necessarily have to inform the owner.

This is odd since EVERY other account related move we made was followed by a FYI by mail. Employee went off the deep end was able to charge $45,000 over 3 days!!! I think that he bought 4 60 TVs, jewelry, 40 items at the Izod store, Apple computers and accessories, high-end clothes, gift cards, etc.

Our company has no history of these types of purchases. Our purchases are mostly gas and job supplies. AX never suspected a single charge and let them all go through. I only found out because with such a high balance, I was declined other charges. After many calls to AX, they finally cancelled the new card account, but not immediately.

Ex-employee was arrested after trying to buy more jewelry. AX was a royal pain to deal with and finally initiated a fraud investigation. The police were little help as well. I was hoping that somebody was going to question the ex-employee to try to recover some items while they were still local and could be returned for credit. Not a single item was recovered. Police said they had no leads. AX said for me to nothing but wait for their investigation.

After a month or so, AX informed me that investigation was complete and I was responsible for each and every charge. When I asked for details on exactly what is was that I was paying for and possibly some help in retrieving serial #s, they said that they don't provide any of that. After many calls to many managers nobody will return my calls and they now won't even transfer me to the fraud department. Complete stonewall.

They don't have any problem calling twice a day to let me know that account is past due, though. Ex-employee is now likely homeless and zero chance of getting any future money from him. I guess my biggest beef is that they were good about flagging $200 in fraudulant grocery purchases, but let $45,000 in electronics and jewelry go through without a hitch.

A few weeks ago I applied for and received an American Express Corporate Platinum card for myself and my three adult children whom manage and operate both of my businesses. About two weeks after activating the account, I received a call from American Express Financial Review. The woman I spoke with informed me there was a problem in regards to the identity of my business and I must submit documents/verification or the account would be canceled.

I faxed over what they requested a couple of days later. I then received another phone call from this woman who said she received the fax. She then began to ask me if I was calling from my business. I said no ,this is a cell phone. Well, why are you using a cell phone she asked. And why when she called my business, nobody answered?

She then started a line of questioning about my identity. I would now need to fax over documents to confirm my personal identity. I asked her, if American Express had all these questions about my identity and about if I actually had a businesses, then why did they send me a pre-approved offer, in my name/business name?

Three days later, this woman called back, and said now I would have to go to my bank, and fax over to them a notarized statement regarding my account. Now I have had enough of this. This woman then let me know I COULD NOT CLOSE my account! How dare American Express be allowed to do this to honest, hardworking customers. My credit report is affected, due to the account as being closed by them.


I got an AMEX coporate card through my company. Every month I paid the balance in full. I accepted a position with another company and the card was automatically cancelled. I went online (like I did every month) and paid the remaining balance in full. Later that month I moved out of my neighbourhood, I did not think to notify American Express because as far as I was concerned the account was closed. Five months later, I get a bill for $156, the closed account had been accruing late fees of $29 per month on a $40 fee that they charged me the month the account closed.

I have no idea what the fee is since I always paid the bill in full each month. This was sent to NCO Financial (collection agency) who insisted I paid to avoid future late fees. American express will not accept any calls related to my account. I have since paid the balance. But just to let everyone know AMEX does not actually cancel and account and they continue to rip you off months after you have closed your account with them.



American Express has served my family and I well throughout the
years, but changes have been occuring which have, in my opinion,
debilitated the company. In fact, some of these changes have been so
dramatic I'd consider close to fraud, or certainly a bait and switch

tactic.

In response to an American Express (spam) mailing, I took
advantage of an offer for a Small Business Corporate card by American
Express for my business. The benefits included annual reporting of my
expenses, as well as a very convenient Balance Payment Option, which
would allow me to float a large bill over 3 months of expenses became
out of control or higher then expected in any given month. This feature

sold me on the business card over a standard personal card.

I used the balance payment option about three times over the
course of a year and a half, and in certain situations became dependant
on this important card feautre. In June, when I was more reliant then
ever on transferring my card balance to the 3 month payment option,
American Express customer support informed me the program was
discontinued as of July 1st (with no notice given). I'm assuming
perhaps it was a change of terms on the back of a statement which
disclosed the termination of the program. Of course any terms provide

terms may change at anytime.

All in all, at what point are changing terms the wheel of a
bait-and-switch tactic? I was baited to the American Express Small
Business card because of the Balance Payment Option. I was switched

when the program was terminated.

Secondly, upon signing for the card I was always greeted by
friendly, helpful support, later the support turned to India, with
helpess people unable to speak or understand English. Later, I found
the trick is to call over and over again, eventually you'll randomly
connect to an American support. I guess American Express isn't so

American anymore.

Lastly, the membership rewards redemption website has been down
since August 14th, for one week. Calling the number provided on the
site results in the same line the website should be up in about 15
minutes.... Is this a tactic to prevent me from redeeming my 100,000
points? This has led me to cancel my American Express card. The

relationship WAS good, but has gone sour.

Three years ago we found our bookkeepper was using our corporate american express for personal purchases. We contacted American Express and cancelled all but one card and issued a fraud alert on our account and requested that no new cards ever be issued on our account. They then, a month later issued a card again to this woman. We found charges on our account and again called in fraud.

They investigated and told us it was not fraud because anyone who had the main cardholders information is allowed to order a card and pressed us for the charges. Again we cancelled the card and again informed them that fraudulent activity on this account was happening and that they were not authorized to issue any new cards.

After this, we have not received a monthly mailed statement for 2.5 years. We always have to call and they tell us they mailed a statement and lo a behold we do get the duplicate statements but never the original. They then deny us our points, charge late fees and interest, yet we never receive a statement. We have made over 50 phone calls about this to no avail.

Here again, no statement, no points, interest and late payment fees. They have purposely purpertrated this fraudelent activity and according to their own statements fully support the issuing of cards to anyone who has the main account holders information. Being our old bookkeepper, obviously she would have had access to that information. We even filed a police report on the matter but American Express doesn't care!


I am in the same boat as Mike from Denver on the front of your American Express page. My question is, I was 16 years old when I received my American Express card. At that time they did not ask for DOB or SSN of the additional corporate cardholders. Now I am 21 and they are coming after me for recent charges that are not being paid for by the company. Am I liable for these charges?

The primary cardholder is my father and he does not have the money to pay the expenditures I made on his behalf. American Express just threatened that this will harm my credit severely.



What follows is a chronology of events that describes my dispute

with Amex.

1) Between Jan 1998 and Sept 1999 I used a company issued American

Express Card while working for S-Chip Corporation

2) In September 1999 S-Chip Corporation was acquired and ceased to

operate. All accounts were settled and closed at that time.

3) In October 2001 I was contacted by an Amex collection agency
that demanded a payment of ~$181. Neither they or Amex could tell
me what the charges were about. At the suggestion of the
collection agency I wrote a letter dated Oct 14 asking for an
accounting of the bill on an account I assumed had been closed
for 2 years. I assumed that the situation was resolved as I had

no further contact from Amex or the collection agency.

4) On May 13 2003 I found out through a credit report that Amex
was reporting a bad debt of $241.51. I immediately requested an

explanation by letter dated May 14 2003.

5) Amex replied with a summary of card activity dated June 26 2003
indicating that the charge was incurred on May 17 2001 at the

Smithtown Sheraton in Hauppaugue NY.

6) I contacted the hotel and was told that the charge was a
No show charge. Please note that I stayed at that hotel in the

summer of 1999, using the credit card in question.

7) I sent another letter to Amex dated July 10 stating that
according to my records I did not stay at the Smithtown Sheraton

at or around May 17 2001.

8) Amex replied with the letter dated April 15 2002 posted on
August 13 2003. The letter states that since hotels are not
required to maintain records beyond 6 months Amex is unable to
contact the hotel in question, and as such I should do that
myself. They further state that as the Authorizing Officer on
the account all charges are my responsibility and that the account
was not closed until August 2001. They make reference to their
letter of June 2001 in which they sent me the copies of the account
statement. Please note at this point that I assume they reference
their June 2003 letter since this was the first time that I
received any accounting of the matter. Amex then continues that
for credit report issues I should contact the Credit Bureau Unit
and that the amount in question is still due. They also add that
they will not respond to this matter any further.
9) The hotel has subsequently sent me (by fax) a letter stating
that they charged my corporate credit card and that they are aware
that I was employed by a company different from S-Chip at the time.
Due to a change of ownership they claim they cannot refund the

money.

In my opinion Amex made several mistakes in handling my account:

1) They did not close my account in 1999 as per S-Chip request

2) They accepted a charge to the account even though no membership
charges were paid for at least one year and there was no activity

on the account since September 1999.

3) They (or their agent the collection agency) could not tell me

what charges were when they contacted me in October 2001

4) They did not respond to the letter that I sent them on October

14 2001.

I am trying to buy a house in Silicon Valley and I have Amex reporting an account close by lender & a writeoff as a bad debt. This is likely to cost me higher interest rates. (This is the only bad thing on my credit report)


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