Date Received: 2023-03-25
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems
Subissue: Other problem
Consumer Complaint: Hello - American Express and other credit card companies are taking advantage of small businesses. In order to narrow the focus of my complaint, I will speak only of the issues I have had with American Express at this time. It does not appear that credit card companies are using the Fair Credit Billing Act for their standard of initiating chargebacks ( refunds to customers that are taken from my sales without my permission ), and they are unfairly initiating chargebacks on honest, small businesses. This makes the credit card company look great to customers, but they are really just stealing money form small businesses. For instance : A customer received my product and installed it incorrectly, resulting in a broken piece. We offered to send her a replacement at no cost. She contacted her credit card company without offering to return the item. The credit card company initiated a chargeback, and the customer still has our item. She has a free product worth {$790.00} at our expense. This is egregious and basically theft. An example of this is order XXXX. Chargebacks have occurred to my business due to customers complaining of fraudulent activity ( somebody stealing their credit card number and using it to buy a product ). Why is it the small business responsibility to pay for these issues, rather than the credit card companys responsibility? Small businesses like mine are not responsible for these issues and should not be held accountable. Credit Card companies and their customers need to protect their customers from these activities without stealing from small businesses. I see nothing in the FCBA that puts the responsibility on the small business. Order XXXX in my account is an example of this. Chargebacks have occurred when XXXX had a small delay in their shipment. The item was received, but the customer decided he no longer wanted the item. The customer refused to pay for return shipping and an open box penalty, as would have been reasonable, and the credit card company initiated a chargeback and associated {$15.00} charge, even after the customer opened one of the boxes. This is unreasonable. Order XXXX is an example of this. American Express is nearly impossible to communicate with. I have given them evidence that my company is not at fault for these issues, and they have only responded by taking money from my account. I contacted American Express via the XXXX, and they refuse to answer direct questions. In fact, they suggest that it is not them that is initiating the chargebacks, and that is a lie. I am sharing American Express ' last two responses ( the first was lost, and was even more deceptive ). The specific responses included are responses to the chargeback associated with order XXXX ( noted in the last bullet above ). I am happy to share additional information. This is an issue of fairness to small businesses across this country that are going out of business due aggressive actions by credit card companies that are either illegal or should be illegal.
Company Response:
State: CA
Zip: 92672
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-03-25
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-03-26
Issue: Closing your account
Subissue: Company closed your account
Consumer Complaint: American express recently cancelled my two accounts Which I had since 2016, XXXX ending in XXXX and XXXX. Not only that, they also discontinued {$10000.00} credit line they gave to me in the form of Kabbage ( which changed to Amex XXXXXXXX ) recently. I have made big purchases from American express credit cards, like recenly I purchased a XXXX, have been doing online shopping from different stores, like bed, couch and lots of other things. I was really dissapointed that out of no reason two of my american express credit cards were closed. To all these people looking at my complaint, I will highly advise you not to open or use American express credit cards, they can close your credit cards giving lame excuses. There are lots of other credit cards you can use and rely instead of American Express. I would highly advise not to use and not to open an account with American Express at all.
Company Response:
State: CA
Zip: 92833
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-03-26
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-03-24
Issue: Improper use of your report
Subissue: Reporting company used your report improperly
Consumer Complaint: In accordance with the fair credit reporting act, this creditors have violated my right. 15 U.S. Code 1681s2 - Responsibilities of furnishers of information to consumer reporting agencies.A person shall not furnish any information relating to a consumer to any consumer reporting agency if the person knows or has reasonable cause to believe that the information is inaccurate. 15 U.S Code 1681e- Apersonmay not procure aconsumer reportfor purposes of reselling the report ( or any information in the report ) unless thepersondiscloses to theconsumer reporting agencythat originally furnishes the report ( A ) the identity of the end-user of the report ( or information ) ; and ( B ) each permissible purpose undersection 1681b of this titlefor which the report is furnished to the end-user of the report ( or information ). The IRS states that charge-offs are considered Income and income should not be reported under a consumer report. Besides this creditor is committing fraud by reporting the negative charge-off on my consumer report.
Company Response:
State: IN
Zip: 46324
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-03-24
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-03-24
Issue: Incorrect information on your report
Subissue: Information belongs to someone else
Consumer Complaint: I have already come to you the reporting of information that was identified as identity theft and they promised to get this information off my credit report and if you look it is still reporting on all three credit report and giving me negative hard inquiry and messing up my credit to get a house and I want it removed asap
Company Response:
State: FL
Zip: 33610
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-03-24
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-03-24
Issue: Managing an account
Subissue: Funds not handled or disbursed as instructed
Consumer Complaint: I withdrew {$100000.00} from my American Express Savings Account, which was debited from the account on XX/XX/23. I was supposed to receive the money by bank check. On XX/XX/XXXX, when I still had not received the check, I called the bank, was put on hold for a long time and was eventually told to give it a few more days. The person I spoke to could not tell me when the check was issued, when it was mailed, and whether it had been cashed. On XX/XX/XXXX, when the check still had not arrived, I called the bank again and was put on hold for over three hours while the customer service representative tried to reach someone at the bank who might be able to help. Eventually, we decided that I would fax her a stop payment order, which I did the evening of XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, I called back and was disconnected after 30 minutes. I called back again and they confirmed that the bank check had not been cashed. They also confirmed that they had received the stop payment order but it was in a queue waiting to be processed. I requested that they credit me with the lost interest on the {$100000.00} and they refused to do so. I asked to speak to a supervisor during this call, and after being placed on hold for a very long time, was told a supervisor would call me back. That has not happened. It is now more than a month since the {$100000.00} was taken out of the account and despite the fact that they've had the stop payment form since XX/XX/XXXX, the money has not been put back into the account. A second problem I encountered with Am Ex is that during the XX/XX/XXXX phone call, I instructed the bank to wire {$100000.00} to another bank. They took all the information yet the wire transfer never happened. When I inquired about this during my XX/XX/XXXX call, they said I had cancelled the wire request which is absolutely not true. At least that money was not taken out of the account!
Company Response:
State: NY
Zip: 105XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-03-24
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-03-24
Issue: Trouble using the card
Subissue: Trouble using the card to spend money in a store or online
Consumer Complaint: Problem with using AMEX gift card for an online order at XXXX.
Company Response:
State: MA
Zip: 01886
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-03-24
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-03-24
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement
Subissue: Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement
Consumer Complaint: My complaint and this narrative does not fit into any one of your categories. I am the XXXX XXXX in a business in XXXX, Florida, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, with 3 other partners. Our business checking account with XXXX XXXX was hacked and 4 separate fraudulent debits were made on XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX through an automated clearinghouse. I became aware of this on XX/XX/XXXX and notified our bank immediately. The funds from 2 of the four criminal withdrawals were used to e-pay credit cards-XXXX Credit in the amount of {$7000.00} and American Express in the amount of {$6500.00}. Three of the four withdrawals were returned immediately including XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX contacted American Express on XX/XX/XXXX and were rebuffed. My bank was told I would need to call. I did so immediately and American Express would not speak with me. I filed a report with the XXXX County Sheriff 's Department, case # XXXX. American Express is in receipt of stolen funds and is complicit in this fraud.
Company Response:
State: FL
Zip: 342XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-03-24
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-03-24
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems
Subissue: Problem with customer service
Consumer Complaint: I am the owner of XXXX XXXX, which is a XXXX XXXX XXXX based in Arizona. On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX used an American Express card ending in XXXX to book my property in the amount of {$8200.00}. XXXX XXXX booked my property through XXXX XXXX XXXX ... He booked for XXXX XXXX XXXX. On the terms and conditions page you will find that there is no refund available if you cancel less than 30 days before check-in. you will see in my attachments that when you go to book on the website, you must check a box that says " i agree to the terms and conditions '' which takes you to the page that lays out the refund policy. there is also a box below it that makes you check a box for the cancellation policy- laying out the refund policy again. XXXX XXXX checked both of those boxes and made the payment. that is, the payment would not be able to be processed unless the person checked those boxes. The credit card used was American Express, but my credit card processor is XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX and XXXX XXXX cancelled the reservation to stay at my property. This was one day before check-in. Therefore, no refunds were available. XXXX XXXX filed a dispute with American Express and American Express ruled in his favor. I was notified by XXXX that there was a dispute opened on XX/XX/XXXX. I sent in the contract that XXXX XXXX had with my company but American Express ruled in his favor, and XXXX denied my claim for the dispute. I am now hoping to submit evidence that will show evidence that the customer expressly agreed to the payment agreement and contract listed on the website that they booked through. I am hoping to have the chargeback reversed so I can get reimbursed from the fraudulent claim against me and my business.
Company Response:
State: AZ
Zip: 852XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-03-24
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-03-24
Issue: Incorrect information on your report
Subissue: Account information incorrect
Consumer Complaint: I have an American Express Reserve credit card that allows me to choose to not pay in full every month. If I do not, then AMEX can charge me interest. My complaint is that AMEX does not allow any time, after the billing cycles ends, for me to fully pay the balance before they send a balance to the credit agencies. Example : my billing cycle ended XX/XX/2023. I made an on-line payment the next day and it credited my account on XX/XX/2023. Yet, they reported to XXXX, on XX/XX/2023 my full balance! Even though I paid it the next day and actually have until XX/XX/2023 to pay without any interest penalty. This " balance '' will now sit in my credit score for the entire month, until AMEX does the exact same thing the following month. With this practice it will always show that I'm carrying a balance that I may not if I made a payment the day after the month closed. AMEX customer service answer today was, " well, you could always make a payment before the billing cycle ends ''. Well of course I could - that's not the question. Why can't AMEX wait a reasonable time period to report a balance to the credit agency 's. Why is AMEX allowed to send a balance to the credit agencies without first allowing the customer to pay off the balance AFTER the closing date, but before it's deemed " late ''? My monthly AMEX balance is so great that this practice is taking my Credit score below 800 - costing me a higher loan rate.
Company Response:
State: FL
Zip: 333XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-03-24
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-03-23
Issue: Problem with a purchase or transfer
Subissue: Charged for a purchase or transfer you did not make with the card
Consumer Complaint: I received an AMEX gift card that was sealed in the original envelope from a family member whom ordered it directly from AMEX. When i went to use it there had been 4 unauthorized charges on the card that were not from me. I received the card a week ago ( XX/XX/XXXX ) but the charges were from XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX. This card was unopened in the original American express envelope. Amex would not do anything to assist with charging back the fraudulent charges and were overall very unhelpful. They told me to contact the store that the card was used at to have them reverse the charges. I am in the process of dealing with paypal to get all of the charges reverse but this extremely concerning that the sealed AMEX gift card credit card numbers were somehow leaked online and/or stolen. The only way i could imagine this could have happened would have been in the amex facility itself as the card was never opened or viewed by anyone else.
Company Response:
State: NY
Zip: 10304
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-03-23
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A