Date Received: 2024-01-21
Issue: Trouble using the card
Subissue: Trouble using the card to spend money in a store or online
Consumer Complaint: I received a {$1000.00} American Express gift card as a gift, then tried to use it with a few different online retailers, grocers, etc. Each and every time, it was declined. I contacted these companies and they told me to contact American Express ; it was not them declining the charge. I contacted American Express and they said that the charges are declined for " security reasons '' and they can not discuss specifics.
Company Response:
State: GA
Zip: 30319
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-01-21
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2024-01-20
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: In XX/XX/XXXX, I was charged by American Express for services from XXXX, a provider of teeth-straightening aligners, which included a promise of lifetime treatment. However, XXXX filed for XXXX XXXX bankruptcy on XX/XX/XXXX, and later announced a complete shutdown of all global operations on XX/XX/XXXX. This left numerous customers, including myself, without the promised services and support. Despite their bankruptcy and shutdown, XXXX has indicated that customers who financed aligners are still expected to continue making monthly payments in full. This situation is particularly distressing as the services for which I have paid can not be completed due to the company 's cessation of operations. I have attempted to resolve this issue with American Express. However, they have stated their inability to dispute the charge, citing system limitations. The charge I am disputing is directly related to the services that are now impossible to receive, due to XXXX 's business closure.
Company Response:
State: MA
Zip: 02130
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-01-20
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2024-01-20
Issue: Trouble using the card
Subissue: Trouble using the card to spend money in a store or online
Consumer Complaint: I received an Amex gift card on XX/XX/23 and I attempted to make a purchase on either XX/XX/23 or XX/XX/23. If I recall correctly, the websites were XXXX and XXXX. The order was under the card balance of {$200.00}. The first time the order declined I tried a couple other times to see if it was an error on my part ; however, each attempt said the same thing : the order can not go through or my card was declined. I called the number on the card and checked the balance on the Amex website and the card was active and had the full amount on it. The item I need to purchase can only be found online, but Amex gift cards seem to only work in store.
Company Response:
State: NC
Zip: 27410
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-01-20
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2024-01-20
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: XX/XX/23 - This is the first date I disputed a charge of {$10000.00} to Merchant named XXXX XXXX. I sent Amex copies of the Demand Letter sent to XXXX XXXX, copy of Secretary of XXXX filing in Massachusetts reflecting XXXX XXXX entity dissolving from the State of Massachusetts and XXXX XXXX used Massachusetts provisional venue in their contract after they dissolved their company entity from Massachusetts. I also informed Amex that the services were not as described or received as Merchant advertised. XXXX XXXX sent Amex copies of a contract that was signed for another service purchased and was paid for by other means, not by Amex. Merchant sent in screenshots reflecting that I utilized their digital services but these screenshots were for a different service, not the service that was being disputed. I reopened the dispute several times with Amex after this date and Amex continues to this day to use the evidence the merchant sent to justify the charge being disputed. The dates of the contract and the screenshots are dated prior to the charge date listed on my statement. I was forced to hire an Attorney regarding the matter with XXXX XXXX and my Attorney has several other clients who have signed with her regarding XXXX XXXX 's deceptive trade practices. Amex has refunded other clients who purchased XXXX XXXX services for the exact same service and amount. This was sent to Amex and I requested Amex to change the dispute reason to : services that were not received and not as described. Amex has refused to reopen the dispute due to the merchant sending in invalid proof to justify the charge, which is a deceptive act. Due to Amex siding with the Merchant instead of their customer, I now have to sue Amex for picking and choosing who they decided to refund in regards to this Merchant and their services. I have documentation that reflects Amex refunding other consumers in regards to the Merchant known as XXXX XXXX, who are being represented by the same Attorney as myself, and Amex refuses to allow this evidence on my behalf. They disregarded my evidence and re-billed this service on my card. Amex keeps stating that their investigation reveals that I signed a contract that states no refunds for a service called XXXX XXXX XXXX, which is dated XX/XX/23 and was paid for by a XXXX lender named XXXX. The $ XXXX charge on XX/XX/23 was for a service called XXXX XXXX XXXX, which was falsely advertised and the services that were suppose to be received were not received and not as described. XXXX XXXX only sent a copy of a Stripe receipt for the XXXX XXXX charge and the receipt indicates that it was not given to the consumer. XXXX XXXX sent in a copy of the earlier contract for another service. Amex is not protecting their customer and is refusing to refund me based on Merchant documentation that does not apply.
Company Response:
State: OK
Zip: 740XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-01-20
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2024-01-20
Issue: Trouble using the card
Subissue: Trouble using the card to spend money in a store or online
Consumer Complaint: XX/XX/24 - Received AMEX gift card for {$800.00} XX/XX/24- attempted to use new gift card on XXXX.com and XXXX for amounts less than {$100.00}. Both were declined, even though I followed their online steps for making purchases online XX/XX/24 - retried using the card on XXXX. received another " payment declined '' email from them XX/XX/24 - I called to confirm that the card was activated, and it was, with a balance of {$790.00}. Attempted to use the card on XXXX again. It was declined. Called Amex customer support and they told me that the card wasn't working because it was an anonymous card. I told them that the website says, " Your American Express XXXX Card may be used at US merchants that accept American Express XXXX. '' They didn't acknowledge this. When I asked if I could just get the money from the card, they said it would take XXXX or more weeks to resolve the issue, and the money on the card would go back to the XXXX who had originally given me the gift card. I would have to provide my ID and the original receipt of the purchase in order to do so. I told them I can't be sure that the person who bought the card for me would still have the receipt.
Company Response:
State: IL
Zip: 60647
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-01-20
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2024-01-20
Issue: Trouble using the card
Subissue: Trouble using the card to spend money in a store or online
Consumer Complaint: I received XXXX ( XXXX ) {$100.00} Amex XXXX XXXX ( {$200.00} total ) for XXXX this year. Card/Account Numbers can be provided if needed. I have tried to use the card XXXX XXXX in multiple locations but it does not work. I can confirm that there is a credit balance of {$100.00} on each card. American Express customer service sites security protocols to protect the consumer and says that there is no issue with the card. After this happened I looked into this a bit more, and came to find out that this is a common occurrence and XXXX other people have been effected by the same or similar issues. I am hoping that by filing a claim this will force Amex to rectify this issue. I would also like to get compensated for the money that was spent on the gift cards. Until American Express resolves this issue with their cards, no one should purchase them.
Company Response:
State: IL
Zip: 60622
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-01-20
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2024-01-12
Issue: Trouble using the card
Subissue: Trouble using the card to spend money in a store or online
Consumer Complaint: Whenever I attempted to use the card online, I could never complete the purchase. I just pulled up the website, and the one time I successfully checked the card 's balance, I noticed that they had taken out fees on each transaction. When attempting to call the XXXX number, I could never speak to a person to tell them about the issues I was experiencing with the website as well as the difficulty trying to use the card to make online purchases.
Company Response:
State: VA
Zip: XXXXX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-01-12
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2024-01-19
Issue: Fees or interest
Subissue: Problem with fees
Consumer Complaint: I'm using American Express Travel Platinum Credit Card for past 6 months. I was charged annual fee of XXXX XXXX. Amex cards are hardly accepted in XXXX. While applying, i was informed it is accepted everywhere. Few top brands had board in their payment section that Amex cards acceptable but they aren't accepting amex cards because they charge more compared to other credit cards. Some websites either don't accept or charge extra for using amex card. For international payments, charges are 5 to 7 times higher than the other credit cards. No mention was there about charges on international payments at the payment site. Charges were hidden in exchange rate and it was never disclosed with the user. Even after paying huge annual fee, we won't get access to lounges in international terminal of XXXX XXXX. I never recommend amex card to XXXX.
Company Response:
State:
Zip: XXXXX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-01-19
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2024-01-12
Issue: Trouble using the card
Subissue: Trouble using the card to spend money in a store or online
Consumer Complaint: Received a {$300.00} American Express egiftcard which claims to be usable for 'online, telephone, mail order and participating physical merchant locations ;. The card worked once for a {$50.00} purchase and has been declined every time since then. I have tried multiple times over the past few weeks on XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX and XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX.I even called XXXX to see if they could enter the card # manually or load the balance to my XXXX account. They could not. Am Ex customer service has not had any solutions. They suggest that XXXX. I use the card after 24 hrs, ( did not work ) 2. use it in a physical store, etc. which is not their promise of online usability. 3. use it at an online merchant who will not ask for my name and address but will ask for a CVV code. When asked which online merchants do that, they had no suggestions. At this point, I would just like the cash from this card sent to me so I no longer have to deal with the hassle of trying to get this card to work. While I would like to think this is an unforeseen glitch, it is also a highly convenient one since I can imagine that some people will not have the time or energy to deal with this mess.
Company Response:
State: CT
Zip: 060XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-01-12
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2024-01-19
Issue: Trouble using the card
Subissue: Trouble using the card to spend money in a store or online
Consumer Complaint: I was given an American Express {$500.00} gift card. The card only allowed me to make a few purchases and is now declining no matter where I try to use it despite it having a remaining balance of {$280.00}. I contacted American Express and they said its being declined for security purposes and to try again in 24 hours. However, despite waiting the 24 hours the card still does not work. The company has no resolution and continues to tell me to wait 24 hours. This is not acceptable. I have never had an issue with a gift card like this in my life.
Company Response:
State: NY
Zip: 11364
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2024-01-19
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A