I signed a contract for a credit card with American Express that had a FIXED APR of 7.99%; all of the sudden "due to the economy" they have increased my interest rate to 10.99% with no opt out option. This leaves me paying 3% more for the balance on my account (all of this changed without my consent). I have never had a late payment, and they told me over the phone that my account is excellent; yet this is what they have done. I have one other credit card that is doing the same thing, but they are ETHICAL and have allowed me to cancel my account and continue paying the agreed interest rate until the balance of the account is paid off (Chase). I just wanted everyone to know that AMERICAN EXPRESS IS AN UNETHICAL COMPANY; they certainly have NO regard for their customers, nor do they abide by their contracts! Signers BEWARE!!!

When I used my American Express Card today to make a purchase, it was declined. When I got home, I called American Express and the representative told me that my account was canceled. My credit is good!!!


AMERICAN EXPRESS IS TRYING TO RUIN MY CREDIT 3 TIMES ALREADY:

1) LOWERED CREDIT LIMIT
2) LOWERED CREDIT LIMIT
3) CANCELED MY ACCOUNT

12/22/08 I received a $50 American Express gift card as a Christmas gift from a friend in Plano, TX. I tried to use the card that very evening at a nearby Walmart to purchase some last minute gift for my child. The self-check out would not accept the card so I asked an employee to finish my transaction at her terminal. The card kept spitting out receipts with zero balances. I paid for my items with cash and called AMEX when I got home 30 minutes later. I was told that my friend who purchased the card needed to call them with her receipt information before they would investigate.

12/30/08 I sent an email to my friend letting her know what happened and she called AMEX herself. They told her I'd spent the money already and that she could see the transaction online. I went online myself and checked and the website said the information was unavailable. I called AMEX again; just as one other gift card victim experienced the agent explained that although the receipt claimed the card was activated it was not and contained a balance of $0 not $50. I too was told to fax over copies of the receipt, front and back of gift card plus the packaging, a photo id, my name, address, phone number.

01/05/09 faxed over all items; no response from AMEX that information was received

01/08/09 still no response from AMEX so I called yet again. My first call was directed to the resolution department's extension which rang three times and hung up. I called customer service again and the agent Michelle says they did receive my faxed information.

01/14/09 still no response from AMEX. Agent Gail says they are sending me a letter to my home with an update to my case but would not tell me what the letter would say.

01/23/08 still no response from AMEX. Agent Kat says the letter was sent on 1/14 but would take 10 business days (talk about snail mail) to arrive at my home. I found the letter waiting for me when I got home and was sent into total shock when I read it. AMEX claims that I sent them the wrong receipt (total lie!!!) and that it did not match their information. Not only that but if I did not sent them the correct receipt immediately that the case would be closed. This is crazy!!! They show in their system the exact store that I was at when this fiasco occurred, I send them a receipt from that store showing the same timeframe, but my receipt is unacceptable????

Are they really that starved for money? If they treat non-customers this way I can't imagine how actual customers are treated. This has been a month of hell and many times I just said forget it, it was the thought that counts, but I can't back down from a scandal like this. This is total nonsense and I want them to credit my card or my friend for her original funds. It's one thing to read about these nightmares, it's quite another to live through.

I own a small cosmetic company that sells all natural skincare and cosmetics via the Internet. Recently my company was ripped off by a customer who presented herself as a new eligible business. She provided me with her tax ID, her address and her website address and she placed 2 big wholesale orders in June 2008.

She had paid by American Express card. Both her orders were processed and shipped to her billing address within 48 hours by USPS priority mail with delivery confirmation. Almost 6 months later, in November, she contacted American Express and claimed that she had never authorized the purchase with my company, without ever having notified my company at all.

American Express had never informed me of her claim and charged back my bank account. I faxed them all the necessary evidence of the order having been sent and delivered to the customer's address. I spent 2 days on the phone trying to convince them that I had 2 legitimate orders from this customer, that were approved by American Express and the charge was authorized by them. Nothing helped!

American Express never notified me of any of this. After having spent 2 days on the phone they admitted that they sent the notification to some incorrect address. This, their error, did not affect their policy. 25 days after they supposedly mailed me a notice they instituted the chargeback. All I know is I never received anything from them and was not aware of any of this until I saw a chargeback on my bank statement 6 months after the original transaction. Despite their error they automatically instituted a chargeback and informed me that any further dispute is between me and the 'customer'.

Needless to say that I canceled my merchant account with American Express but I still lost my hard earned money.

American Express' merchant policies only encourage online robberies, product theft and online fraud. My complaint is that by the nature of their chargeback policies American Express fairly encourages fraudulent chargebacks and practically encourages unscrupulous thieves in a commission of their fraudulent crimes.
Not only was I ripped off by my 'customer' but more over I am convinced that American Express behaved is nothing less than an accomplice in this crime. American Express behaved callously and offered me as one of their participating merchants no protection whatsoever, despite their own errors in this matter.

Hey american express customers... is this happening to you? I open a american express account about a year and a half ago.. I made a balance transfer at a great 3.99 interest rate, always making my payments on time and always more than the minimun payment, but I made a mistake, I made a few purchases, nothing crazy, about 1300, at a interest rate of 8.99, after they raise my rate to 11.24 I started to pay attention to my statements and the payments I make go towards the balance tranfers at 3.99 interest rate and nothing goes to my purchases...

here is the ripoff I get charge interest on my purchases at 11.24 and interest on my balance transfer a 3.99, my payment takes care of the finance charges on the two balances but the finance charges on my purchases get add up to my purchases balances every month, so even if I make my payments on time and more than the minimum my purchases balance goes up every month and I wont chip away on this balance until I finish paying the balance transfer... is this fair?...is this legal?