The day before I traveled to China to adopt a special needs toddler, I called American Express to let them know I would be using their credit card SOLELY (and no other card) while in China for 15 days. (to earn miles, of course!) A week and a half later I tried to use my card, which had a very high credit limit, at my hotel in Guangzhou. The charge was denied and I was informed that I was over the limit by $300 ! Sure there was a mixup, I called AmEx, who told me they had LOWERED MY CREDIT LIMIT BY OVER $13, 000 WHILE ON MY TRIP!! My tears, pleas, requests for a supervisor were ignored, and I was simply told the exercised their right to do it and that my credit score had just gone down, maybe because I had charged over $5, 000 in plane tickets on their card.

So thanks, American Express for the baby gift. I will always remember my trip to China and how interesting you made it for me. And yeah, this is beside the point, but it felt especially cruel after the AmEx rep had just a week before thanked me for letting me know of the trip, added a note to my account, and wished me a wonderful trip, adding what a precious thing I was doing to help this child.

Cancelled both my Blue and Gold Accounts without notice. No late payments, no over limits. Claimed it was based only on my credit report. I do have a house in default working on modification (investment).

This after having a card since early 1990s.

The representative offered to attempt reinstatement but if reinstated would charge me $25 !!!

To Whom It May Concern:

As a Costco member, I did get an American Express card several years ago now, and until now, that I had an expensive unexpected car repair, I called May 19 2010 (yesterday) to find out what was my available credit, and that was a little over $1, 500.00 the reason was not to MAX out the card or go over the limit, since the repair was only $752.00, I went ahead and had the car serviced.
I am more than current in my payments. I never do the minimum payment, always 2, 3 or more times the amount.

The next day I went to pick up my car (today May 20 2010) and to my very UNPLEASANT surprise the cashier told me that I had to call American Express, so I did, and I was told first by a gentleman, then to his supervisor Shari employee # SCUIT10 or SCUIE10, that my card was under review and could not be use anywhere between 24 to 48 hours.
I tried to talk with someone in a managing position above to override the “review”, and Shari assured me that she was it. She said that I better had other options.

This is VERY unacceptable, since I figure I had access to almost twice the funds available in my credit card.

Can you imaging the possibilities or what could happen if someone is in a foreign country and needs to use the card? ...
I want you to became aware that this is a situation that could even endanger people if they are traveling, and AMEX supposed to be the credit card to be use when traveling…. this is the worse card to use and to think that is what AMEX promotes.

WARNING if you are going to travel or are traveling...do NOT use the AMEX card, you will be trapped.

Thank God I have other credit cards that I could use and be able to handle my situation, the American Express policy is irresponsible and it does not make sense, since my call for the day before was to know that I would not go over my limit or Max the card.

Manuel D

I have been an American Express customer for many many years and have never missed or been late on a payment. I had a platinum Delta Skymiles card, A platinum business card, platinum personal card and a business Plum card. Never an issue then suddenly i get the old 4506t form . Ok i understand this is good business. But they do this in the middle of the holiday season for my company. Froze all accounts so now they interrupted cash flow. No problem all payments still made easily. They delay and delay the entire ordeal until finally they demand payment in full. I told them I was not willing to pay them in full since they were playing games. Expand your business with the PLUM is what i was told then they pull the plug on a great customer. They offer a payment plan of $4k a month so i said fine. The next day they call and say my financials were great and income warrants all my cards being turned back on in full force. But oh wait we cant do it because you went on the payment plan. Again if I pay all balances in full they will turn on. I feel this is a scam since they couldnt tell me this the day before when I WOULD NOT have had to pay in full. Now even after never missing one of the payments they put me on they put this on my personal credit report as severely past due bad debt sent to legal. Are you kidding so i call and they say since I was never informed this would happen if i didnt pay it by a certain date they would take it all off with a written letter from myself and I should just pay in full. The next day I paid in full then sent the letter to Amex at the address provided. The account showed a zero balance and then they charged it off. How is that possible to charge off a zero balance since it was all paid. This has caused a trickle effect with all my credit cards. they started lowering credit limits due to this false report from Amex. which of course brought my balances close to the limits and further hurt my FICO. I assume the damage is done and I was told they would never give me an amex again lol. I never did anything wrong. I own 900 retail outlets and Jan 1 2010 issued a Ban for amex to be accepted at any retail location. It is sad they run the company this way. I know people that have been unemployed for years and still have an active Amex with very hefty limits. They deserve whatever happens to them.

Call me an idiot for letting you do this to me a 2nd time. It appears if a customer starts making minimum payments or is nearing their limit you jack up the interest rates. For no good reason, you decided to increase the interest on my acct, and at a time when interest rates are going down all over the place. I never been late on a payment, and my credit rating is excellent! The supervisor in customer service refused to refer me to her manager, or even give me her manager's name. You obviously do not want to discuss your policies with your customers. Jacking up interest rates is an unfair practice. Why in the world would you feel 15.25% interest rate is justified at a time when mortgage rates are under 5%? You are gouging your customers... and furthermore you know it!