Consumerist
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security
American Express Wants You To Use Lame Passwords
We're no longer indignant about Amex's weirdly lax security policies anymore, we're just confused. Why would a major credit card company cold call new customers and insist they give up bank and address info over the phone, or email sensitive data to strangers? Or, we just learned, demand that you use a lame password that isn't case sensitive, is only 6 to 8 characters long, and can't contain special characters? More » -
really personal finance
Let's All Judge Britney Spears' AMEX Bill
TMZ has obtained documents from Britney Spears' court case that include her AMEX expenses for the first 11 months of her conservatorship. Let's take a look... More » -
happy endings
AmEx/Citibank Nullify Annual Fee For Laid Off Customer
Chuck lost his job several months ago and wanted to continue his American Express membership, but had trouble justifying the $50 annual fee in his limited budget. So he launched an Executive Email Carpet Bomb, started his own anti-AmEx blog and started picketing... More » -
success stories
American Express Leaves Customer Stranded In Mumbai With No Money
Wait a minute...that headline sounds familiar. It doesn't have the desolate ring that "stranded in Siberia" has, but Josiah recently found himself without available credit in Mumbai. He recently had made a large payment on his American Express balance, see, and AmEx cut his credit limit accordingly—down to his current balance. Stranded without money in Mumbai? More » -
amex
AMEX Blue Raises Rates, Also On Past Balances, And Won't Let You Opt-Out
Starting Oct 1, AMEX Blue is raising rates on all customers, INCLUDING on OLD balances, AND they are telling customers that you can't just opt out and cancel the card (like normal). Turns out that opt-out we all took for granted was only by the credit card companies' good graces.
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credit cards
AmEx, Discover Ditch Overlimit Fees
American Express and Discover will no longer bill customers who exceed their credit limits, according to company spokespeople. The creditors aren't eliminating the fees because they care about their customers. No, they're providing what American Banker calls "the first concrete examples of how a new law will restrict issuers' abilities to turn a profit." The new CARD Act that Congress passed in May requires consumers to opt-in before they can exceed their credit limits. Since overlimit fees, which can reach $39, aren't very profitable for creditors, they decided to ditch the fees altogether. More » -
amex
American Express Doesn't Care About Your Sick Dog
It's not the responsibility of a credit card company to take care of you in an emergency, it's true. But amid the many reports of canceled cards and slashed credit lines we've been receiving was the story of Elizabeth, her dog, a veterinary emergency, and a most inauspiciously timed credit line cut. More » -
double billing
AT&T Charges Customer Twice, Refuses To Investigate It
We think AT&T just stole about $157 from commenter Spoco. They applied the payment as always via his Amex card, but then said that it was declined and auto-debited it a second time a month later (+ late fees, of course). The only problem is, it wasn't declined, and Spoco has proof. He just can't get anyone at AT&T to care. More » -
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annual memberships
Beware The Costco And American Express Membership Fee Double Dip
Last week we mentioned that Costco has a habit of backdating the starting date for lapsed membership renewals, which prompted Monica to write in and let us know of another issue they seem to have with billing. If you renew your executive membership with Costco but then apply for the Costco American Express card, Amex will charge you the membership fee a second time. Monica says the Amex CSR who fixed the problem told her it happens all the time. More » -
Permission Slips
AmEx Won't Reactivate Your Account Without A Note From Your Lawyer
American Express won't reactivate the charge card Xiyang closed more than two years ago until they get a note on letterhead confirming the source and amount of his annual income from an "accountant, broker, or attorney." Two accountants and a lawyer each told Xiyang they never heard of such a request, and said that it would be a "HUGE liability" for them to verify his income. Xiyang offered to send in pay stubs in addition to the IRS documents he already submitted, but AmEx won't budge until they receive their verification on letterhead. More » -
credit applications
9/11 Ruins Another Customer Experience
Angela can't get a new American Express card because Amex can't verify her Social Security number. They have to verify it because of 9/11. Since they can't, they've canceled her application. Because of 9/11. More » -
security gaps
American Express Keeps Emailing Sensitive Customer Info To A Random Stranger
We're starting to think Amex doesn't take this whole "data security" thing very seriously. First they confused a customer, and us, a few months ago with their random confirmation phone call, where they demanded a customer turn over bank account information over the phone without giving him a way to verify they were really Amex. Now a reader says the company has "for years" been sending him someone else's account info via email, including the customer's name and the last 5 digits of his account number. J.R. writes, "Seriously, I've seen better security on a video game forum." More » -
amex
Don't Be Alarmed By Zombie American Express Bills
A system error at American Express led to their computers kicking out bills with $0.00 balances for accounts that were long ago closed...or never activated in the first place. If you receive one, don't be alarmed. Annoyed, maybe. More » -
maddoff
See Maddoff's AMEX Bills
Wanna see the Maddoff clan's AMEX statements? They're online here. 2 grand Giorgio Armani in Paris, 8 grand at a hotel, 10 grand to charity, $441 at a bagel store, the garners of unlawful gains really know how to live it up. But you gotta give the guy some credit: he did pay his bills on time. [Scribd] (Thanks to Chris!) -
amex
Don't Move House If You Have An Amex Card
Here's a cautionary tale from a Consumerist reader whose credit card companycontacted his out-of-date phone number and got authorization for a $4000 spending spree.withdrew thousands of dollars from his bank account for a payment he had supposedly scheduled and then OK'd over the phone. The problem? He hadn't scheduled it, that wasn't him on the phone, and that wasn't his phone number. More » -
success stories
College Student Calls Amex Executive Customer Service, Gets His Limit Reinstated
Jon, like many American Express customers, had his credit limit slashed without warning recently. What he did next makes us feel all warm and fuzzy about our jobs here, because he found the necessary contact info buried in a post from 2007. Here's his story, proof that sometimes persistence pays off. More » -
american express
Amex Hikes Rate, Drops Balance, Then Tries To Bribe Customer To Pay Off Debt Early
Courey Gouker's recent experience with American Express encapsulates every trick the company has pulled in the past few months to drive away their customers, including dropping the credit limit, hiking the rate, and even offering him a cash bonus to pay off his balance in full. In addition, the company's CSRs made promises to him that they didn't keep, and notes on his account have gone missing. About the only thing they haven't done is email a photo of the CEO flipping him the bird. More » -
applecare
Apple Sells You The Wrong AppleCare Package, Then Loses Your Refund
Apple sold reader Melody the wrong AppleCare package, but instead of switching her to the proper coverage, they issued a refund and told her to re-purchase the warranty extension. They even gave her American Express transaction reference numbers so she could track the refund, but AmEx says the numbers are invalid and that they have no record of a refund posting. Melody's been out $195 since February, and thinks it's time for Apple to cough up her money. More »
amex
New York, 8:21 AM
Sun Nov 8
7 posts in the last 24 hours
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