AmEx is harrassing me

[Tuckervill]

That's weird. We've had an AmEx account since 1986, and all our dealings with them have been A+ number one, no exceptions. Even when we forgot to pay the bill! Oh well. I don't use their services anymore (since about 2003) but I still have one of their cards.

Karen

[OakLeaf]

I'm through with Citibank, but that's another story. They replaced a card I'd had for some 20 years with another card because I wasn't using it enough. Well, okay. But they also cancelled my online access to the account, cancelled my paperless billing, mailed the first bill to a P.O. Box that had been closed for 8 months (which the address on the former account had been updated; luckily it's a small town and the Post Office forwarded it "under the table" so it reached me before the due date), and then they wouldn't let me establish new online access to pay the bill. "That website is brand new [they'd sent me the card five months earlier]. We're working on it." No wonder they're going under.

[Possegal]

Bank of America made it so that I can no longer pay them through their website. I have to have a checking account with them to do that. Well I like my bank, don't need their checking account, thank you very much. So I'm trying to pay it off and then be done with using it. OY, should pay them all off and be done, that's the long term goal.

I know many folks that have had their credit lines cut, that's happening all over and regardless of credit rating. In fact, all the people I know that it is happening to are ones that don't carry a balance. One day I hope to not carry a balance too, add it to the 09 resolutions (dang that is a long list).

I've had my phone number for 8.5 yrs and I think up until a couple years ago, I was still getting calls for the person that used to have it. Somehow I think they may have changed their number due to some credit issues. It was quite annoying. I just bought a fridge and the store plugged in my phone number and up came this guy's name and address. I can't escape him!

[Crankin]

I also have had A+service from Am Ex. Even when my husband's card # got stolen and someone was using it to buy porn videos... they actually helped figure out that's what was happening and sent it on to the police.

[Irulan]

Put me on the Amex sucks list. I forget at the moment why we closed our account with them, but they pissed us off for some reason about 20 years ago, never gone back.

[Mr. Bloom]

Quoting the source:

Placing your number on the National Do Not Call Registry will stop most telemarketing calls, but not all. Because of limitations in the jurisdiction of the FTC and FCC, calls from or on behalf of political organizations, charities, and telephone surveyors would still be permitted, as would calls from companies with which you have an existing business relationship, or those to whom you’ve provided express agreement in writing to receive their calls.

This is VERY poor practice, but it's not a collection call...it's a sales call...not illegal...just very tacky

You need to contact the number on your card and "Opt Out" on any cross sales endeavors. Don't call the telemarketer...that's likely not AMEX...call AMEX or do it online - see #31 on the link

[lunacycles]

Signing up for the Do Not Call Registry clearly stops a lot of telemarketers (3 months later...), but definitely not all, as mister implies. The current bane of my home phone existence are sales calls that have not a human behind them, but some &*%$ pre-recorded message. You can "opt out", supposedly, if you answer the phone and press some button on your phone when the pitch is over, but if they pile up on your voicemail--as I let them do--there is no way to stop them. Lately it has been Dish Network marketers (I loved Dish, but no more...), and lots of "refinancing" folks. ARgh.

[Aint Doody]

American Express has always been great in my book. I've had them remove charges that were questionable right away.

[Selkie]

I've noticed that customer service, in general, has declined across the board in the last several years.

Don't get me started on our recent experience with comcast.

[Flur]

I'm through with Citibank, but that's another story.

They just upped my rate so I'm PO'd at them too. And I'm annoyed with MBNA too. It seems like none of them are handling the economic crisis well.

OY, should pay them all off and be done, that's the long term goal.

+1. I'm more determined than ever to get rid of all my credit cards, keeping one for online purchases that will be paid off right after they're made.

[Geonz]

I started using my ATM card and paying for things in cash, even when it was big, at places like my LBS. WHy should the credit card company get 3%?

I think the formal legal option is best, too... give up trying to educate them. Cut it up and send it back.

[Mr. Bloom]

It seems like none of them are handling the economic crisis well.

Here's what's happening
- Credit Card companies depend on selling receivables to investors in pools to raise cash
- No one trusts the sellers anymore(me included) and everyone's concerned about the american consumer
- So, credit card companies can't sell outstanding receivables right now.

Credit card companies then have to maintain capital against their receivables and unfunded commitments.

So, they can't sell their receivables -therefore- they need to maintain much more capital (at a time when no one is willing to invest in financial institutions)

And, they need capital against unfunded commitments (which they don't make income from).

Therefore, they have a serious capital problem and need to start shrinking either receivables or unfunded commitments or both...and this further fuels the crisis.

So, don't take it personally...it's part of a vicious and unfortunate cycle that becomes a self fulfilling prophesy...

[nancielle]

It could very well be that you are not dealing with AmEx, but a 3rd party debt collector. They tend to not take "really you are calling the wrong number" seriously at all... they figure you are just lying to them and continue their harassment..

That's what I'm thinking; it isn't AmEx at all. I've had this happen on way too many occasions, for people I don't know and the rudest of people on the other end. If you have caller ID, try plugging their telephone number into a search engine. Nine times out of ten the number came up in the search (along with an address) and I've filed complaints with the Consumer Protection division of the state's attorney general's office in my home state as well as the state where the collection agency is located. Haven't had any of those calls in a while.

[gingerale]

I've had it happen. Not with AmEx but another one. They told me to hold on for more info to speak to someone. I did once and when they answered I asked them to stop calling me and the person hung up. They did it another time and I told them I was going to report them and they hung up again. They finally stopped calling after that last time.

[Bluetree]

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in December:

Card companies adjusting credit limits
For some, lowering based on where they shop
By CARRIE TEEGARDIN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sunday, December 21, 2008

Kevin D. Johnson returned from a dreamy Jamaican honeymoon in October eager to check out wedding photos and help his new wife open stacks of beautifully wrapped wedding gifts.

Before getting distracted by the fun stuff, the 29-year-old entrepreneur opened the mail. Johnson’s mood soured when he got to a letter from American Express, saying it had slashed the credit limit on his account.

Johnson was surprised, since he has a perfect payment history and a high credit score. And he was floored by one of the reasons American Express cited: It didn’t like where he shopped.

“Other customers who have used their card at establishments where you recently shopped have a poor repayment history with American Express,” the letter said. Johnson complained to American Express by phone and letter.

“That doesn’t have anything to do with whether I’m a paying customer or not,” he said in an interview.

Johnson checked his charges to try to figure out what might have raised a red flag in the American Express data-mining model. He didn’t see anything but typical transactions, including purchases at Amazon, Ruby Tuesday, Wal-Mart, Starbucks and Federal Express.

“I understand the need for and the power of predictive analytics,” Johnson said, “But I think they have crossed the line.”

Link to full story