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Credit Card Commentaries

American Express® Card
Issued by American Express

Total Posts: 170

Average Rating: 3.67

Category: Charge

Showing 1 - 10 of a total of 170 Commentaries

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"American Express - Tight on Credit"

Overall, this is a good credit, but lately, they have been treating clients who have been with them for quite sometime with less than satisfactory results. They have lowered my spending ability and simply say this is accross the board, well, that is unfortunate.

Most attractive feature: The "name" recognition

Least attractive feature: Lately, due to the economy, they simply are more strict on the limit.

Overall:

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Posted by: James T.

Date: 5/16/2009

Recommend?

This person does not recommend this card.

"American Express is deceptive"

I have been an American Express card holder for over 10 yers and over time have seen an accumulation of deceptive practices. They present themselves as somehow better and on a higher level than other credit cards, but they are no different and in some ways worse. To start with they say they are a "charge card" and not a credit card. So what. On my statement every month there is a section of charges that I can postpone paying and pay interest. That makes them a credit card. Most laughable is their claim of no credit limit. It''''s all semantics. You will definately have a "spending limit" which amounts to the same thing except that they won''''t tell you what it is. When I was a new card holder I was publically humiliated when my new card was declined at a store due to exceeding my "spending limit". When I contacted customer service I was told they give new card holders lower "spending limits" until you can prove to them that you are going to pay your bill. On a similar note I recently had a online transaction declined for no apparrant reason. I spent close to an hour trying to figure out why my transaction would not go through. I even called the merchant''''s customer service and they could could not tell me why it would not go through. I finally used a Visa card with no problem. Upon contacting AMEX I was told that they randomly decline online transactions as a matter of checking security. When I expressed my discontent (outrage at wasting an hour of my time), they had nothing to say but that''''s the way it is, take it **or** leave it. I have chosen to leave it. There are way to many quality cards out there that do not have steep annual fes to be treated poorly. I would not recommend doing business with American Express.

Most attractive feature: Nice to be able to transfer Rewards Program points to frequent flier programs.

Least attractive feature: Deceptive in their claims about the benefits of the card. Poor customer service.

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Posted by: Seattle8790

Date: 12/28/2008

Recommend?

This person does not recommend this card.

"Decline of Charges without reason"

American Express is the absolute most secure and reliable card you can have until they decide not to accommodate you any more, and that can happen at any time. With me it happened after 18 years of membership, never being late, always paid in full, I was 100% with them. In 2005 I was the victim of Hurricane Katrina, I lost my home but not my source of income. They claim that my being unfortunate enough to live at the location of a natural disaster is not the reason my standing with was a Platinum Card account was erased, however, since that storm my account has had holds placed on it every other month over the past 3 years, have had charges declined without notice which never occured even one time in the 18 years previous to the storm. After the hurricane I was constantly asked to update my financial imformation month after month. Two years ago I moved to another state and while staying at a hotel being charged to the card they began calling me every single day demanding that I pay my entire balance charged to that moment until I had to finally place the hotel charge on my Visa. It was at that point I downgraded the account to a standard green card and requesting a substantial credit line increase on my Chase Mastercard and was granted it, I stopped using Amex altogether. It is so much better not having to worry if my card is going to be declined, to not get those dreaded calls. Amex is a great card until you do something that makes them unhappy and your account is flagged for harrassment by them, and once that happens it''''s all over. I know there are a lot of cardholders who will see this and think, "Oh he must have something, they have always been great to me" Well, It wasn''''t that long ago I would have said the same. This company has no sense of respect **or** loyalty, their service to you is based on what they think could happen, not what you do.

Most attractive feature: It s the best card to have until it isn''''t.

Least attractive feature: Unknown spending limit and improvisation of terms of use by CS

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Posted by: Steven

Date: 12/9/2008

Recommend?

This person does not recommend this card.

"Screwed by American Express"

I just spent 63 minutes on the phone with American Express (most of the time on hold) trying to get someone to explain why 1) they lowered my credit limit and 2) why they raised my interest rate by 3%.

I was told that my credit limit was being decreased because I wasn''''t making large enough payments. For the past five months, my minimum payments totaled $829 while my payments totaled $1200. The customer service rep I spoke with, Kimone, informed me that the amount I paid was not enough to prevent my credit limit from being lowered. When I asked how much was enough to keep it from being decreased, she told me she didn''''t know but that "the customer is supposed to know to pay more." I fail to see the logic.

After having the second customer service rep, Darnell, keep me on hold for over 30 minutes in order to verify that American Express was raising my interest rate, he then transferred me to the third rep, Shanaine, who when asked why my interest rate was being raised replied "it''''s hard to say." World class customer service!

I must say I have been an American Express card holder for over 6 years and have NEVER had one problem. It''''s sad that they have decided to make the "little guy" pay for other''''s financial mistakes. I plan on taking out a personal loan and paying off this account (the same as I did with Discover - at a much lower interest rate).

Most attractive feature: They are pretty good about crediting charges you didn''''t make.

Least attractive feature: They raised my interest rate and lowered my credit line.

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Posted by: cleanhonda

Date: 11/27/2008

Recommend?

This person does not recommend this card.

"american express blue is a must have."

I always thought that American Express was some sort of upscale card that I would never be able to qualify for. But recently, I started to receive offers from them. The best part of American Express is that they are a very respectable corporation, they are the only credit card issues that borrows their own money to the consumer.

Moreover, American express cards have great benefits and rewards and do not have a annual fee. I find that I am more responsible when it comes to spending when I use my American express because I have the option of paying in full or paying in a number of quotes, while regular credit cards just add your purchases to the revolving balance and keep accruing interest for all the time that is there as de facto.

Their costumer service is unbelievable, also the American express website is state of the art and the user can do a lot of administrative shores with your own account without having to call a representative.

Most attractive feature: quotes option, low interest rate

Least attractive feature: don't have a smaller key chain version of the card or personalization.

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Posted by: miguel

Date: 9/30/2008

Recommend?

This person does recommend this card.

"American express credit card what a JOKE "

I have to tell what happened to me. I am a American express business card caring member until today.
I have carried this card for about 1 and a half years. I have never used this card until 3 days ago. I got this card which they tell U has no limit which is a joke. I used my American express card and charged about 2800.00 or a little less REMBER 3 days ago. Here it is a nice Sunday afternoon and I am driving home from the families house and my cell phone rings. American express representative calling me wanting a payment over the phone no I am not joking. I could not believe it unreal. I was treated so rude and bad by them I am still in shock . I then return to my home and play my answering machine and there is a very important call from American express I must call them immediately . I have NEVER been treated like this from and company whatsoever. NEVER AGAIN WILL I DO BUSINESS WITH AMERICAN EXPRESS

Sincerely
Pat

Most attractive feature: I cant think of any

Least attractive feature: customer service

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Posted by: pat

Date: 9/28/2008

Recommend?

This person does not recommend this card.

"by far the most unreliable card EVER!!!"

The platinum card and American express are anything but convenient... They say no preset limit... trust me there is. I had the card for nearly 5 years when this past year during a move and Christmas I tried to purchase at Wal-Mart... Denied!!! I called and asked why, they said unusual spending, I questioned that since the balance was far less than the 8k + I had paid off in full in months past. This card is an out right embarrassment... You constantly have to guessing if you have reached that "theoretical limit". Not to mention it does nothing to help you credit score since they don’t report a "spending limit" to the credit agencies. Also you pay for your points!!! My recommendation, get a card with a good limit and use it. Amex has lost my business and most likely will never get it back.

Most attractive feature: nothing

Least attractive feature: no preset limit???

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Posted by: Alan

Date: 2/13/2008

Recommend?

This person does not recommend this card.

"Good, bad, ugly"

Having an american express charge card teaches one to know what their limits are. If you have a card due in full at the end of the month, the you have to make wise decisions about use, which is something note everyone does. American Express does have revolving credit cards, so to all the people who complain about having their bill due at the end of the month, read the t&c you have a charge card. I dont like the no preset spending limit part, because I dont like to call the company when I plan on making major purchases. Another fantastic thing about Amex is they dont report negative information to credit bureaus unless they have to cancel for 120+ days past due. As with all cards you have to know your own limits. Take responsibility for your and I mean your own spending and misuse of the card.

Most attractive feature: debt managment

Least attractive feature: no preset spending limit blur

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Posted by: Michelle

Date: 6/22/2006

Recommend?

This person does recommend this card.

"Worst Card"

American express is expensive to both retailer and customers; doesn't offer anything unusual and have the worst customer service. It is not accepted by as many retailers as other credit cards. Why would anybody have this lousy card? Ummm, let me pay more for worse service..where do I sign up?

Most attractive feature: None

Least attractive feature: Lousy customer service

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Posted by: GPS

Date: 11/20/2005

Recommend?

This person does not recommend this card.

"AMEX stinks! It really stinks if you have not paid it off on time, believe it!"

There is no grace period with the AMEX card which will save your sorry check book if you, heaven forbid, forget to send in your payment one or two or heaven help you three months late. You are going to be so pissed and frustrated when you get their double penalties, their horror-story interest charges, the compounded late fees and all of it is non-negotiable. They use a Canadian credit collection firm which was incompetent and untruthful, whose members lie, which doesn't keep any records of you having paid off the account, and who falsely fail to correct credit errors. American Express customer service, when confronted very civilly about what appeared to be a mistake, was surly, obstinate, uncompromising and could frankly care less for your concerns as either a customer or a former customer. I cut my card up, it was so punitive. Am I unhapppy with American Express? You bet. Without a single cuss word, either. American &*$%!!ng Express.

thanks for the chance to vent my anger. Now off to anger management class to report on my other 12 steps.....

Most attractive feature: the card wasn't that hard to apply for, but then it was punitive

Least attractive feature: punitive billing, high double interest penalties and no relief for hardship

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