Thread: American Express closed my account. Help!!!

Hello. New to the forums and have found this site incredibly helpful in the past. I was recently approved for an American Express Zync and Gold Card. After receiving both my cards in the mail I instantly activated them online. The first thing I did was set enroll my bank account.

I am a technology consultant and rack up pretty large amounts in a given week, always paying it off within the week once paid by my clients. Knowing that this is 1) a charge card 2) I am a new customer with every large purchase I made I would call and make sure the purchase would go through. In some cases pre-authorizing larger than normal amounts.

Here's the not so fun part. My larger transaction were all made on my Gold card. The small things like gas, candy, and phone bill were used with my Zync. I logged on and noticed one of the payments on my Zync had been returned by my financial institution. "That can't be". So I called my bank. A request for funds had not been initiated by American Express. Baffled I called Amex, only to find out that upon enrolling my Zync with my bank account I was ONE digit off. To make matters worse I made two payments on the same account in a 10 day span. Always keeping my account at a zero balance. That means two payments would without a doubt be returned. I called several times before the second payment was returned and was assured it wouldn't be a problem. It was a simple obvious error. Not to mention I spend and paid over 7K on my Gold card within that same 10 day period using the CORRECT banking information. Again always keeping at a zero balance.

A few days later I go to make another large purchase. Pre-authorizing $2600. I attempt to make the purchase only to have my transaction declined. I immediately call American Express only to find that my account has been suspended for two returned payments.

This can't be happening. I have $2600 pre-authorized on a card I cannot use. After three weeks of feuding back and forth American Express over a ONE digit error they send me a check for $2600, close all existing accounts and tell me they can not be re-instated. I have to re-apply. No problem I say. I'm transfered to new accounts, applied and am instantly denied for a "Returned payment by my financial institution".

At this point I have no hair, have called the corporate offices, and have had my account sent to the underwriting team, credit review, and every other department that American Express has thrown at me. This is unbelievable. Everything is notated. Clearly visible that this one digit error is the cause of all this. Yet they won't re-instate or approve a new account. This is a fight I am not yet ready to give up. This battle started about a month ago and I don't know where to go from here. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

Yes. Time to move on. In the end YOU made the error that led to all the problems. Take responsibility for it! It's not a big deal in the scheme of things but this is not a battle you will win.

I work for a bank and know first hand that they "freak out" over possible fraud situations. Your situation fits the bill perfectly, so I can see why they took, what seems to you, such extreme measures.

You might try to have your "case" reviewed by a manager or see if they can put a hold on your payment until it clears.

If there is a will there is a way.

Good luck.