Complain about a product or service

American Express

Gift Cards

Nicole of Santa Clarita, CA July 14, 2008

Nicole of Santa Clarita CA (07/14/08)
I had purchased several gift cards for employee incentive. Throughout the year I had three remaining, but I had noticed they were expired. I called to have new cards issued and sent. Only one arrived. The second card never did and Amex was supposed to give me a credit to my American Express credit card, they never did. The third card ended up in the hands of a stranger. AMEX tried to blame the fraudulant charges on me! They sent the card to the wrong address and they tried to stick me with the charges!

They suggested I take it up with the vendors - are they serious? How was I supposed to dispute a charge made with a gift card I don't have (I didn't even have the CC#). After 8 phone calls I have still had no luck getting my credit or my third card. Everytime a supervisor said they'd call me back, they didn't! I will NEVER purchase an AMEX gift card again...next time Visa...or better yet, Cash!

Lost 100.

Theresa of Virginia Beach, VA July 12, 2008

Theresa of Virginia Beach VA (07/12/08)
I was given an American Express gift card for 100.00 for my college graduation. I used the card a couple of times for small purchases at fast food restaurants, but then it was declined with a remaining balance of 77.84 on the card. I called customer service on 07/02/08 to report the problem. I was told that the card had been properly funded (meaning they received payment for it), but that something wrong in the activation process. They needed to report this to their processing team and I should call back for a resolution in 2-3 business days. I called back on 07/08/08... no resolution yet... Call tomorrow.

I called on 07/09/08 and was told that I needed to send them the receipt for their processing team to complete their investigation. I was livid. I didn't want to have to call the folks who gave me the gift and ask for a receipt, so they would know what a pain in the behind their gift was. I asked for a supervisor, explained the situation, including the fact that the card had worked a couple of times, so I had even thrown the packaging out that it came in because all appeared good with the card until now. She apologized (they REALLY apologize for everything, but they're not great on correcting anything) and promised that she would call me with a resolution the next day. She asked for my address, name, and phone number.

I did not receive a call back. I called on 07/12/08 to check, since the supervisor Eunic never returned my call. The next agent told me again that the case was being handled by the processing team and I should call back again in 2-3 business days. Again, I asked for a supervisor. This time the supervisor wanted to know information about the person who bought the gift card. I gave, since I was so frustrated, but I asked why they should even be involved, since they did show that the card had been fully funded. They couldn't explain, and I was so frustrated that I just hung up.

The only consequence was my wasted hours on hold for them and talking to them with no resolution, coupled with the inability to use the remaining gift card balance.

Kerry of West Covina, CA July 2, 2008

Kerry of West Covina CA (07/02/08)
KEEP YOUR RECEIPT! I got a 100 American Express gift card in August 2007 for my daughter's birthday. It was given by a priest who came from Taiwan to visit us. He purchased it from Vons with cash plus the fee for purchasing it. After a week of receiving the card, I tried using it at a local retailer and the card was declined. I called in and a rep told me that the card hasn't been activated yet and it will be by the next day. She thought it was odd because I've had the card for 1 week already as it was supposed to get activated the day it was purchase. I tried using it 2 weeks later and the card was still declined. So, I called customer service and talked to a supervisor and was told that the card was invalid and has a balance of 0.

She put in a request to get a new card issued. She even asked for my address and phone, but I've never received it. So, I called back 2 months later and got the same response and was told to call back, which I did several times. Now it's July 2, 2008, my ninth time calling, and after talking to several reps and supervisors, they finally told me that I need a copy of the gift card purchase receipt as it's the only way they can issue a replacement card. It's been almost a year and the priest no longer has the receipt. Most people don't keep the receipt, and for American Express to keep telling me to call back 2-3 business days to check the status, they are delaying the months that I could have asked the priest for it. I told them that this is a way for them to make money from people, and found it ridiculous for them to tell me to ask a priest all the way from Taiwan for the original receipt after almost a year!

I also told them that I will report them to BBB, the news, and their main website. I might have a chance to get a receipt if only they had told me since the beginning to get one. My advice, try to keep or get a hold of the receipt early on and don't listen to the reps and supervisors if they tell you that they will take matter personally and call you back, they don't. This is very upsetting because Ive wasted so much time arguing with customer service and to find out that the priest is out of 100, my daughter didnt get her gift, and American Express gained it. I would NEVER buy nor want American Express gift cards and am telling everyone I know not to buy them either.

Michael of Rancho Palos Verdes, CA June 30, 2008

Michael of Rancho Palos Verdes CA (06/30/08)
We had in our possession three American Express Gift Cards, 100, 25 and 25 for a total of 150. We had noticed an expiration date of 08/08 on all of the cards and planned to use them prior to the stated expiration date. In attempting to use them today 6/29 at a local retailer, we were told that the 25 cards had no value and the 100 card had a value of 72. The retailer was witness to us opening the cards in their presence and did not understand why this was the case.

We called the 877 number which was hard to make out as it was pressed in on the exact line of the card imprints making it almost impossible to read. We eventually got a hold of someone who verified one of the cards and responded with this card has no value as we had to take back 2 per month since you had not used the card that was activated in May of 2006. Oh by the way you got a year free of this charge. This was obviously news to us since the card had clearly indicated an expiration date of 08/08. I feel that any person(s) looking at the packaging of this gift card would have no idea that there is a penalty of any amount for not using the card, the deception occurs due to the misleading expiration date written in large clearly visible lettering on the package and not the small print cleverly minimized to deceive. As an example if a 25 card loses total value due to this fee prior to the expiration date as occurred in our case, why have this false expiration date imprinted at all, did they not know of their own math. I think American Express is deserving of the exposure and proper inquiry and full application of the law in order to stop this sort of practice, I hope someone in congress or place of proper authority has them under a magnifying glass and will hold their feet to the fire.

Loss of 78 of the 150 value in gift cards that were used to purchase household goods.

Donna of Bloomingdale, NJ June 29, 2008

Donna of Bloomingdale NJ (06/29/08)
Upon purchasing an American Express gift card I was charged and additional 4.95 fee to activate it. I am appalled that I would have to pay to purchse a gift card. No other businesses charge to purchase their gift cards. American Express is making an unfair profit.

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