Complain about a product or service

American Express

Gift Cards

Russ of palm springs, CA May 18, 2009

got a amex card for my birthday for 100. go to use it was no good. call amex and said it had 0 balance. what a rip off. have been on hold for two days

kathy of Chicago, IL May 18, 2009

I ordered an american express gift card in the amount of 250 online. After completing the transaction, the website indicated that the transaction did not go through and encouraged me to try again. I did, and found out later that they both went through. Both were for 250. I called immediately to have one cancelled and was told to call back in a few days. I did that only to be told that American Express will take aboaut 20 days to refund my 250. I find this totally unacceptable and need it to pay monthly bills.

Alan of Alta Loma, CA April 30, 2009

My wife misplaced a 100.00 American Express Gift card, but she found it last week and gave it to me... I tried to use it today and the person at the register told me the card was "no good", the date on the card was expired I was told? To my understanding, gift card do not expire in California. So I went online and found the phone number to American Express/Gift card department, of course the person I spoke to was from India.

I gave them the number on the card and they looked it up and said the balance was "ZERO?" Then I asked, when was the card used? They told me it was used on August 18, 2007 at a Casa Laguna? So, I said I would talk to my wife to see what the deal was... I informed my wife that American Express said she used at Casa Laguna? Well, to her suprise she never heard or went to Casa Laguna?... We do not even know what type of business Casa Laguna is?

In any case, I too believe that American Express is up to some funny business! My wife never used the card and American Express will not honor what was issued to use, because "they(American Express)" say we used it? Which is a straight out lie!

VBarnett of Carmichael, CA April 27, 2009

Well, here's my story, apparently it's typical of Amex.

I very recently rec'd a 25 gift card that does not expire until 02-11. However, when I checked the balance, it was only 3. Upon further investigation, I am positive the person that gave it to me as a thank you gift did not know this card had fees!!! Since Amex so very inconveniently does not post a contact email address online, I asked Amex via USPS that the fees be reversed so I can use the gift in the way it was intended. I know, probably a complete waste of a stamp.

I also tried calling the customer service line but got transferred to someone in India!!! who could neither speak nor understand English.

I am in a position to purchase and influence others' purchases for my company....especially for promotions, thank you's and other incentive-type gifts. We're not a small company, either. YOU CAN REST ASSURED AMEX, THAT I WILL NEVER EVER PURCHASE NOR RECOMMEND THE PURCHASE OF ANY TYPE OF AMEX PRODUCT FROM THIS DAY FORWARD...for both my workplace and in my personal life. What a complete fraud!!!

Melinda of Alexandria, VA April 3, 2009

Melinda of Alexandria VA (04/03/09)
I was given an American Express Gift Card in the amount of 25. I tried twice to use it at two different grocery stores and both times it was declined. I called the 877 number to check the balance and the recording said it had a 0.00 balance. These gift cards are worthless junk!

Barbara of Culver City, CA April 1, 2009

Barbara of Culver City CA (04/01/09)
I received a 100.00 gift card. I used it for a merchant online purchase and paid my utility bill with the balance. The merchant for the online purchase charged the card twice, I sent an email to customer service, then I called the number on the AMEX web site. Someone who wasn't even from this country, repeated a script over and over again that I would have to wait 7 days and AMEX automatically reverses the duplicate charge, the customer service person had no idea what she was talking about.

And to make matters worse she didn't answer my questions at all and kept repeating the same answer. How bizarre! There isn't an email address for AMEX so I am stuck for 7 days.

Kim of Fresno, CA March 23, 2009

Kim of Fresno CA (03/23/09)
My husband was given American Express giftcards as a bonus this month. Our house was robbed and the gift cards along with some other items were taken. I called Amex without the card numbers to get some assistance but was told that without the card numbers I would not be assisted. So I contacted the person that gave me the cards and received the card numbers. I called again with all of the information needed to assist me and was told that I was responsible for the cards and that the cards would not be replaced. That if they had a balance on them then they could replace any of the remaining balance on the card. THEY WERE GIFT CARDS NO ONES NAME WAS PRINTED ON THEM ANYONE COULD USE THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So I called their corporate offices and they enturned called back the Customer Service line and said that they could not over ride their decision....

I might not be a card holder but I would have expected to get a little assistance from them... Nothing I got nothing.....

Now not am I only out a thousand dollars my insurance company says that since they are like cash they can not replace them..

Report Your Experience
If you've had a bad experience -- or a good one -- with a consumer product or service, we'd like to hear about it. All complaints are reviewed by class action attorneys and are considered for publication on our site. Knowledge is power! Help spread the word. File your consumer report now.

Share		Follow us on Twitter.