Learn your options to get your voice heard and make American Express pay
Has American Express left you struggling for hours on hold, trying to get your issue fixed? Have you gotten nothing but lists of auto-responses or hold messages, and feel you’ve no other recourse but to sue American Express? We can help.
Here are your options to get a fair resolution with American Express:
Understand American Express Dispute Policies
American Express has made an attempt to reduce their number of customer complaints about service, the kind you file when you have an issue with their services or when you feel they overcharged you or misled you, which means you have some simpler steps to try first.
If you opt to file an internal dispute with American Express for a non-fraud related case, you now have a limited window of 120 days from the time of the transaction.
You can provide varying forms of documentation for transactions where your physical card was not used.
If you were dissatisfied with the resolution the first time, you can raise a dispute twice on the same transaction.
American Express makes it easy to find educational resources for situations where fraud takes place, or where you dispute a transaction, but they don’t make it as easy for situations where the company is at the center of the dispute.
So, what about situations where there isn’t a transaction, per say, but where the company salesperson misled you, or their service doesn’t turn out to be what they promised, they revoked your bonus points without just cause or where they overcharged you? American Express customers who have been mistreated by the company have options to fight back.
Your contract with American Express will likely stipulate that due to an arbitration clause, you cannot sue them except for in small claims court.
This is typical of banks, wireless companies, and cable services, among other companies. When you become their customer you agree not to sue them or take part in a class action lawsuit. In effect, you agree to abide by a decision made by an arbitrator, if you have a dispute that goes to mandatory arbitration. This process is meant to expedite the dispute process for you and for them, so it’s not all bad.
Sue American Express in Small Claims Court
This is where small claims court comes in. With small claims court you can only submit certain types of claims.
Most small claims court have monetary limits that range between $2,500 and $10,000 in damages. So, if your claim is less than the minimum cap or more than the maximum, you might not be able to file.
Bear in mind there are also nominal fees depending on the amount of your claim.
If things settle in your favor, it will either be:
Monetary is a dollar amount while equitable is anything outside of a monetary request. Most small claims courts will only approve a settlement for monetary compensation.
This can be an arduous, time consuming process as each local small claims court has different steps for filing a claim. However, small claims court is typically easier and faster than a traditional lawsuit.
You could walk away with compensation, or even settlement in exchange for dropping your claim.
Most states require you take the following actions:
American Express Company
CT Corporation System
111 Eighth Avenue
New York, New York, 10011*
*Note: The address in question should be the same address listed in your subscriber agreement.
Use Arbitration to Settle Your Complaint with American Express
If that seems like too daunting a task, you are seeking equitable compensation, or your claim cannot be filed in small claims court for whatever reason, you can use a consumer arbitration process to simply the resolution of your claim.
This process brings with it the chance of an early resolution. Most big companies, like American Express, will offer to settle early once arbitration has been initiated.
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