Prepaid card -- Trouble using the card -- Complaint #15958798
Complaint Overview
Complaint ID: 15958798
Company: American Express Company
Product: Prepaid card
Sub-Product: General-purpose prepaid card
Issue: Trouble using the card
Sub-Issue: Trouble using the card to spend money in a store or online
State: Oklahoma
ZIP Code: 74014
Date Received: 2025-09-15T12:00:00-05:00
Date Sent to Company: 2025-09-15T12:00:00-05:00
Company Response: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Submitted Via: Web
Consumer Narrative
I was given a XXXX XXXX American Express Gift card on XX/XX/year>.. I tried to use the card on XX/XX/year> to make a purchase at a store in person. I activated the card before I tried to make the purchase. They would not accept the card as a form of payment. I also asked the store if i could exchange the gift card for XXXX dollars and they refused. The store suggested I add it to XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX but later did some research and found out that XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX do not accept American Express gift cards to their wallets. I also tried adding the gift card to my XXXX account, but XXXX declined the gift card. I tried seeing if I could exchange the card for money in an app called XXXX, but the app only accepts XXXX digit card numbers, not AMEX XXXX digit numbers I wanted to and tried to contact American Express by chat, but i could not contact them by chat because you have to have an AMEX account in order to reach customer service by chat. So, I tried creating an account. As I tried to create an account, AMEX required me to enter in my card details. I entered in my card details but AMEX rejected and declined my gift card information. Therefore, AMEX would not let me have an account. After I've exhausted myself with every possible way I could to use the card to buy something, I decided to Call AMEX customer service. I called XXXX, but I could not get ahold of a live person at that number and all it was able to do was tell me my balance. I then tried calling a different number which was XXXX and I was able to get ahold of a live person. However, she was not able to successfully help me and never resolved my issue. She told me that I called the wrong department and transferred me to XXXX. That number did could not connect me to a real person and was another automated number. I called customer service on XX/XX/year>. The customer service is nonexistent. I also did some research about my issue and read about a lot of people on XXXX talking about the same issue I had and XXXX is how I found about the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. AMEX are crooks and they should not be allowed to do stuff like this, to sell cards and then not be allowed to use them at all, that's like scamming people. This is a legit card and not a scam. You are literally paying for nothing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Complaint #15958798 about?
Complaint #15958798 was filed against American Express Company regarding Prepaid card specifically about Trouble using the card. It was received by the CFPB on 2025-09-15T12:00:00-05:00.
How did American Express Company respond to this complaint?
The company responded with: "Closed with monetary relief". The response was timely.
What is the risk level of this complaint?
See the risk assessment section for details on this complaint's risk profile.
How do I file a similar complaint?
You can file a complaint with the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint. Select the appropriate product category (Prepaid card) and describe your issue in detail.
Can I see other complaints against American Express Company?
Yes, visit the American Express Company company profile at readthecomplaint.com/company/american-express-company to see all complaints, risk scores, and analysis.
Disclaimer
This analysis is AI-generated based on publicly available CFPB complaint data. It does not constitute financial or legal advice.