Kamron

Apparently they never received my response refuting the claims made by the merchant. Should I resend that? Or should I send a letter simply asking to re-open the case without much detail?

Thank you for your help!

Tanic

Interesting that this thread has resurfaced. I recently filed a complaint about a large national merchant on the AmEx website; received an email response two days later from AmEx Merchant Force Administrators informing me that the large corporation was not an AmEx merchant and there was nothing that could be done.

I subsequently called AmEx Customer Service in FLL, explained what happened to the rep and she took a full report about the large national corporation. Imagine my surprise when the next day I received a nearly identical email again from AmEx Merchant Force Administrators informing me that the very large merchant with AmEx stickers on every door and cash register is not an AmEx merchant, and thanking me for my business.

So I called AmEx back requesting that every charge on my bill from the non-existent merchant be removed and credited. Still on hold...

Kamron

How can you receive a charge from a merchant that is not in AmEx's system? :|
I am curious to see how it turns out.

Ritz

I would be open a new case, and request that they reference the original dispute for verification.

Centurion

Send a very short letter asking the case be reopened and refer to and enclose your response Amex never received.

JFKLAX321

The fact that you purchased a service via a website (and then sent additional email correspondence) might, serve as sufficient enough contacts to allow California to exercise jurisdiction over the company. In no way does that imply that California law would control the transaction. These inquiries are entirely separate. More importantly, you probably already waived your right to choose which venue / law applies (and the merchant too).

I feel sorry for you, and hope this gets worked out, but before you go on a rant against AMEX you should keep in mind that you're lucky it's not VISA or MC. I have had only one dispute resolution (with VISA) and it was truly a mess.

Kuboscott

I also have had a dispute also on a charge since November. I am wondering if there may be something more sinister happening in this department. I had a discussion with them today and they admitted to having "many complaints" about a particular vendor that misrepresented themselves to me as another organization in order to receive hotel bookings. Within hours I learned of this deception and I canceled the contract in writing and immediately called AMEX to inform them not to accept the charge. (What if my colleagues and I showed up at a fully booked conference and had no Hotel rooms!) They said that I had to wait until the charge was shown on my account before I could dispute it. To make a long story short, they have rejected my claim because the vendor has a no refund policy stated in the fine print of their contract.
The vendor provided no services and my company is out over $2,000.
Again, I wonder if there is something sinister here. It is clear that I am not the only card holder that has filed a complaint (How many others haven't bothered?)
Is there something rotten in Denmark or maybe southern Florida?

jandersinc

Anytime it's a long story, there's more to the story, which is probably why Amex sided with the merchant...

Obviously I don't know you or the situation, but I'm guessing you're going to be stuck with the charge based upon how you've been very vague about the "long story". I'm guessing Amex feels the same way.

Kuboscott

AMEX got the complete story. Which included a telemarketer making false claims. And an immediate attempt to stop the billing from the vendor, which provided no goods or services for the $2200. I will probably stop doing business with AMEX both for business and personally if I don't get a reasonable answer for them siding with a merchant that admittedly has numerous claims against them. As well as file a claim against them with the Attorney General of NY. An unhappy customer will tell 8 people how displeased that they are with a vendor. In the long-run its actually just an example of how far we have fallen in terms of customer service in this country.

Ritz

And a happy customer like me will tell the 80 people under me that they must use their corporate Amex for all business expenses. And we'll rack up millions in spend and they'll get the benefits and backing of Amex worldwide for travel and beyond. Guess its a all a matter of perspective. @:-)

friedablass

Ditto on this.

I think it's the high $ amount disputes that cause red flags to go up and investigations to go deeper. I've used Amex dispute very seldom in the past and usually for small amounts and I always "won". I've also used their other benefits such as purchase protection and return protection as necessary and it's always gone smoothly. Whenever I come across a merchant who STILL doesn't accept Amex due to their higher fees, I will dig it in and tell them they will lose my business because I will take it to merchants who DO accept Amex. So far, I'm still a loyal Amex customer.

If you have a valid reason for the dispute, present it and stick it - just keep repeating it and proving it - then you should be able to win it. I've been on the merchant end as well and I've always tried to "fight" disputes, but I have to say that especially with Amex they usually sided with the customer. But again, the amounts we're talking about are in the $50 - $100 range so I don't know what would happen if they'd be in the thousands...

jandersinc

Just spending $2,200 with a telemarketer is a huge red flag. I'm not buying it. Something's fishy and I can see why Amex sided with the merchant.

Kuboscott

Here is how the scam worked:

1.We signed up for a tradeshow.
2. The unscrupulous vendor somehow received a copy of exhibitors list and called to say that there were only 6 rooms left at the trade show hotel, and that they were the trade show travel department. Would I like to book rooms?
3. Since they knew that I was exhibiting and had the information about the show all correct. It sounded very legit.
4. They faxed me a contract.
5. I signed it for 3 rooms for 4 nights - $2,200, providing my Amex.
6. Hours later, the REAL office of the trade show emailed saying to beware of companies posing as them selling rooms.
7. I immediately faxed the unscrupulous vendor who misrepresented themselves to cancel
8. I immediately called AMEX explaining the situation. They said tjhat I need to wait until the charge showed on my statement.
9. I disputed the charge. (The unscrupulous company never sent me any information regarding cancellation.)
10. Amex took about 12 weeks to decide in my favor.
11. Amex reversed their decision 6 months after the original charge.
Along with this charge I received a bogus copy of a credit voucher, that the unscrupulous company included for 75% of the charge that had to be used within 180 day of the voucher. It was now exactly 180 days after the original purchase, so it was invalid. This made me extremely suspicious of the situation.

Again - the woman at AMEX told me she had "many" complaints against this vendor.

I am very interested in your thoughts now.

Again - This is not my personal money, it's my company's money, but I feel a strong sense of unfairness here. And I do not want to see others scammed in the same way and without the protection of their credit card company.

mia

I suggest that you review this thread:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...rges-help.html

The circumstances are very different, but the solution is probably the same. Submit well organized documentation to American Express's executive offices.

It's a matter of style, but I would not mention the woman at AMEX told me she had "many" complaints against this vendor in the letter. Your strongest evidence would seem to be the email from the legitimate supplier and fact that you cancelled in writing.

Kuboscott

Thank you!
I will try one last ditch effort with the VP of Global Dispute resolutions, (I didn't mention that the unscrupulous company doesn't reside in the US, but has a PO Box in NYC.) but, I am not thinking I am going to get satisfaction. I also find it very odd that there is a misspelling of the VP's last name on the official letter from AMEX informing me that they are reversing their decision. I am assuming that the mispelling (of more than one letter) is on purpose so people don't try to track him down, but I find that very unprofessional of such a large and important global company. (I found his profile on Linked-in.)
If I am not successful, I will put my complaint in writing to the appropriate executive that is listed in the thread you referenced. Thanks again for that!