Complaint Rating:

American Express cancelled my credit account without notifying me. I have consistently paid my balance in full each month, and have never missed a single payment. When I tried to pay for dinner the other night, my card was declined. I was sure there was some mistake, so I paid with my Visa and planned to call AmEx the next day to see what the story was.

After two days of getting the run-around on the phone, I finally spoke to someone who told me that in light of my recent credit profile, I was deemed to be high-risk and my credit account was cancelled. For the record, my credit score is waaay above average and I have no deliquencies on my report. The rude customer service rep told me that a letter was mailed out to me seven days after my account was cancelled. I never received this letter, but that matters not. I am sympathetic to lending agencies given the current economic situation, but the way American Express treats it's customers is infuriating. My suspicion is that because I pay my balance off in full every month, they are not making enough off my account in the way of interest.

My main concern is that this event will negatively affect my credit rating. As far as the account goes, I am happy to be rid of it and will vigorously campaign against American Express for their unfair business practices.