I can only join in with the sentiments of the rest of the posters. Just the mention of American Express's name conquers up negative emotions for me. My lack of respect for this company is stronger than I have ever had for any company I have ever done business with. I would absolutely want to throw a gigantic party the day it is announced that the have gone out of business... and I believe they will because of the way they have walked all over people.

I have a credit score of 730. I have had one of their credit cards since I was old enough to work and my Dad signed for me to get my first card when I was 18 years old. After several years of good responsibility with the card and advancement in my career, they offered me a card in my own name. I have carried that card for over 25 years and was their biggest defender if ever someone said something negative about them.

Then.... I lost my job due to no fault of my own. I immediately contacted my creditors to advise them and tried to negotiate terms with them to let them until I could find another job. I valued my 25 year relationship with American Express, and my desire was to pay my bills as I had my entire life. I'm a single person with no savings and trying to survive off unemployment benefits, yet I've done without to pay my debts while I have been unemployed. Despite my excellent credit history and 25 year relationship with them they were extremely rude, heartless and totally unwilling to make even one adjustment like changing the due date on my payments. They did absolutely nothing despite the bailout money all these banks got. I later found a web article from the National Credit Counseling Service stating that American Express was one of the top creditors that had responded to the "Call For Action" to do something to help people that were unemployed in this economy due to no fault of their own. Despite what they were telling the public, they were like pit vipers when I called them and they would not do ANYTHING whatsoever to help me keep paying until I could get a job. Instead, they waited until I was 1 day late and raised my interest rate to 27.9% which priced it right out of my ability to pay them any longer. When I called to tell them that unless they brought the rate back that I could no longer make payments the CSR said that's fine, it is only going to hurt you not us.

The emotional stress of being unemployed in the worst economy since the depression is hard enough without having a company like this to make you feel like a low life dead beat.

I carried two other credit cards. One with CareCredit for dental expenses not covered by insurance and the other was Bank of America. While I have had negative experiences with Bank of America, I have more respect for them in their treatment of the unemployed. When I called them about my situation they immediately responded and put me on a payment plan that lowered my interest rate and reduced my monthly payments. CareCredit also did the same.

I WILL NEVER.... REPEAT NEVER DO BUSINESS WITH THEM AGAIN AND I WILL SHARE MY EXPERIENCE WITH ANYONE WHO MENTIONS THEIR NAME TO ME. I have an uncle that has a prominent business in the North and he absolutely refuses to accept their cards anymore. There are many horror stories in my circle of friends (people making 6 figures) and American Express has treated them poorly also in cutting off cards and reducing credit limits and jacking up interest rates.

I have had a gold/platinum AE card since 1983. Not a single missed payment in 26 years and just made an $18,000 payment to zero out my balance this month. My reward? They just eliminated my flexible payment plan AND charged me a $395 Platinum membership fee so I could sit in executive lounges at airports. Whatever AE once was, they are now no more than a bait-and-switch scam. I downgraded to "green," saved $300 and put the AE card in a drawer from which it will NEVER emerge. I would have cancelled the account, but that only hurts my excellent credit history. I no longer need the ego boost of a colored piece of plastic.

AMEX Sucks - (sorry, I couldn't think of a better title).

Ten years as AMEX platinum customer. I was paying off a balance transfer of $10,000 consistently on time; never missing a payment. My FICO score was 736. Late last year AMEX lowered my limit to the balance I owed giving the impression that I maxed out my credit card. Like a domino effect all my other credit cards followed suit by dropping my limits and unilaterally raising my interesting rates for purchases from 9% to 23% and balance transfer offers from 5% to 35%.

Since my work hours have been cut, using credit is more important than ever for paying my health/car insurance, food, utilities etc. The banks received billions to continue giving us credit instead they are despicable, disgusting, greedy, thieving vultures who prey once again on the very taxpayers who loaned them billions to fix their bankrupt business.

While the banks are making huge profits in a recession by charging taxpayers credit "gouging interest" is tantamount to legalized theft. And I doubt this will change with Obama's new credit "CARD" Act since a team of banking lawyers are trying to circumvent the new legislation by the time its law.

I was an AmEx holder for years, either paying the full amount due or substantially more than the minimum. I have a credit rating of nearly 750 and a $20,000 limit on the card...I never missed a payment.

I recently misplaced a $400 payment (the minimum due was $15). The next billing cycle they moved my APR from 9.24% to 18.25%. When I called them to ask them to lower it back to the original level they confirmed that I was a "valued" customer but declined my request.

Under the new Credit Card law they couldn't do this. AmEx has become just another ethically challenged company, hopefully not too big to fail.

Those of you that are happy now with them...let me tell you I was too for a long time.. I have a business and it
seemed to good to be true. I was using there credit card
of course instead of another choice, sometimes up to 30,000 dollars a month. Working along to get my points real high so one day when I retire I can take trips.
When i reached a very high point total on the rewards end of it, without a minute notice they closed my account and all my points went with it. They say that there is fine print that says they can do that. I should have stuck with my visa. The customer service people when your out... they treat you like your a low life. I was happy with them a long time ago.

I had a gold AE for years, and dropped it recently. I always pay my bill in full and on time, and I have a credit score in the 750 range. The dropped my credit limit from $32000 to $800 with no notice because of an ERRONEOUS record on my credit report. Once I investigated, disputed and successfully removed the erroneous record, AE refused to raise my limit to a workable amount, even though I had remained a reliable customer and hadn't missed a beat with them or any other creditor. Their "customer service" group was completely unsympathetic, and treated me like a child, an imbecile, or both. US Bank's REI Visa gives you 1% back, without the attitude or the draconian policies. I'm a happy US Bank customer now. AE deserves all the bile they're getting on this thread. They can piss off as far as I'm concerned.

American Express is by far one of the worst credit card companies in existence. My credit is 740+, I have never been late on a payment for them or anyone else and they have twice lowered my overall credit limit by more than $4000 in the last 6 months. Their customers service representatives have IQ's that match the 11.24% interest rate that I am charged for this account, and the rewards program is all but inaccessible. I will cancel this account within the next 72 hrs, and hopefully people will follow suit and put them out of business.

The worst card and service we have. I used this card for phone service that I have to pay every cycle in every month, when I decided to cancel it and found out the phone company intl.unlimited.com is no where to be found they don't reply to my email and phone calls. Then we started calling American Express and they said "there will be an investigation to resolve the matter" we waited until the next cycle we get charge with the same company , we called American Express again , and this is going on for 4 months now, they change our card numbers, still the same. I'm very frustrated because every month we still get the charge that we don't even use . So we just keep getting this charge every month and American Express don't help at all...I am really angry, with them. We are very poor but we try to be good.. I was really hoping that the American Express would help us stop the recurring charges every month, but just totally nothing , nothing.. I hate them so much, my husband still want to wait next month and see if we get another charge because he just called american express and the person he talked to "PROMISE" that this wont happen again next month after 4 months of promises.. So let's see what happens before we cancel all our American express card.. Ohhh, I can only pray that american express will soon be vanished in this world, that's how mad I am right now. I felt so helpless.

Amex just canceled my wife's card. We've never been late with a payment and the balance has never been higher than 10% of the credit limit. Now her credit rating may be affected by this cancelation. I hate Amex and will NEVER apply for another card or use ANY of their services

I like AMEX the most of all cards. Twice I have made a purchase that I was not satisfied of. Frustrated I complained to AMEX and each time I received my money back. First I ordered uniforms from a catalogue at uniform store. After waiting 5 weeks for my new uniforms I was told that the line of product was discontinued. I asked for my money back but they would not credit my card, A store manager told me "store credit for returns only" (not that I had anythink to return yet), AMEX got my money back.
Second time I bought defective computer from Dell. After 6 months of repairing it for hours each time over the phone I had had enough. I complained to AMEX and I was instructed to return the merchandise for a full refund. Way to go AMEX. Good PR. Aldona Ziolkowska, NC