12/22/08 I received a $50 American Express gift card as a Christmas gift from a friend in Plano, TX. I tried to use the card that very evening at a nearby Walmart to purchase some last minute gift for my child. The self-check out would not accept the card so I asked an employee to finish my transaction at her terminal. The card kept spitting out receipts with zero balances. I paid for my items with cash and called AMEX when I got home 30 minutes later. I was told that my friend who purchased the card needed to call them with her receipt information before they would investigate.
12/30/08 I sent an email to my friend letting her know what happened and she called AMEX herself. They told her I'd spent the money already and that she could see the transaction online. I went online myself and checked and the website said the information was unavailable. I called AMEX again; just as one other gift card victim experienced the agent explained that although the receipt claimed the card was activated it was not and contained a balance of $0 not $50. I too was told to fax over copies of the receipt, front and back of gift card plus the packaging, a photo id, my name, address, phone number.
01/05/09 faxed over all items; no response from AMEX that information was received
01/08/09 still no response from AMEX so I called yet again. My first call was directed to the resolution department's extension which rang three times and hung up. I called customer service again and the agent Michelle says they did receive my faxed information.
01/14/09 still no response from AMEX. Agent Gail says they are sending me a letter to my home with an update to my case but would not tell me what the letter would say.
01/23/08 still no response from AMEX. Agent Kat says the letter was sent on 1/14 but would take 10 business days (talk about snail mail) to arrive at my home. I found the letter waiting for me when I got home and was sent into total shock when I read it. AMEX claims that I sent them the wrong receipt (total lie!!!) and that it did not match their information. Not only that but if I did not sent them the correct receipt immediately that the case would be closed. This is crazy!!! They show in their system the exact store that I was at when this fiasco occured, I send them a receipt from that store showing the same timeframe, but my receipt is unacceptable???
Are they really that starved for money? If they treat non-customers this way I can't imagine how actual customers are treated. This has been a month of hell and many times I just said forget it, it was the thought that counts, but I can't back down from a scandal like this. This is total nonsense and I want them to credit my card or my friend for her original funds. It's one thing to read about these nightmares, it's quite another to live through.
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