Brad Ideas - American Express threatens me over joke on web site - Comments

To say that American Express

Anonymous — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 00:13:35 -0800

To say that American Express is not an American company is more correct than you may know. Over a decade ago they began tossing their American employees out and replacing them with Indian contractors who were brought to this country on work visas. They weren't taking jobs that Americans didn't want (if such a thing actually exists). They were taking good to high-paying technology and finance jobs. And, then it happened slowly but surely and unpredictable only to utter idiots. The contractors became the experts of the realm of their responsibilities and to ensure control over that expertise, the company hired them as employees. Indian non-managers became managers and then vice presidents and then senior vice presidents. Today, the average American would be hard pressed to readily pronounce the names of most of the resources who now occupy the offices and cubes at American Express' American sites. The best part is that they forgot to leave their discriminatory, classist beliefs at the airport. So, not only are these American sites run by non-Americans, the nature of the working environments is distinctly non-American. Manipulation, cronyism and oppression (particularly of women) reign. Our government leaders talk about job creation. How can they not know that simply by putting controls on H1B1 visas, they would make tens of thousands of jobs once again available to Americans -- the people who made this company and the people who still represent their greatest revenue pool?

Amex does drug testing

Anonymous — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 22:55:13 -0800

Amex does drug testing apparently because they prefer employees who are naturally stupid. Their leaders are as ignorant as they are arrogant and darn proud of it.

AMERCIAN EXPRESS BAD BAD BAD

Faye Francy — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 19:06:14 -0800

AMERICAN EXPRESS CREDIT CARD? TEAR IT UP. DO NOT BELIEVE THEIR COMMERCIALS. I cancelled an order in India within 24 hours, called and notified AmEx. Then I got the charge amount as $10K instead of the $1K. AmEx put the matter into dispute for months-nearly 18 months. I notified AmEx that this was an attempt to defraud, that I did not have the goods that were to be delivered in 4-6 weeks. They were not. And now AmEx has sued me for $10K!

We did and the goverment

Anonymous — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 09:04:48 -0800

We did and the goverment started funding them. So now they are back to there old ways

American Express What a Company

Anonymous — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 08:52:07 -0800

I have found myself in the same boat as many others. I guess American Express is trying to get rid of good costumers. I have had there card for awhile. I always pay it off right away. Was an easy way to get something I need right away and then just transfer money when I would get home.
Some how last month I had a $0.38 yes 38 cents balance. It was not paid so I got a $19.00 late charge and they want to up my intrest rate to 27% and put me on probation for 1 year.
I thought it was a mistake and called costumer service told me I had 2 options take it or leave it. Well I left it. I do believe that just wanted to get rid of me because they were not making any money off of me. I thought maybe I should have keep it and keep using it like I was paying it off right away.
But I thought do I really want to do busniess with a company like this. No
You might be reading this and say well it was just him or there is more to the story. But there is not and you just might be next.

A home in serious

pannhead51 — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:21:58 -0800

A home in serious delinquency? What exactly did you expect !?!?!?

I'm so done with American Express

JD Austin — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:14:36 -0800

I haven't been an American Express card holder for very long but thought having one was a good idea for the 'consumer protections' their cards are supposed to offer (gold card).

In September 2009 I booked a reservation on Expedia for a week long stay in a hotel supposedly near Leesville La (it was in Alexandria). Later when I discovered that it was really an hour away I tried to change my reservation; it was then that I found out that my reservation was non-refundable.

My first reaction was Wait a minute!.. I didn't see anything about that on Expedia's website! The robo-customer service human said oh, it's in the hotel rules.
So I pulled up the itinerary online. It wasn't on the checkout page but there was a link for hotel rules. I clicked on it.
I still don't see that it's non refundable; only that Super 8 charges a cancellation fee:

We understand that sometimes plans fall through. We do not charge a cancel or change fee.
However, Super 8 Alexandria I 49 has cancellation and change fees that we are required to pass on. See Super 8 Alexandria I 49 change and cancellation policies

So I click on the 'cancellation fee' link (we're now 3 levels deep) and that important detail is revealed in ***ultra fine print***:

This reservation is non-refundable and cannot be changed or cancelled.
Canceling your stay: Cancellations can be made online. From your itinerary, click the How to cancel this hotel reservation link and follow the instructions.
Changing your stay: To make changes, please call 1-800-EXPEDIA

Look for yourself (I printed the checkout page 3 times after drilling down): http://www.twingeckos.com/ExpediaSucks.pdf

I called up Expedia first nice and then irate. They refused to cancel the reservation and said the hotel was the only one that could do so. I tried at least 20 times to 'talk to the manager' to cancel and whenever I called (day and night) he was never 'available'. I ended up booking and staying in another hotel in Leesville (NOT on Expedia).

Anyway here's where AMEX comes in...
I call up and dispute the charges, they had an 'investigation', and 15 days later I get the result: since I didn't cancel the reservation I had to pay it.
I filed a second dispute providing the information above and they came to the same conclusion again.

I'm out almost $500 for a crappy hotel I never stayed in that was given 7 days notice that I wouldn't be staying there.
I closed my AMEX account today; if they can't protect me from being ripped off they're worthless.

AMEX costs more to have, costs more to accept, and I'll never use or ACCEPT AMEX for payment ever again.

Amex Blows

Mikey — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:51:55 -0800

Joel, your comments were quite harsh. Bragging about your fifty to a hundred thousand dollar spend doesn't do you any favours either. I owed American Express several thousand dollars and due to a car accident, I was unable to work, and therefore, unable to meet my financial obligations. Every other bank and financial institution that I owed money to was very understanding, not AmEx. They threatened me with bankruptcy. Not to be contented with refusing an offer of token payments until I am (hopefully) rehabilitated, they decided to hand my account over to a collection agency the very week that I was in hospital receiving treatment. I will one day when I am physically able to work again, if AmEx don't bankrupt me first, pay all my creditors back, but I really sincerely hope that they go bankrupt themselves and are not bailed out by the US government.

Response

Anonymous — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 07:18:11 -0700

Time for the red sharpie.... In your best and largest penmanship you should have written "FUCK YOU. Nasty letter to follow..." and returned it to sender!

I URGE ENERYBODY NOT TO CLOSE YOUR CARDS

NOOGINS — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:26:16 -0700

If you feel that closing your credit account will teach those big banks a lesson, think again. Most of these monster banks are hoping people who pay every month, never late or carry small balances on high limit cards close. These companies have to carry insurance on every dollar they loan or can be loaned. The best way to stick it to them is to pay off a card keep it open and do a transaction or two a month for very small amounts then pay them off immediately. AMEX has been offering $300.00 to certain types of clients to close their accounts, mostly people in good standing limits over 15k and low balances. I recently called about a rate increase and was asked if I would like to close my account. When I asked them to reduce my rate I was told it isnt in the best interest of AMEX to do that. They can kiss my lilly white ass. I will not close my account. I did pay off the balance and they will insure my 20k dollar credit limit as long as I live.

Amex DOES blow

Joel — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 11:19:56 -0700

Hey dumb ass... you were late paying them back. Although American Express has mistreated me terribly, I wouldn't feel right calling them "monsters" for charging late fees or trying to collect on accounts like yours that are ADMITTEDLY what, like 10-12 months behind? Loser. Pay the bill. Then you can call them names.

I wouldn't call you a deadbeat just for getting yourself into a situation where you can't pay some of your bills. I know that it can happen to honest people. But you, sir, are a deadbeat for calling them "monsters" after not making payments for nearly a year. Sorry, didn't mean to make you feel bad. Go listen to an Obama speech, it'll cheer you up. He shares your disdain for evil successful corporate "monsters" like American Express.

One more thing... Maybe if there weren't so many people out there like you who take advantage of American Express by not paying back (stealing) several thousand dollars, then people like me who charge (and never fail to pay back) fifty to a hundred plus thousand dollars per month would get better service and better terms.

I and American Express think that you and your ilk are the monsters.

Just say no.

Anonymous — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:06:57 -0700

Pretty much every major credit card company has been cancelling cards in the UK because they don't make enough money off good customers who pay back promptly. They want you fluid but debt ridden so they can topslice your income in perpetuity. Threaten that and you're a heretic.

The biggest current threat to business and society is big business believing it's a law unto itself and creating hugely unfair wage differentials. Personally, I'd rate this threat higher than organised terrorism. Who screams against change the most? Mostly, the powerful and connected losers of change.

In the UK the CEO of one of the biggest credit card companies didn't have a credit card and privately called people who did mugs. This sounds a bit too much like big tobacco and climate change denial for comfort. No suprise these people can be found funding the Republicans and Tories with their dirty money.

Just say no.

AMEX has lost my business

Anonymous — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:47:00 -0700

AMEX has lost my business FOREVER! I agree they either need to go out of business or change the "American" part of their name - cause they don't belong in this country ... I have been a loyal client since 1983 ! Yes, 1983! So MUCH FOR BEING GOOD TO YOUR BEST CUSTOMERS. I have to believe that it won't be long and they will be toast for treating their best customers ridiculously bad. Have a nice day, Jerks!
No more business for you and I will make sure to tell thousands about your treatment of your best customers. (free advertising - LOL) Adios!

American Express

Chris Smith — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 11:48:56 -0700

I find it funny that American Express is worried about your joke slandering them? Arent they doing a good enough job of that themseleves by the way they are treating their "good customers" They cut my credit limit to the balance I current owe, it is the only time in 4 years I have carried a balance with out paying it off monthly. I have never been late. Evidently they saw we have been been running up one of our other credit cards for a business that we are starting. I guess that's not OK to do in america any more. I cancelled the card (they didnt care) and am going to pay off the balance with my next commission. I will never do business with them again! Oh and to top it off they increased my rate from 8% to 12%. They are truly the most UNAMERICAN company I have ever dealt with, the fact that they call themselves American Express is a stain on America!

bullies

Bob — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 00:13:42 -0700

No, they have more money than time. They also need to "teach you a lesson" ! Its the sam a the mob sending out a strong arm to get the word across.

American Express threatens me over joke on web site

brad — Tue, 13 Apr 2004 08:17:25 -0700

On my rec.humor.funny web site, I maintain the newsgroup archives, including this 13 year old joke entitled American Expressway.

Today I got one of those bullying "cease and desist" letters from American Express's law firm, ordering me to take down the joke for trademark infringement. Here's the text of the cease and desist

Do these guys know who they are trying to bully? I guess not, here's my response to them:

You can "Screw More" with an American Express Lawyer

Do you know me?

I built a famous company with a famous name, and then satirists made fun of me by taking advantage of the constitutional protections afforded parody when it comes to trademark law?

That's why I retained Leydig, Voit & Mayer, Ltd, the "American Express Lawyers." Should you ever feel your reputation lost or stolen by free speech and satire, just one call gets LVM to write a threatening cease and desist letter -- usually on the same day -- citing all sorts of important sounding laws but ignoring the realities of parody. Most innocent web sites will cave in, not knowing their rights. LVM will pretend it has never read cases like L.L. Bean, Inc. v. High Society and dozens of others. There's no preset limit on the number of people you can threaten, so you can bully as much as you wish.