Rant: My Run-In with American Express

[Talent312]

This would be your typical "suspicious charge / blocked charge" situation, but seriously, who closes their fraud department at 8PM on Black Friday?

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Last night, I placed an order totaling just over $200 on NewEgg.com. They have a deal -- Put $200 on Am-Ex / Am-Ex credits $25. In processing, New Egg splits the order in 2 - down the middle. Then the fun begins... Am-Ex approves Part 1 / denies Part 2.

New Egg sends me an e-mail about it, but there's nothing from Am-Ex. I re-place Part 2 of the order. Denied again. WTF? So I call Am-Ex.

CS Rep: "Some charges need to be reviewed with you, but that department closed at 8PM, 26 minutes ago. You'll have to call back in the AM. They reopen at 7AM."

I'm incredulous: "Why would I call back in the AM when I'm trying to use it tonight? Where are they? Out doing their Black Friday shopping? Well, scr*w American Express. I'll just stop using it and use another card." <click>

I cancel Part 2 of the order, and place another using a Capital One card.

To close down at 8PM when Black Friday is active, is simply absurd.

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I called back this morning. Fraud Protection, after grilling me with ID questions, says: "It's Black Friday, and we're getting a lot of suspicious charges. Me: "So you randomly blocking charges and then closing down for the night?" Them: "It's not random, but you're card is now unlocked and ready to use." <arrgh>

I got their "suspicious activity" e-mail two hours later.


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[vacationhopeful]

That is just how I felt when I call the power company today... seems their call center is closed since Wed for the holiday weekend. 4 day weekend plus end of month moves. And cold weather starting to hit. Went directly to voice mail ... no prompts for emergency service or outages. Hope the police department has a real number to call ... this is a time of the year, power poles seem to get taken 'out'.

 

[x3 skier]

Never known a fraud department to be "closed" at any bank/credit card company I've dealt with, including AMEX. I'm surprised they had no one to talk to.

Cheers

 

[Talent312]

Never known a fraud department to be "closed" at any bank/credit card company I've dealt with, including AMEX. I'm surprised they had no one to talk to.

Oh, I'm sure they had someone who'd lock a card, but apparently no one to unlock one.
It boggles the mind.

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[davidvel]

That is just how I felt when I call the power company today... seems their call center is closed since Wed for the holiday weekend. 4 day weekend plus end of month moves. And cold weather starting to hit. Went directly to voice mail ... no prompts for emergency service or outages. Hope the police department has a real number to call ... this is a time of the year, power poles seem to get taken 'out'.

Not to worry, fire and law enforcement have dedicated emergency lines to utilities. Always call 911 first if a pole is down so they can protect life and property until the utility can arrive.

 

[rapmarks]

This stinks

last year I had an attack of what I thought was diverticulitis on the day before thanksgiving. My doctor off for holidays and not answering calls. I went to walk in clinic, the radiology departments everywhere closed at noon. By the time I was seen in urgent care, radiology departments closed all over. I had to go to ER and wait all day for the test so had a huge bill and got home about eleven that night with prescriptions for antibiotics. The same thing happens on New Year's Eve. Everything closed at noon, even urgent care.
My daughter had to work on Thanksgiving, she is a mental health counselor for an insurance company. She has worked many holidays. I just don't understand having all employees off for several days for each holiday.