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I am planning on canceling my American Express Gold Card for which I pay $125/year because of their misleading practices which they do not admit to. My January 2011 statement and all previous statements had a "Payment Due Date" on them, which indicated the date that was 25 days (grace period) from the close of the billing cycle.

However, now American Express uses new language on their statements which say "Please Pay by" and the "Please pay by" date is 14 days from the end of the billing cycle (even though the grace period is now 30 days). They have changed the language because it encourages customers to pay sooner (so Amex gets paid faster and makes more money). The language intentionally misleads the customer to think the payment is due on the "Please pay by" date when it really is not. Obviously when you call them, they tell you that it is not officially due until 30 days after the billing cycle, but it doesn't say this anywhere on the statement or the webpage.

Also, Amex won't admit their reasons for changing the language but it is very clear why they did this โ€“ to unfluence customers to pay sooner even though they don't have to. Additionally on the American Express website, you can't schedule a payment for the future past the "Please pay by" date, even though the payment isn't actually due until 16 days later.

As a long time customer, I am extremely disappointed that American Express is engaging in this misleading behavior and I plan to cancel my card very soon. I just want everyone know about these misleading practices so they aren't confused like I was.

Location: New York, New York

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Guest

you can set up a payment date past the "please pay by" ... but only 10 days past...

however misleading the language is, it really isnt a way to stick it to you...

you dont pay any more or less, and if you start paying on on the 30th instead of the 15th it will still be 30 days between payments... I dont get the gripe.

Guest

Thanks for your informative post. My wife just opened our AmEx bill and noticed the same thing.

We'll ignore AmEx's precatory "please by request," but I think you're being a bit petulant (not to mention masochistic)in cancelling your card. This week also saw "First Do No Evil" Google tracking the Safari Browser habits of iPhone users. Of course AmEx wants to be paid faster, and I'll bet for as many members as this language *** off, they'll make a killing on the float.

Want to be the guy who thought up this change will find a few hundred thousand extra "Rewards Points" on his AmEx card? :p

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-432465

Amex supports the slaughter of children for food in the Sudan.

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