I have been doing an informal survey of American Express practices lately. I am currently 60 days past due on my Costco card, a distressing situation for me, after years of diligently paying on time, but between a medical situation in my family and an inability to sell our business, here I am. As I saw my finances worsening and anticipated a day when I couldn’t make a payment on time, I contacted Amex and tried to work with them. They wouldn’t. I was indeed late, then current and now again late. Long story short, over the months I have made numerous attempts and they have always taken the hard line. They refused to work with a credit councelling agency and the account is now written off. This has inspired my research.

In blog after blog, one site after another has many moving and troubling accounts of Amex’s treatment of people who — unlike me — have never been late, always paid their balances in full, and so forth. My brother has a similar story; his corporate account cut off for no apparent reason.

Tonight on Jim Lehrer I couldn’t believe my ears when I heard that American Express was asking for aid from the fed. Then, unbelievably, I discover their newly awarded status as a bank, which will entitle them to aid in the bailout game.

This strikes me as very ironic. Ironic and sickening, as well. If there was ever a financial institution that would not make concessions for good, nay, great customers, it’s American Express. They have earned a poor customer satisfaction grade during this crisis, don’t you agree? And now, they want us, the already overburdened taxpayers, to give them help. Oy vey. I’d like to be part of the financial committe that makes THAT decision, believe me.

Crystal