AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY

CFPB Consumer Complaint Profile

53,944
Total Complaints
10,403
Last 12 Months
99.7%
Timely Response
59
States Affected
AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY timely response rate 99.7%
Industry benchmark

Percent of CFPB complaints answered within the regulator's expected window. Industry benchmark sits at 95%.

Credit utilization context — why this matters

A primer on how revolving balance ratios shape credit-bureau scoring; useful when reading complaints about account closures and credit-line cuts.

Ideal (+0 to +10)0-10Healthy (~0 to -10)10-30Moderate (-10 to -30)30-50High (-30 to -50)50-75Very high (-45 to -70)75-100Maxed (-60 to -100+)100-12030%

FICO impact ranges synthesize myFICO + Experian + Equifax consumer-education materials. Individual results vary.

Complaints by Product

Credit card or prepaid card — General-purpose credit card or charge card 11,894
Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card 11,015
Credit card 6,669
Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting 6,066
Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting 3,814
Prepaid card — General-purpose prepaid card 3,018
Debt collection — Credit card debt 2,728
Credit card or prepaid card — General-purpose prepaid card 1,776
Debt collection — I do not know 1,329
Prepaid card — Gift card 1,139

Top Issues

1.Problem with a purchase shown on your statement 5,430
2.Incorrect information on your report 5,419
3.Trouble using the card 4,304
4.Other features, terms, or problems 4,216
5.Improper use of your report 3,369
6.Getting a credit card 2,898
7.Advertising and marketing, including promotional offers 2,804
8.Fees or interest 2,404
9.Attempts to collect debt not owed 1,656
10.Closing your account 1,537

Complaints by Year

Year Complaints
2011 61
2012 939
2013 1,113
2014 1,385
2015 1,683
2016 2,375
2017 2,363
2018 2,859
2019 2,826
2020 3,172
2021 3,330
2022 3,929
2023 6,116
2024 8,920
2025 10,559
2026 2,314

Complaints by State (Top 15)

California 7,908
New York 5,900
Florida 5,412
Texas 4,099
Georgia 3,170
New Jersey 2,349
Illinois 1,828
Pennsylvania 1,674
Virginia 1,522
North Carolina 1,477
Massachusetts 1,352
Ohio 1,262
Maryland 1,213
Michigan 1,194
Washington 1,119

Company Responses

Closed with explanation 37,041
Closed with monetary relief 8,377
Closed with non-monetary relief 7,194
In progress 983
Closed without relief 250
Closed with relief 80
Closed 17
Untimely response 2

What the CFPB Complaint Record Shows for AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY

The CFPB Consumer Complaint Database has logged 53,944 complaints against AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY overall, with 10,403 of those filed in the trailing 12 months. Reports have come from consumers in 59 states and territories, making this a nationwide complaint footprint. The single largest complaint category is "Credit card or prepaid card," which consistently leads the product-level breakdown and signals where consumer friction is most acute. Within that category, the most frequently cited specific issue is "Problem with a purchase shown on your statement" — a useful starting point for anyone trying to understand what goes wrong most often in the company's consumer interactions.

AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY's timely response rate stands at 99.7%, meaning that share of CFPB-forwarded complaints received a company reply within the 15-day window the Bureau expects. That figure is at or above the industry benchmark and suggests the company's intake and escalation processes are functioning as designed. Consumers formally disputed the company's response in 27.2% of resolved cases, a signal of how often the initial resolution failed to satisfy the complainant. Of complaints that were resolved, 29.5% closed with some form of monetary or non-monetary relief to the consumer.

Complaint counts alone do not tell the full story — larger institutions with more customers will naturally generate more complaints in absolute terms. The more informative signals are the direction of the yearly trend shown above, the state-level concentration (which hints at regional servicing issues or regulatory exposure), and the ratio of monetary-relief closures to closed-without-relief outcomes. Taken together, these fields give consumers a reasonable empirical basis for deciding whether to escalate a dispute, and give researchers a starting point for investigating institutional patterns.

Educational data summary, not financial or legal advice. Individual complaint outcomes vary. Consumers should consult a qualified attorney or financial advisor for guidance on a specific dispute.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many CFPB complaints does AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY have?

AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY has 53,944 total consumer complaints filed with the CFPB, with 10,403 filed in the last 12 months.

Does AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY respond to complaints on time?

AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY has a 99.7% timely response rate to CFPB complaints. This is considered excellent.

What product generates the most complaints for AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY?

The most complained-about product for AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY is "Credit card or prepaid card." You can view the full product breakdown on this page.

What is the most common complaint issue with AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY?

The most common issue reported by consumers about AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY is "Problem with a purchase shown on your statement." All complaint issues are listed above with their counts.

How do I file a complaint against AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY?

You can file a complaint against AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY directly with the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint. The CFPB will forward your complaint to the company and work to get you a response, typically within 15 days.

In how many states have consumers complained about AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY?

Consumers in 59 states and territories have filed complaints about AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY with the CFPB.

Source: CFPB Consumer Complaint Database CFPB Consumer Complaint Database Data through March 2026

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