Credit Card Giant Agrees to Pay $230 Million to Resolve Allegations of Misleading Small Business Customers
Highlights:
- $230 Million Settlement: American Express agrees to pay $230 million to settle allegations of deceptive sales practices.
- Misleading Marketing: Accused of misrepresenting card rewards, fees, and tax advice for wire transfer products.
- Internal Changes: Amex cooperated with investigations, discontinued problematic products, and implemented policy upgrades.
Summarized Story:
American Express has agreed to pay $230 million to settle allegations of deceptive sales practices targeting small business customers. The settlement resolves claims that the company misrepresented credit card rewards, fees, and tax advice for wire transfer products from 2014 to 2021.
The Department of Justice highlighted that Amex used false employer identification numbers and provided inaccurate tax advice. In response, Amex cooperated with authorities, discontinued the problematic products, and made internal policy changes.