This data comes from the CFPB Consumer Complaint Database and reflects consumer complaints, not proven violations.

CFPB complaint data Grade D 5,234 complaints

American Express Company - Debt Collector Complaint Profile

CFPB complaint profile across 53 states, reputation grade D.

Complaints by issue type

What consumers report about American Express Company

complaints
Source CFPB Consumer Complaint Database

Data updated July 2026

D

Grade D · 55.4/100 composite

This collector has a poor complaint record with above-average complaints and below-average response rates.

Based on consumer-filed CFPB complaints, not proven violations or a court finding of wrongdoing.

The verdict

A reputation grade of D: American Express Company ranks ahead of 27% of the 5,283 collectors PlainCollector grades - 73% keep a cleaner CFPB record, on 5,234 all-time complaints and a 100% timely-response rate.

27th pct
reputation rank of 5,283 graded collectors
5,234
CFPB complaints, all-time
100%
answered inside the CFPB window
1,822
in the last 12 months (rising)

Grades are relative: every collector is ranked against the others, so an A reflects a cleaner record than peers, not a clean bill of conduct. A complaint is a consumer filing, not a proven violation.

What do CFPB complaints reveal about American Express Company?

American Express Company has accumulated 5,234 total CFPB complaints across 53 states, with 1,822 filed in the most recent 12 months against 3,412 historical complaints before that window. The trailing-12-month volume represents 34.8% of the full complaint history, a rising pattern that suggests escalating consumer friction rather than a legacy book of disputes.

The dominant consumer grievance logged with the CFPB is "Attempts to collect debt not owed", narrowing to "Threatened or suggested your credit would be damaged". The company posts a 100% timely-response rate against a 19% consumer-dispute-after-response rate.

Complaints have been recorded across 53 states, led by California with 726 and Florida with 657. Normalized against the full CFPB collector database, the reputation score of 55.4/100 places American Express Company in grade band D.

How to read a complaint count →

Complaint Summary

Total CFPB complaints

5,234

high-volume (CCDB)

Last 12 months

1,822

34.8% of all-time complaints

Rising ↑

States active

53

nationwide footprint

Timely response rate

100%

excellent band

Consumer disputes

19%

average (vertical avg ~19%)

Reputation grade

D

55.4/100 composite

How does American Express Company's reputation rank nationally?

Reputation score vs. every graded collector

PlainCollector composite reputation score (0–100, higher = cleaner CFPB record)

55 27th percentile higher than 27% of 5,283 graded collectors

0–10: 0 graded collectors (0%). Below this entry. 10–20: 3 graded collectors (0%). Below this entry. 20–30: 29 graded collectors (1%). Below this entry. 30–40: 160 graded collectors (3%). Below this entry. 40–50: 583 graded collectors (11%). Below this entry. 50–60: 1,469 graded collectors (28%). This entry sits in this band. 60–70: 1,364 graded collectors (26%). Above this entry. 70–80: 871 graded collectors (16%). Above this entry. 80–90: 660 graded collectors (12%). Above this entry. 90–100: 144 graded collectors (3%). Above this entry. This collector 0 100 every graded collector, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more graded collectors. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source PlainCollector composite of CFPB Consumer Complaint Database · 2013–2026

Response-quality profile

American Express Company versus the debt-collection vertical average.

Timely response within SLA 99.8%
Vertical avg

CFPB requires companies to respond within 15 days for most complaints; 60 days for credit-reporting.

Consumer dispute rate (post-response) 18.9%
Vertical avg

Lower is better. The percentage of consumers who flagged the company's response as unsatisfactory.

State coverage breadth 94.6%

Share of US states + territories with at least one filed complaint against this collector.

How does American Express Company compare to its peers?

How does AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY compare? Versus a similar-volume peer and the national average, drawn from 10 collectors with a comparable complaint count
AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPA… National average
Complaints (last 12 mo)lower is better
1,822
775
268
Timely-response ratehigher is better
100%
100%
91%
Consumer-dispute ratelower is better
19%
16%
19%

Source: CFPB Consumer Complaint Database.

Complaint Trend (24 months)

2024-01 2026-02

Issue Detail Breakdown

Issue Sub-Issue Complaints
Attempts to collect debt not owed - 1,827
Took or threatened to take negative or legal action - 1,309
Communication tactics - 601
Written notification about debt - 524
False statements or representation - 476
Threatened to contact someone or share information improperly - 179
Cont'd attempts collect debt not owed - 107
Disclosure verification of debt - 92
Improper contact or sharing of info - 59
Electronic communications - 34

Where do complaints against American Express Company come from?

American Express Company's own per-state count, not a national baseline.

Top states by complaints against American Express Company

Across 53 states with at least one filing

complaints
Source CFPB Consumer Complaint Database

What to do if American Express Company contacts you

A grade of D signals how American Express Company's CFPB record compares to peers, here is how to act on it.

  • Demand written debt validation within 30 days of first contact, collectors must prove the debt is yours. Validation letter
  • Confirm the caller is really American Express Company and not an impostor before paying anything. Verify a collector
  • Know your FDCPA rights, you can stop calls and report harassment. Your rights
  • See how American Express Company ranks against every other collector by complaint record. Browse rankings

Complaint counts and grades reflect the public CFPB record, not a regulator's finding of wrongdoing or legal advice. For your specific situation, consult a licensed attorney.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common complaint against American Express Company? ▼

The most common issue consumers report about American Express Company is "Attempts to collect debt not owed", specifically "Threatened or suggested your credit would be damaged". This is based on 5,234 complaints filed with the CFPB.

Are complaints against American Express Company increasing or decreasing? ▼

Complaints against American Express Company are rising. The company received 1,822 complaints in the last 12 months, indicating an upward trend in consumer issues.

What is American Express Company's reputation grade? ▼

American Express Company has a reputation grade of D (score: 55.4/100), PlainCollector's composite letter grade blending complaint volume, response timeliness, dispute rate, and complaint trend.

Does American Express Company respond to consumer complaints? ▼

American Express Company has a 100% timely response rate to CFPB complaints. Consumers disputed the company's response in 19% of cases.

In how many states does American Express Company operate? ▼

American Express Company has received CFPB complaints from consumers in 53 states, with the most complaints from California (726 complaints).

Data sourced from the CFPB Consumer Complaint Database. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCollector Editorial

Every figure on PlainCollector is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.