Not upheld: points transfer error / alleged failure to clarify account details complaint against AMERICAN EXPRESS SERVICES EUROPE LIMITED

Decision detail

Summary

Mr C complained that Amex incorrectly transferred 180,000 loyalty points from his personal Platinum card instead of his Corporate Gold Card to his travel operator account on 24 September 2025. Mr C claimed the agent failed to clarify which account the points were being transferred from and that he would not have agreed had he known it was from his personal account. Amex maintained the agent had properly confirmed the transfer was from the Platinum card and that Mr C had consented. The ombudsman reviewed the call recording and found that the agent had provided sufficient information about which card was involved, including stating he worked for the personal cards team and confirming the Platinum card details and points balance. The complaint was not upheld as the ombudsman concluded Mr C had enough information to understand the transfer was from his Platinum card and could have asked for clarification if unsure.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that although there was a misunderstanding about which card the points were transferred from, the agent provided sufficient information to make clear the transfer was from the Platinum card. The agent explicitly stated he worked for the personal cards team, confirmed the Platinum card was linked to the travel operator account, asked if Mr C wanted to transfer Platinum card points, and provided the specific number of points to be transferred. Mr C had the opportunity to question this at the time but did not. The ombudsman concluded that Mr C had enough detail to know which card was involved and could have asked for clarification if unsure.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website