Last Spring, American Express rolled out an impressive deal, promising new holders of the British Airways American Express Premium Plus card a hefty 60,000 Avios points, valued at around £600, provided they signed up through a specific link and spent £3,000 within the first three months.
However, as time progressed, some astute customers realised that they never received the promised bonus, while one expert believes many who failed to check will still be unaware that they didn’t get what they are owed.
Money expert Amelia Murray from Be Clever With Your Cash shared: “I believe there are more customers who have been short-changed by Amex. Here are my three tips on what to do if you think this could be you.
“First, double check how you found the offer so you are confident you are eligible for the 60,000 bonus points.
“If you think this situation applies to you, contact Amex straightaway and explain what’s happened.”
“If you don’t get anywhere with Amex, don’t give up. Contact the Ombudsman with your complaint and also request compensation for the time, effort and frustration of dealing with this issue.”
Amelia emphasised the importance of customers taking screenshots of where they found a deal to use as evidence. Furthermore, those escalating their concerns to the Ombudsman might refer to a recent case where a customer was awarded compensation and bonus points.
An Amex cardholder, named Mark, met all the criteria for a promotional deal but only received the standard 25,000 Avios points instead of the promised 60,000. Dissatisfied with the customer service’s response, Mark lodged a formal complaint with the company.
He was reportedly initially informed that the bonus was exclusive to applicants using a specific link, which Mark contended was not part of the instructions on the deal. He maintained to the Financial Ombudsman Service that he had complied with every given instruction to earn the £600 equivalent bonus.
In November, Mark was given a victory in his case against Amex, with the Ombudsman affirming that the credit card provider would deliver the missed 35,000 Avios points and an additional £100 compensation.
Other customers reported to Be Clever With Your Cash, that they also had the same issue and were able to get their situation dealt with by Amex directly.
A spokesperson for Amex addressed the situation to Reach, advising: “As with any other account query, Cardmembers should call the number printed on the back of their Amex Card to speak to one of our Customer Care Professionals should they have any questions or issues.”
