topic Re: AMEX Customer For Life... :) in Credit Cards

AMEX Customer For Life... :)

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 12:10:15 GMT

Recently had my car towed because I was at a friends place and the parking permit " wasn't displayed"....well turns out when I went to pick up my car, I couldn't find the parking permit anywhere, so the guy made me pay the $189 to get my car out, said if I would have found my permit, I would have gotten the fee waived....anyways, went ahead a paid it and left in a bad mood of course...well later that day, I end up finding the parking permit under my seat, hidden under the floor mat...somehow it fell. I called the towing place up and told them and they said that there was nothing I could do, since I already paid, and then they hung up on me. Called and spoke to two other people who told me the same thing.

Three days later, (yesterday), got a voicemail from AMEX while at work, said I needed to call back, I called back on my lunch and they asked about an unusual charge from a towing company, which I thought was weird since I haven't even had my card for more than a month, but I assume they mean unusual maybe because of the business type, or something they could see on their end that looked weird with the transaction. I told them the whole story, and I also told them how I ended up finding my parking permit later on in the day and how they still wouldn't refund me. CSR put in the details and told me I'll be receiving a credit for that charge, and "not to worry about it, it's taken care of"...I was so shocked I didn't expect for AMEX to take care of a problem that wasn't even their fault, it was honestly my own fault, but clearly unfortunate what happened, and that the merchant wouldn't work with me.

So only a month into having AMEX, they're clearly going to have my business, and reccomendation to others in the future as the card that everyone should have, because they do treat their cardmembers right, even if they don't have 20+ years of history with them. Sure did make my day

Re: AMEX Customer For Life... :)

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 12:18:44 GMT

In all honesty, while I sympathize with your situation that evening, if I ran that towing service, I'd drop AMEX as a merchant account...in a heartbeat.

Re: AMEX Customer For Life... :)

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 12:41:06 GMT

Well I do understand what you mean, and it seems like they may have had issues in the past. When I went to pay, the only logos on the window were MC and VISA, I gave him my AMEX and they said, we don't accept AMEX, and I told him it's the only card I have with me, and I'd have to come back later to pay then, and he said well we can take it this one time...so it makes me wonder if they've had AMEX issues in the past, or they just don't like paying the high merchant fees associated with AMEX....either way, the towing place was a total mess, and in the worst part of town...I wonder if this has anything to do with the alert I received from AMEX, maybe they've had a lot of fraud issues with this company in the past, and wanted to make sure my charge was legitimate? Either way I'm grateful they were looking out for my interest...hard to find among credit cards these days.

Re: AMEX Customer For Life... :)

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 12:52:37 GMT

I hear ya!

Maybe it's the parking lot they have issues with, in conjuction with that particular towing service?

Were you visiting Philadelphia, by chance? (reference: Parking Wars, on TV).

Anyways, glad you made out OK.

BTW, if you actually are in Austin right now, please visit a buddy of mine (Steve). He's the largest bookseller in town.

Say "Hi" for me, OK?

Re: AMEX Customer For Life... :)

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 13:18:25 GMT

Haha, no not visiting Philly, I'm here in Austin. Which bookstore?

Re: AMEX Customer For Life... :)

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 13:41:54 GMT

Uh...can't really say here, as it may be considered advertising, which I don't really want to do.

Let's just say that "book people" would be interested in the name of this store...it's the largest in TX!

Tell Steve that he's got friends in Albuquerque, NM and in Madison, CT... and that this particular friend doesn't care for amateur singers doing Gospel music at Christmas...(regardless of whether Bill Clinton approves or not) ...on a mountaintop in CA...while gated in, with no apparent way out...except through Lynn's garage.

He'll know.

No disrespect to anyone here, it was a situational thing. Kinda like when you tolerate a young kid performing a tune, or doing a dance or a comedy routine, or whatever, and then he/she won't stop, 'cause nobody has the guts to tell him he stinks.

Re: AMEX Customer For Life... :)

Cory — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 14:08:42 GMT

Dropping AMEX or not, I doubt AMEX would even care. The towing company should have, and could have refunded the charges to the card. In my experiences a lot of towing company representatives are rude, greedy and in business for nobody but themselves. You have to give the towing companies credit for the bad apples that park on streets where a permit is required all day and night, or someone who refuses to move their car for the street cleaners. I understand that the OP didn't have the permit present at the time, but OP then found the permit and called back to explain a honest situation. And why would it not be fair for the towing company to refund the fine? Way to go AMEX! Although this does not happen often as it should with CC companies.

Re: AMEX Customer For Life... :)

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 14:27:15 GMT

Cory wrote: I understand that the OP didn't have the permit present at the time, but OP then found the permit and called back to explain a honest situation. And why would it not be fair for the towing company to refund the fine?

Maybe because there was not a permit displayed at the time of the tow, and they actually towed the car.

They should work for free? They tow cars. Once towed, it's owed.

If there's a question, it should be directed at the lot owner, and not the tow service.

Re: AMEX Customer For Life... :)

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 14:33:23 GMT

CS is one of the reasons I look forward to being an AmEx card holder.

Had one small incident with a fraudulent charge on my Orchard card back in the day. Oh brother - what a nightmare!

Re: AMEX Customer For Life... :)

Cory — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 14:49:53 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:

Cory wrote: I understand that the OP didn't have the permit present at the time, but OP then found the permit and called back to explain a honest situation. And why would it not be fair for the towing company to refund the fine?

They should work for free? They tow cars. Once towed, it's owed.

They will never work for free due to a lot of hot heads out in about. This was an honest situation, and that they should have refunded the OP money when the permit was presented for free. They would not have lost their business over a scerio such as the OP's.

If there's a question, it should be directed at the lot owner, and not the tow service.

OP didn't specify the situation, so I don't know if the car was on the street and the parking enforcement had it towed?

Re: AMEX Customer For Life... :)

CS800 — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:03:37 GMT

in this case OP found his ticket but the service was already made. In any case the permit fell and the tow service couldnt have known so they acted accordingly. If not the whole amount, they should at least have refunded half of it. This was an honest mistake from both sides.

Re: AMEX Customer For Life... :)

CS800 — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:04:19 GMT

Austin what AMEX card do you have if I may ask?

Re: AMEX Customer For Life... :)

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:12:10 GMT

I have the AMEX Zync card. My first card with AMEX, but for sure not my last.

Thanks for the feedback guys, I do agree the tow company had every right to tow, but the fact that they told me they would not charge if the permit was inside the vehicle and then I ended up finding it within an hour inside, just made me feel a little upset that they didn't stand by their word. I wouldn't have initiated a dispute myself, but when AMEX called me due to their own security alert and I explained what happen, they automatically refunded it to me, it wasn't something I ever expected to be done and probably nothing I would have pursued with the merchant, I figured what was done was done.

But yes, to answer the question, it was with my ZYNC.

Re: AMEX Customer For Life... :)

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:18:12 GMT

Sorry, Cory. I mean no disrespect, but woulda, shoulda, coulda doesn't work in the real world.

Got a parking permit? Display it, or maybe get towed by the company that's hired to tow the cars that do not display the parking permit. That's their job, and it's not up to them to decide who gets towed. It's up to the lot owners.

If there is a beef, it should be taken up with the lot owners. But I've got to say that if the permit wasn't visible, they called it correctly, regardless of whether that car had a permit or not.

Anyone on these boards have a handicapped permit hanging off of their rearview mirror? What happens if you park in a handicapped zone without that permit showing?

And if your car gets towed, aside from the ticket, does the towing service refund your money because you actually had a permit? No. You may dodge the ticket, but you've gotta pay for the tow, 'cause it was your fault you got towed by not displaying the valid permit.

That's my viewpoint, for what it's worth.

No one likes getting a ticket or a tow, especially me, but it is what it is.

Re: AMEX Customer For Life... :)

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:35:05 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I do agree the tow company had every right to tow, but the fact that they told me they would not charge if the permit was inside the vehicle and then I ended up finding it within an hour inside, just made me feel a little upset that they didn't stand by their word.

Oh, further info not revealed before!

Wish you'd said that in your original post, it would've saved me a rant!

Never mind!

ETA: You did, in fact, say in your original post that if you had found the permit, you would've slid on the tow payment. The question in my mind is, how did the tow company mean that, like in come up with the permit right then and there, or what?

If I've misunderstood anything, please let me know...I'm a big boy, and I'll take the hit! Like always.

But I'm honest about it!

Re: AMEX Customer For Life... :)

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:31:49 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Recently had my car towed because I was at a friends place and the parking permit " wasn't displayed"....well turns out when I went to pick up my car, I couldn't find the parking permit anywhere, so the guy made me pay the $189 to get my car out, said if I would have found my permit, I would have gotten the fee waived....anyways, went ahead a paid it and left in a bad mood of course...well later that day, I end up finding the parking permit under my seat, hidden under the floor mat...somehow it fell. I called the towing place up and told them and they said that there was nothing I could do, since I already paid, and then they hung up on me. Called and spoke to two other people who told me the same thing.

Three days later, (yesterday), got a voicemail from AMEX while at work, said I needed to call back, I called back on my lunch and they asked about an unusual charge from a towing company, which I thought was weird since I haven't even had my card for more than a month, but I assume they mean unusual maybe because of the business type, or something they could see on their end that looked weird with the transaction. I told them the whole story, and I also told them how I ended up finding my parking permit later on in the day and how they still wouldn't refund me. CSR put in the details and told me I'll be receiving a credit for that charge, and "not to worry about it, it's taken care of"...I was so shocked I didn't expect for AMEX to take care of a problem that wasn't even their fault, it was honestly my own fault, but clearly unfortunate what happened, and that the merchant wouldn't work with me.

So only a month into having AMEX, they're clearly going to have my business, and reccomendation to others in the future as the card that everyone should have, because they do treat their cardmembers right, even if they don't have 20+ years of history with them. Sure did make my day

That was disclosed no?

Re: AMEX Customer For Life... :)

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:36:25 GMT

You type faster than I do...

See previous post.

Re: AMEX Customer For Life... :)

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:42:15 GMT

lol no pointing fingers just thought i'd point it out

Re: AMEX Customer For Life... :)

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:45:06 GMT

Good job at it, too!

Re: AMEX Customer For Life... :)

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:46:41 GMT

Round of cyber drinks on AMEX for us publicly promoting their products?