American Express offers consumer services primarily through their credit cards, helping people manage their payments and subscriptions easily. They allow you to view your statements online, set up automatic bill payments (AutoPay), and even adjust your billing due dates to fit your schedule. You might see billing from American Express if you've subscribed to their credit cards or used their card to subscribe to other services, as they handle recurring bill payments with rewards options. They also provide flexible payment plans and options to manage your balance over time, making it easier to keep track of your expenses and payments.
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Cancelling a subscription or recurring billing with American Express requires calling the customer service number on the back of the card and may involve providing supporting documents. While the process is straightforward, it requires a phone call and possibly gathering documentation, which adds a small degree of effort but is not overly complex or difficult.
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How to Cancel American Express: Step by Step
If you purchased through American Express Website:
- Login to your American Express account at americanexpress.com.
- Click on View Transactions.
- Review your statement line-by-line to find unwanted recurring payments.
- Take note of the merchant name, amount, and next scheduled payment date for each recurring payment.
- Click on Previous Billing Periods to ensure the monthly or yearly subscription charge is consistent.
- If the charge is incorrect, find the merchant's contact information to cancel that subscription manually.
- Repeat steps 1-6 for every American Express card you have.
- Review your account regularly to keep track of subscriptions.
If you purchased through American Express Mobile App:
- Login to your American Express App.
- Click on Statements.
- Click See All in Recent Statements.
- Click on Current Statement.
- Review your statement line-by-line to find unwanted recurring payments.
- Take note of the merchant name, amount, and next scheduled payment date for each recurring payment.
- Click on Previous Statements to ensure the monthly or yearly subscription charge is the same.
- If the charge is incorrect, find the merchant's contact information to cancel that subscription manually.
- Repeat steps 1-8 for every single American Express card you have.
- Review your account regularly to track subscriptions.
Tips & Tricks for Canceling American Express
- Let the annual fee post, then call within 30 days to cancel and request a refund of the fee as a statement credit.
- Use your card actively until the fee posts to maximize benefits before canceling.
- Keep or park Membership Rewards (MR) points by maintaining another Amex card that earns MR points, or transfer points to partners before canceling.
- Request retention offers when calling to cancel, often via chat or phone, to potentially reduce fees or gain additional incentives.
- Be aware that canceling too soon after signup may cause clawback of welcome bonuses and damage chances for future sign-up bonuses.
- Use clear, polite but firm language indicating you want to cancel due to fees or lack of use; avoid arguing but document the cancellation request.
- If you encounter resistance, ask to escalate politely to a supervisor or retention department for better assistance.
- Cancel soon after annual fee posts to be eligible for refund and avoid paying for a full year you do not intend to use.
- Save evidence of your cancellation request in case charges continue post-cancellation.
- Timing strategies: Cancel right after fee posts but before the 30-day window closes for refund eligibility.
American Express Customer Service Info
If you need assistance, here's how you can get in touch with American Express's support team.
Cancel American Express Script
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Dear American Express Customer Service,
I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to formally request the cancellation of my American Express subscription. Due to changes in my financial circumstances, I am unable to continue my membership at this time. I appreciate the service I have received, and I would like to ensure my account is closed smoothly.
Please let me know if you require any further information to process my request.
Thank you for your assistance.
Frequently Asked Questions
American Express allows you to cancel your card or membership at any time by calling the number on the back of your card. Before cancellation, ensure all balances are paid, outstanding transactions processed, and any Membership Rewards points redeemed as they may be forfeited upon account closure. If your card has an annual fee, you may be eligible for a pro-rata refund based on usage. Once the account is closed, all linked cards should be destroyed.
To cancel your American Express subscription or card, you generally need to call the customer service number on the back of your card for assistance. If you want to use chat support, you must be logged in with your User ID and Password, so your password is needed in that case. If you've forgotten your password, you can reset it here: https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/account/password/recover. Therefore, having your password is important for online cancellation, but phone support is available without needing to log in.
- High annual fees: Many users cancel due to the card's steep $695 annual fee, questioning if the benefits justify the cost.
- Limited international acceptance: American Express is not as widely accepted abroad in some countries, making it less convenient for international travelers.
- Loss of benefits upon cancellation: Canceling results in losing valuable perks such as Priority Pass lounge access, elite hotel statuses, and other membership benefits.
- Inactivity: Cards may be canceled by American Express due to prolonged inactivity to protect users.
- Unfavorable rewards or benefits: Users may cancel if the card’s rewards categories or credits (e.g., Uber Cash, Walmart+ credits) do not align with their spending habits or locations.
- Chargeback or annual fee timing concerns: Some cancel within a year to avoid the annual fee but risk losing welcome points or incurring account closure.
- Credit score impact: Canceling can temporarily hurt credit scores, leading some to opt for downgrading instead of full cancellation.
- Non-use or preference for other cards: Users may cancel if they don't use the card frequently or prefer cards with better rewards or lower fees.
- Complexity or dissatisfaction with customer service: Though not explicitly stated, these are common cancellation reasons in general credit card churn scenarios.
When canceling an American Express card, be aware that you must call their customer service to initiate cancellation, and if it's a corporate card, you may need to contact your company's administrator. A key landmine is the annual fee: If you want to avoid paying it or getting charged for it, you must cancel within 30 days of your billing statement closing date; otherwise, the fee is non-refundable. Generally, there are no explicit long-term contracts or early cancellation fees, but timing your cancellation poorly could result in unavoidable charges, so be vigilant about when you cancel.
Before cancelling an American Express subscription or membership, it's important to know that if you have Membership Rewards points, you must redeem them within 30 days of account closure or you will lose them. If your card has an annual fee, you might be eligible for a pro-rata refund depending on your account usage. When you cancel, you lose access to all card benefits and perks associated with your specific card, such as travel credits or exclusive offers. Additionally, once the account is closed, you should destroy all physical cards linked to the account.
- Full name on the account
- American Express Card number or account number
- Contact information (phone number or email associated with the account)
- Reason for cancellation (optional, but sometimes requested)
- Details of the subscription, membership, or bill to be cancelled (such as merchant name, amount, date, and frequency)
- Outstanding balance must be paid (for credit/card account closure)
- Pending transactions should be completed or reviewed
- Redemption of Membership Rewards points (if any, as points may be forfeited upon closure)
- Proof of cancellation or acknowledgment from the merchant (may be required for recurring subscription cancellations)
- Supporting documents (such as proof that recurring billing has been cancelled)
- Call Customer Service using the number on the back of your card for official cancellation requests
We've actually written a step by step guide on how to get a refund from American Express. Check it out!
The Easiest Way to Cancel American Express
If you’re frustrated trying to cancel your subscription, membership, or bill from American Express—or if you didn’t even realize you were being charged—Chargeback can help. Chargeback is a personal subscription manager that automatically detects hidden, recurring charges like Netflix, Hulu, and hundreds of others. With one click, we can cancel unwanted subscriptions, flag suspicious billing, and even initiate refund requests on your behalf. No more waiting on hold or navigating confusing help pages. Just connect your bank or email account, and we’ll take care of the rest.
Start reclaiming your money today with Chargeback
What Are Some Alternatives to American Express?
AMEX*PAYMENT, AMEX*MEMBERSHIP, AMEX*SERVICE, AMEX*REBATE, AMEX*CHARGE, AMEX*TRAVEL, AMEX*DINING, AMEX*REWARDS, AMEX*ONLINE, AMEX*MERCHANT, AMEX*PURCHASE, AMEX*INSURANCE
Editorial Note: These articles reflect the opinions of Chargeback's writers. Everyone's situation is unique; therefore, it is important to conduct your own research and note that our self-help tools are not guaranteed to help with any specific problem.
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