American Express must die

[Robert]

A few months back I started receiving letters from American Express addressed to someone else.

 

I've been writing "return to sender" on them, with a note that the person doesn't live here, and dropping them back to the post office to send back.

 

On last week's letter I added a note demanding they send no more.

 

Well of course this week yet another one arrived. So, I opened it and will share the contents with the world.

 

From: American Express Australia Limited

GPO Box 1582 Sydney NSW 2001 Australia DX100 Sydney

Telephone 1300 366 105

(in Sydney) 9271 8655

 

To: PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL

T O'DONNELL

(address removed)

 

American Express Credit Card 376087372601***

 

Dear Cardmember,

 

We regret to advise you that your American Express Credit Card has now been cancelled.

 

Please cut the Card in half immediately and destroy it securely.

 

It is in your best interest to pay the outstanding monies without further delay. Our future course of action will be determined by your promptness in this matter.

 

Failure to pay may also result in any of the following:

- your account being referred to an external collection agency

- the listing of a payment default with a credit reporting agency.

 

Should your account be referred to an external collection agency they will contact you shortly to reach a mutually agreeable solution to your financial circumstances.

 

Yours faithfully,

ADRIAN JANSSEN

Head of Credit Services

American Express Australia Limited

CAH

I have never had any dealings with American Express via a credit card or any other means. I have no idea who T O'DONNELL might be, and no idea why they think he lives at my address.

 

My question: Should I do anything, or just ignore it?

[Inky]

just ignore it for now. address mixups aren't on you. just throw the letters in the trash.

for almost a year after I moved in to a new place I was getting the previous persons mail. after the first few months I stopped forwarding it and just dumped it in the trash can by the mail boxes. If it isn't important enough for the person to change their address with those companies then flock em.

[Lucandrake]

Maybe it's a conspiracy, with government agencies and whatnot.

[ken_cinder]

My post office is the same, lazy as $hit. No matter how big and bright I write "Not at this address" I still get mail at least 3 days a week for people who don't live here anymore, including the guy I bought this house from!

 

I'd call American Express and tell them, it's not their fault, it's the Post Office not doing their job.

[gavin19]

My post office is the same, lazy as $hit. No matter how big and bright I write "Not at this address" I still get mail at least 3 days a week for people who don't live here anymore, including the guy I bought this house from!

 

I'd call American Express and tell them, it's not their fault, it's the Post Office not doing their job.

 

Primarily it's the person who moved away/used bogus address, that's to blame, not the PO. What makes you think writing something any bigger is going to make it any more important/effective? Who is to say that AE doesn't just dismiss these letters anyway? I mean, they would be pretty foolish to remove someone just because they get a returned letter that says 'no longer at this address'.

 

All you need to do is either make a phone call or pick up a cheap envelope/stamp and write a letter to AE. I get mail from the past 3 previous tenants here and have done the same, but to no avail. Unless they actually receive contact from the person themselves it's entirely likely you will continue to get their mail.

[hellsfury]

well robert in my neck of the woods its a felony and a federal one at that to open other peoples mail so you might want to check your laws and if there like ours on the matter you might want to edit your post just a bit.

 

if i was you i would do one of two things go to the post office and ask to speak to the postmaster or send a letter right to the postmaster at that post office. remember to be nice either way.

 

but whatever you do don't tell them you opened the dudes mail..

[Robert]

I'm not talking to the post office - they aren't the ones sending the letters.

 

I rang American Express and spoke to their fraud dept.

They said they will investigate this T O'DONNELL person.

And, they said they won't send any more mail.

 

We'll see.

[ken_cinder]

My post office is the same, lazy as $hit. No matter how big and bright I write "Not at this address" I still get mail at least 3 days a week for people who don't live here anymore, including the guy I bought this house from!

 

I'd call American Express and tell them, it's not their fault, it's the Post Office not doing their job.

 

Primarily it's the person who moved away/used bogus address, that's to blame, not the PO. What makes you think writing something any bigger is going to make it any more important/effective? Who is to say that AE doesn't just dismiss these letters anyway? I mean, they would be pretty foolish to remove someone just because they get a returned letter that says 'no longer at this address'.

 

All you need to do is either make a phone call or pick up a cheap envelope/stamp and write a letter to AE. I get mail from the past 3 previous tenants here and have done the same, but to no avail. Unless they actually receive contact from the person themselves it's entirely likely you will continue to get their mail.

 

May work that way where you live, but the post office here is supposed to stop delivering mail for other people when you tell them to here.

If I write "Not at this address" on 6 pieces of mail for the same person, and they keep delivering that persons mail to MY HOUSE that I OWN, I have a right to complain. Hell it's even in their own policies to do just that, they just can't follow their own guidelines.

[Robert]

The saga continues... American Express said they wouldn't send any mail (which they haven't), but they sent the account to a debt collector, and THEY have been pestering me instead.

 

Citibank have also joined the fray, continuing to send stuff as well.

 

Here are the contents of the latest letters

Global Vantedge Private Limited

ABN 107 230 919

PO Box 161 Eskineville NSW 2043

Telephone 1300 306 718

Fax 1300 306 714

 

24th March 2009

 

TONY O'DONNELL

Private and Confidential

 

Dear Account Holder

Re: American Express Australia Limited

Account Number 37608737260****

Reference Number MRA72325

Balance Due $5350.32

 

To finalise the outstanding debt on your account, American Express Australia has requested we make you an offer of $4815.29 in order to settle this account.

 

This offer is conditional, therefore $4815.29 must be received as cleared funds by the close of business 19th April 2009.

 

You must now contact this office immediately on 1300 306 718 to confirm your acceptance and acknowledge the Terms and Conditions of this final offer.

 

Any further charges incurred on your account in the meantime will render this offer null and void.

 

If payment is not received by 19th April 2009, we will seek instructions from American Express Australia with the possibility to commence legal proceedings against you for the recovery of the full amount of your debt, $5350.32 without further notice to you.

 

GPO Box 3913 Sydney NSW 1118

T 1300 301 531

F 1300 550 218

www.citibank.com.au

www.usecreditwisely.com.au

 

23 March 2009

 

TONY J ODONNELL

 

Reference: Silver Mastercard

Account Number: 543060002130****

Card Balance: 1848.85

Card Credit Limit: 7500.00

Overdue Amount: 325.00

 

Notice of default listing with credit reporting agencies

 

Dear TONY J ODONNELL

 

As your account is still overdue, we would like to advise that it is the policy of Citibank to list any defaulting accounts with Credit Reporting Agencies.

 

If you do not pay the outstanding amount of $325.00 within 28 days, this default will be listed and will stay on your credit file for a period of 5 years. This may result in you experiencing difficulty in applying for credit or finance in the future. You can read more about this at www.usecreditwisely.com.au.

 

We'd prefer not to take this action. To avoid the default listing you can:

 

* Pay the outstanding amount immediately using one of the payment options listed over the page

 

OR

 

* Contact one of our Loss Mitigation Associates immediately on 1300 301 531 so we can come to an acceptable arrangement to pay the outstanding balance. There are ways we can try to help you if you are in financial difficulty but we need you to contact us for this to happen.

 

If you've already paid the outstanding amount in full, thank you. If you believe you will have difficulty paying in future we would still like you to call us as soon as possible.

 

Yours sincerely,

Vasudeva Rao

Head of Collections

[2eyez]

I consider stuff like that junk mail and throw them in the trash. I'm not wasting my time fixing a problem that isn't mine.

[Cominus]

A few months back I started receiving letters from American Express addressed to someone else.

 

I've been writing "return to sender" on them, with a note that the person doesn't live here, and dropping them back to the post office to send back.

 

On last week's letter I added a note demanding they send no more.

 

Well of course this week yet another one arrived. So, I opened it and will share the contents with the world.

 

From: American Express Australia Limited

GPO Box 1582 Sydney NSW 2001 Australia DX100 Sydney

Telephone 1300 366 105

(in Sydney) 9271 8655

 

To: PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL

T O'DONNELL

(address removed)

 

American Express Credit Card 376087372601***

 

Dear Cardmember,

 

We regret to advise you that your American Express Credit Card has now been cancelled.

 

Please cut the Card in half immediately and destroy it securely.

 

It is in your best interest to pay the outstanding monies without further delay. Our future course of action will be determined by your promptness in this matter.

 

Failure to pay may also result in any of the following:

- your account being referred to an external collection agency

- the listing of a payment default with a credit reporting agency.

 

Should your account be referred to an external collection agency they will contact you shortly to reach a mutually agreeable solution to your financial circumstances.

 

Yours faithfully,

ADRIAN JANSSEN

Head of Credit Services

American Express Australia Limited

CAH

I have never had any dealings with American Express via a credit card or any other means. I have no idea who T O'DONNELL might be, and no idea why they think he lives at my address.

 

My question: Should I do anything, or just ignore it?

 

You need to call them.