Many cardholders of American Express’s premium products—including the Platinum, Schwab Platinum, and Business Platinum cards—have reported a striking typo in their mailed cardmember agreements showing a $0 annual fee, despite the application clearly disclosing the standard $695 charge. This error has persisted in physical disclosures for several months, yet account statements continue to reflect the correct annual fee, leading to confusion and frustration among consumers. While some seasoned card users recall past instances where similar mistakes were honored in the cardholder’s favor, American Express so far has been charging the fee as usual and has not indicated any intention to waive the dues for affected customers.
Background of the Typo
Affected Card Products
- Personal
Platinum Card
- Schwab
Platinum Card
- Business
Platinum Card
Many recent applicants for these card products report receiving a printed Cardmember Agreement stating “None” for the annual fee.
Duration of the Issue
Cardholders indicate that the typo has been appearing in new
agreements “for a number of months,” suggesting a systemic publishing error
rather than isolated incidents .
Details of the Disclosure Error
Application vs. Agreement
- Online
Application: Correctly states the $695 annual fee.
- Mailed
Agreement: Erroneously lists “None” under Annual Fee.
This mismatch underscores that the error is confined to the printed documentation and does not reflect the terms presented during the online application process
Cardmember Experience
Despite the agreement’s “None” notation, card accounts have
been billed the full annual fee on schedule. Consumers contacting American
Express customer service report the fee remains due, with no automatic waivers
issued so far.
Consumer and Expert Reactions
Legal and Contractual Perspectives
Legal experts note that typographical errors in contract
disclosures generally do not override properly executed application agreements,
and issuers are under no obligation to honor mistakes that are clearly at odds
with the agreed-upon terms.
Cardholder Sentiment
On social media forums such as Reddit, users jokingly
speculated about exploiting the error to escape the hefty fee, but consensus
remained that American Express would likely enforce the correct charge. Some
cardholders described escalations to supervisors and document submissions, but
none have confirmed success in securing a refund.
American Express’s Position
American Express has not issued a public statement regarding
the typo, and the company’s online terms & conditions continue to list the
$695 annual fee prominently for all Platinum products.
Key Takeaways
- Verify
Statements: Always cross-check mailed disclosures against online terms
before assuming fee waivers.
- Contact
Support: If concerned, reach out to Amex customer service and retain
copies of all agreements.
- Monitor
Accounts: Expect the correct fee to post unless Amex explicitly
confirms a waiver.
Consumers awaiting clarification may monitor official American Express channels or consult the Cardmember Agreement repository at americanexpress.com for the most current disclosures.