American Express late purchase added to card

Ianlanning

I have today (August 2021) received a letter from Amex stating that a purchase I made in May 2020 had not been added to my account due to an administrative error!
they will now add this to my next bill, however this will now take me over my current balance. Can they do all this?

floppydisk1

You bought something on amex card, easy to check whether it was already charged or not, check your statements. If not , they have every right to add it as you spent it so you have to pay it. What I do not understand is what do you mean by taking you over you current balance ?  I hope you do not mean credit limit...  Amex card are meant to be paid in full EVERY time as they are either cash back or points cards, any  revolving credit interest will wipe any and all  rewards.

molerat

You knew you had spent it and that it was likely to pop up sometime. They are at least giving you notice of what they are about to do. If you don't want to go over your limit make a payment now to ensure it does not. 

kaMelo

Ianlanning said:

I have today (August 2021) received a letter from Amex stating that a purchase I made in May 2020 had not been added to my account due to an administrative error!
they will now add this to my next bill, however this will now take me over my current balance. Can they do all this?

Did you purchase something in May 2020 that was never added to any statement between then and now and so you never paid it?
If you did then they want paying, if you didn't then question the charge.

I cannot find anything that suggest there is a limit for adding the charge to your account although, given the length of time it's taken, if if puts you over your credit limit then you could ask them not to charge you for going over your limit due to the unusual nature of what has happened.

born_again

Ianlanning said:

I have today (August 2021) received a letter from Amex stating that a purchase I made in May 2020 had not been added to my account due to an administrative error!
they will now add this to my next bill, however this will now take me over my current balance. Can they do all this?

Yes.
With Visa/Mastercard a retailer has 6 months to put a transaction through before you could contest it. Even after that odds on you will lose.

Only thing you can hope is they do not charge you for going over, but that will be a gesture of good will on their part. As you should have noticed that the payment did not show on a previous statement.