Complaint Review: BLUE BIRD AMERICAN EXPRESS - Internet

Avoid Bluebird. Its a nice idea for a pre-paid card solution for managing small sums of cash among family members but the service is not able to deliver. 

I have three American Express cards: a corporate card, a blue credit card, and a Bluebird prepaid cash card.

I've had consistent problems with the American express Bluebird card.

The technical systems that manage Bluebird account funds transfers are buggy. 

The Bluebird service team has limited ability to actually resolve any issues with accounts. 

The broader American Express company's service staff and account teams have no awareness of or abiltity to resolve any issue related to the Bluebird service or experience.

This whole experience has given me a very bad taste in my mouth for American Express.

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Bluebird acts like a prepaid card. I put money on the card from my checking account or the debit card tied to that account. I had set up subaccounts to use the bluebird card to help manage household members cash spending and as gifts to family members.

Problems:

1. Buggy direct deposit set up: set up direct deposit but had significant problems getting the account set up for automatic transfers.
2. Buggy funds transfers: on several occassions my funds transfer from my debit card to the bluebird card "hung" in limbo until I was able to get bluebird technical support on the phone with my local bank to manually clear the transaction
3. Account lock out: without any notice or warning bluebird closed my account. 6 months after setting up the account bluebird had flagged my account as potential fraud and out of compliance with the terms fo the agreement. The terms I had violated unknowingly involved the fact that I had linked another debit card to my account that was associated with one of my subaccount holders. When I called to find out the problem and find a solution I was given no option to make corrections, transfer funds, or remove the out of compliance account. Instead the decision was made on the spot without any consideration. My funds were locked up and no instruction or effort was given to attempt to reconcile me or the situation. 
4. Poor service from Bluebird account managers: I asked for a bluebird manager and no superviser was apparently on staff to talk to me. I asked to have a bluebird account manager to call me back. I was not called back.
5. Disconnect between American Express and Bluebird: When I call American Express customer service to see if they can help or to raise my concern that the Bluebird service is a problem, the American Express card account team have no idea what Bluebird is or even who to refer me to.

Overall, this has been really embarrasing for me to have "given" these bluebird cards to household members and family members only to find that I have to tell them that the Bluebird accounts are closed. Its been a hassle to be on the phone trying to resolve an issue that Bluebird is encapable of solving because of their policies. its been frustrating to try and get help from American Express and have service people unaware and unable to discuss or help. 

its another indication that American Express service is degrading.

How likely am I to recommend American Express Bluebird? Not at all.

How likely am I to recommend American Express as a charge or credit card company? Very unlikely.

How likely am I to look for alternatives to close my American Express accounts? Very likely.