I've been an American Express customer since 2009. Always paid on time, often paid in full. My credit limit was $35,000, and I used the card for my business expenses.
Last month, I received a large payment from a client and decided to pay off my entire $18,000 balance at once. Within 48 hours, AmEx closed my account for "unusual activity patterns that present risk."
The "unusual activity"? Paying my bill. They refuse to elaborate, won't reconsider, and told me the decision is final. The account closure is now on my credit report, dropping my score by 120 points.
Fifteen years of loyalty, hundreds of thousands in transactions, never a late payment - ended because I paid my balance. The real kicker? They're still sending me offers to apply for new cards.