American Express India cardholders are seeking explanations for points removed after cards were canceled, a dispute over how the issuer’s pooled rewards accounts interact with a 30-day redemption rule.
NDTV Profit reported that an email to affected customers attributed the points’ continued visibility beyond the redemption window to a technical issue and said balances had been adjusted under the program terms.
Cardholder Sumanta Mandal said in a Nov. 9 post on X that 2,388,090 points had been removed, leaving his balance at minus 2,148,040 points. Cardholder Roshan Agarwal said the removed points were worth about ₹450,000 and that he could not identify or redeem points by individual card. NDTV Profit also cited screenshots showing adjustments of 311,990, 53,528 and 75,715 points dated Nov. 9; the outlet said it had not independently verified the cardholders’ claims.
American Express’ India terms say spending by basic cards held by the same cardmember and billed in the same currency accumulates in one Membership Rewards account. That arrangement pools points across cards before any one card is canceled. Members have 30 days after cancellation to redeem points from that card, provided no amount is outstanding on it. Points left after the deadline are forfeited.
The terms set the deadline but do not explain how earlier redemptions from a shared balance are assigned to a card that later closes.
Starting Nov. 15, American Express says members with two or more basic cards will have a separate point balance for each card. The company says it will use each card’s associated point balance to divide points members already hold, and transfers between cards will end. Amex says the change is intended to let members earn and redeem according to each card’s benefits.
The public terms and update do not provide an account-by-account calculation for the deductions described by NDTV Profit. The outlet said customers were seeking a breakdown; Amex’s public update does not address the reported adjustments.
