• Los Angeles Times, Wednesday, April 29, 2009 11:15 AM

American Express' efforts to ensure that its customers are credit-worthy may be fiscally sound, but they have been a PR nightmare. L.A. Times consumer columnist David Lazarus has been following the impact of the program on card members, which he characterizes as turning the screws on long-standing customers.

Some readers have told Lazarus that AmEx has demanded that they send in copies of their federal tax returns if they want to keep their accounts -- a practice he thought was a scam but that a spokesperson confirmed is true in "isolated cases."

"American Express is a brand you can trust," says AmEx spokeswoman Desiree Fish. "It's not like you're being asked to fax documents to an unknown number. In no way is this intended to offend anyone."

Lazarus' take is a bit different: "And don't let the door hit you on the way out," he concludes.

Read the whole story at Los Angeles Times »