I have been a loyal American Express member since 1984. I have used the card for years for business purposes and have never missed a payment. Last week, I was checking into a hotel and was informed that my card was cancelled. As I had never been late with a payment and knew the card was current, I was sure that it had to be some fixable error. I called AMEX to get it straightened out. The exact opposite happened; the non-English speaking rep confirmed that indeed my card had been canceled because of a negative credit report.

Since 2005, when Hurricane Katrina wiped out my business and finances, my credit score has suffered. I have always made sure that I was current on my American Express bill, as I would need that card to help rebuild my future after the devastation of the hurricane. My score right now is the best that it has been in 4 years.

The big question is what my loyalty has cost me. I hope there is a class action lawsuit soon that sues for damages caused by their neglect of loyal customers.