Many American Express Customers Will Receive Refund Because of 'Illegal Card Practices'

American Express will refund about $85 million to approximately 250,000 customers.

If you have taken part in American Express’ “Blue Sky” credit card program, you may have some money coming your way. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced an “enforcement action” today against three American Express subsidiaries that will refund about $85 million to approximately 250,000 customers after “illegal card practices,” said CFPB. CFPB alleges that an investigation found that “every stage of the consumer experience, from marketing to enrollment to payment to debt collection, American Express violated consumer protection laws.” “Several American Express companies violated consumer protection laws and those laws were violated at all stages of the game – from the moment a consumer shopped for a card to the moment …

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Police Reports: Dog Bites Dog

The following information was supplied by the Needham Police Department. Any charges mentioned do not indicate a conviction.

Police were called to Second Avenue on Tuesday, Jan. 24 for the report of a dog biting another dog. The owner of the dog that was bitten provided police with a description of the other dog walker and dog. Police searched the area but were unable to locate them. Police later made contact with the owner, and Animal Control was called to investigate, according to reports. Other incidents noted in this week's Needham Police reports: Mailbox Damaged on Linden Street A Linden Street resident reported on Monday, Jan. 23 that their mailbox had been damaged by a snowplow. The resident did not know how long the mailbox had been damaged. Basement Window Broken on Longfellow Road Police were called to a Longfellow Road home on Monday, Jan. 23 for the …

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Police Reports: Credit Card Fraud, Suspicious Calls

The following information was supplied by the Needham Police Department. Any charges mentioned do not indicate a conviction.

A Fisher Street resident contacted police after her credit card number was used to buy sneakers in Florida. The incident was reported on Wednesday, Dec. 7. Needham police passed along the information to a police department in Florida, where the items were purchased, according to reports. Other incidents noted in this week's Needham Police Department reports: Bank Card Used Fraudulently Online  A Laurel Drive resident reported on Wednesday, Dec. 7 that his bankcard had been used fraudulently to purchase items online. The man had already cancelled his debit card and contacted the online company, according to reports. Intoxicated Man Taken Into Custody  Police placed one man into protective custody after being called to handle a disturbance …

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Police Reports: Tools Stolen From Work Vans

The following information was supplied by the Needham Police Department. Any charges mentioned do not indicate a conviction.

An employee at a landscaping business on Wexford Street reported that someone had broken into his work van and stolen tools sometime before 6:30 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 14. A DeWalt electric saw and a Makita tool kit were missing, according to police reports. A second employee also reported that various tools were taken from the van he drives, according to reports. Other incidents mentioned in this week's Needham Police reports: Credit Cards Used in NYC  A Carey Road resident reported on Thursday, Nov. 10 that someone had used their credit card information to purchase items in New York City, though the cards remained in the owner’s possession, according to police reports. The matter is under investigation. Fraud Reported  A Powers Street …

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PatchCast: A New Library, Friends Save Dogs and a Gymnast Bares All

A video roundup of the area's latest developments for Friday, Oct. 7.

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Police Reports: Phone Scammer Claimed to be Grandson Needing Bail Money

The following information was supplied by the Needham Police Department. Any charges mentioned do not indicate a conviction.

A Putnam Street resident contacted police after receiving a phone call from a man claiming to be her grandson who said he had been arrested in Cancun, Mexico and needed $4,200 for bail. Police responded to the call on Tuesday, July 19 and spoke with the resident who said she had received the call between 10:00 and 11:00 a.m. that morning. The woman said that another person had called claiming to be an attorney representing her grandson; he told her to send the bail money through Western Union. The woman told police she realized it was a scam and was able to cancel the transaction before any money was sent, according to reports. Police advised the resident that it was a common scam and suggested she conduct regular credit checks and report …

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Police Report: Woman’s Info Used to Open Credit Cards

A High Rock St. resident contacted police after receiving suspicious notices in the mail.

A High Rock Street resident called police last Wednesday after discovering that someone had used her personal information to obtain a Best Buy credit card and attempted to apply for a Kohl’s credit card under her name. The woman told police that on April 1 she had received a notice in the mail telling her that her Kohl’s Department Store credit card application had been declined. The woman said she immediately contacted the company to explain that she had not applied for a card. A Kohl’s representative told her they had received personal credit information including a name, address and cell phone number but that the application had been declined because it had not included a driver’s license number, according to the police report. On April…

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