Can't use Fitbit pay with American Express card on Charge 4

[Edf01]

Has anyone in the US been able to use an Amex card with Charge 4? I have successfully added the card to the wallet, but cannot pay. I get a Declined message. It works fine from my iPhone wallet but not Fitbit. I can use a Bank of America credit card and a Chase debit card, but not Amex. 

Moderator edit: subject for clarity

[WilsonFitbit]

Hello @Edf01. Welcome to the community forums! 

Thank you for the detailed information. At this time, I was able to see that you reached out to our Support Team and they are currently working on your case. I recommend keeping an eye on your inbox since they will get back to you with more information soon. 

On a side note, this thread will remain open if anyone else can provide additional comments. 

See you around. 

[Edf01]

I'm still waiting for an email from tech support. It’s been about three days, but I’m still hopeful. 

[theorbo]

I am having the exact same issue. I reached out to American Express and they confirmed that the card is successfully enrolled. I can even see this in a section on the American Express website. I have a Delta affinity American Express card and they say it should work fine. I have tried using Fitbit pay with this card at multiple merchants and it always returns a "decline" but then I can insert the actual American Express card and it processes successfully. Using another card (Chase/Visa) with Fitbit pay always works without any issue. Any ideas?

[Edf01]

We’ll, that is exactly what’s happening with my card. Another interesting piece of information is that I was able to use it at a D’Agostino’s market. That tells me that the card does work with Fitbit, just not in any other place.
I’m still waiting to hear from tech support, but my hope that they will respond is dimming.
I have two decline receipts from Whole Foods and I intend to contact Amex to see if they can use that info to come up with something.
I’ll post what I learn. Stay tuned.


Sent from my iPhone

[Drakliaan]

I am having exactly the same issue. I could only use my Fitbit pay at Adidas. It's declined everywhere else. Called American express and they confirmed that the cases was successfully added to my Fitbit and the issue is not on there end. They also gave me the customer service number for Fitbit

[theorbo]

We should all click the "Affects me too" button at the top of this thread, in the first post. Maybe that will help get more attention for this. 

@WilsonFitbit, should we start a new thread since this has been marked as "Answered" when it's not answered for other users experiencing the what seems to be the exact same issue? 

[Edf01]

I would like to say that your response while encouraging, is not an answer to my question. I am still waiting to hear from the Support Team. I have some decline receipts that contain details that mean little to me, but might be helpful to a support team trying to understand why I and apparently others are having this problem.

I will reach out again. Thanks for your response.

[Edf01]

WilsonFitbit,

I am not sure how 'best answer' is determined, but I imagine that should be a desigation given by the person posing the question, not the person giving the response. My best answer to almost any question could be "gemlins", but I would expect something more helpful from my mechanic.

[Edf01]

This question is not solved. There was an answer, but not a solution. I have not been able to use Fitbit pay with my Amex card at Whole Foods, CVS, Walgreens, or Associated. 
Surprisingly, it does work at D’Agostino’s. And I can use my Bank of America card on the Fitbit at all these places. 
Multiple calls and chats to Amex and Fitbit have been unhelpful. Both say everything looks good here, try calling the other. 
They both are correct. The Amex works at D’Agostino’s, therefore, it works. But it doesn’t work anywhere else and I believe this requires a technical understanding of how pay systems work together. 
On yesterday’s call to Amex I was transferred to tech support and after the normal painful wait, the call apparently ‘accidentally’ dropped. 
Tech support needs to be involved!

[theorbo]

This is unresolved for me as well. Tried again today at a couple of merchants - no success with my linked Delta Airlines affinity American Express card. I am getting a "declined" message even though I can successfully process the transaction with my physical card. @WilsonFitbit, are you able to assist with this? Thank you!

[Rich_Laue]

I have been able to get help from my bank when a card was declined. 

They at least was able to tell me if the issue was with Fitbit or the bank. 

[theorbo]

Thanks @Rich_Laue . I contacted American Express after this happened the first time, as well as again after it continued happening. On their end they are not seeing any declined transactions and are saying it must be an issue on the Fitbit Pay end of things. They confirmed that the card is enrolled on the Amex end, meaning it should be working. I will keep after this.

[LZeeW]

@Edf01   I unchecked that response marked as the best answer.  It is an answer, but not the solution.  Just to let you know, a response can get marked as the best answer by one of three ways: the original poster, a moderator, or a member of the Community Council.  I can't tell who marked it, but I unchecked it.

I wish I had an epic answer for you.

[Edf01]

I continue to have general failures and the occasional success. I can add Total Wine and a ‘declined’. Fortunately I could pay there with my Amex on the iPhone wallet. 
I think Fitbit should look into this. My guess is that whatever interface that Fitbit has set up to communicate with touch devices needs tweaking. If I were programming such a thing I would be curious to know which devices fail and which don’t. I’ve occasionally received a ‘declined’ receipt that contains information that may be useful in trying to understand what is happing. Should I ever hear from Fitbit Tech Support I will share it with them. 

[pesephd]

I am having exactly the same issue as well.

[Edf01]

Here is an update:

I finally heard from Fitbit-support and they gave me instructions to try. Basically, remove everything and try again - the true and tried "try unplugging and plugging back in". I had done that several times, but this time I followed their instructions carefully. The first place I tried using the Amex card it went through. The second place, no luck. I tried all of the other places where it would not work and had no luck.

I replied to them and they replied

"Upon reviewing our back-end tools, we confirmed the steps in trying to solve this issue and since you have exhausted the troubleshooting for this, we’d like to investigate your Charge 4 warranty status."

I sent that information and today I heard:

We’re happy to provide a replacement for defective devices covered by our warranty. Before we can send the replacement, please ship the device to our warehouse at the address below. After we receive your package, we'll send your replacement within 5-10 business days.

So, basically, I will be without my Fitbit for at least a week and possibly two. And when I get the next one, I have the nagging feeling that it will act just like this one and the prior one I had. Will I be upset? Yeah. Really. However, I keep trying to be positive about this. I have 'exhausted the troubleshooting for this' but I really don't feel that Fitbit has. 

I would love to hear other opinions about whether I should inconvenience myself for this experiment.

[theorbo]

Hi @Edf01 - thanks for your update. It seems unusual that more than 1 of us is having a similar or same issue but kudos to Fitbit for trying to resolve the issue. I'm sure that's not the answer you were hoping for as it does feel like a "who-knows" type resolution. But, you never know, perhaps it IS an issue with the device, and perhaps multiple devices. Until you (or someone else) tries a new device it will be unknown. I understand the desire to not go without your device for several days - perhaps they have a way of taking a credit card # and sending out the NEW device before you send in the old one? In any event, good luck and please keep us posted! 

[pesephd]

Thank you for the updates.

I removed the AMEX card from my Charge 4 and re-installed, but it did not work. However, I added a Visa card to my  evice, and it worked.  I  talked with AMEX and they said they did not see any declined transactions and the Fitbit pay was active on their end and everything looked good (and recommended talking with fitbit....). Amex does not work but Visa works....

[pesephd]

 I talked with a representative at Amex’s tech department but he could not figure out the issue. He escalated the issue to his department. It would take 8-10 business days to investigate.