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 Supposed "Security Measures" of American Express
Posted Mon February 11, 2008 12:00 pm, by Michele B. written to American Express Credit Cards
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Back the end of 2007 I applied for an AMEX Clear card. I had planned to BT an amount from my Citi MC. I had just moved however, so it took a few weeks of me faxing my utility information (this included my phone bill, my gas bill & my electric bill - I had to fax multiple times, they kept "losing" my info). I finally got approved in January. Okay, smooth sailing now. I BT'd my Citi amount (that rate was about to go up). All's well in my world. Then I get a letter stating that AMEX has been trying to call me & I need to call them. My first issue with this? No one has called me. I have caller id & voicemail. The only ones on my caller id were my family & friends, meaning all the numbers that came up I recognized. No unknowns or 800 numbers at all. But whatever, I call them back. I have been "randomly" selected to go through their most detailed security clearance (I don't believe the random part, I'm sure it's because I just moved but they don't agree). She can't answer the fact that I have never been called but states that since my number is unlisted they can't use that to verify who I am (doesn't matter that my phone bill has my info on it including my unlisted number - they don't accept any of the information that I had already faxed multiple times). Hmm, I have 4 options to verify who I am:
1 - Call me at work & be transferred to me. This doesn't work as I am a night shift nurse. They are not open when I am at work.
2 - Call my job on conference call & ask to speak with a coworker who could verify who I am. I do not feel that my coworkers need to know my business nor do I wish to pull them away from patient care to do so. I can only imagine my manager finding that out. Furthermore, who is to say that the number I give them isn't just a friend pretending to be my job? I don't see how this clears security & I say so.
3 - Have a family member with the same last name who also has an AMEX account vouch for me. No one in my family has an AMEX account.
4 - Fax them a copy of my license & social security card. What? I am not faxing my social security card to anyone, not the pope, not the Queen of England, certainly not to a company that has already proven that they lose my faxes. Should I also send over my bank info & pin numbers too to make it easier to wipe me out? I almost find it laughable, except that it's not really funny at all, that a FRAUD department wants me to send them my social security card. Way to fight fraud there.
Needless to say, I have since BT'd back to my other card (no BT fee at least & interest rate is just 1% higher). I can't cancel my AMEX card because they don't believe I am who I am. So in another 10 days (per the person on the phone today) they will cancel the card due to lack of verification.
This whole situation sounds very shady to me. I have already started posting my experience to financial discussion boards to warn others from these practices.
Verify me based on the information I originally sent in which included a phone bill with my unlisted phone number on it. Does it make any sense to ask for documents to verify my address to open the account & then say that they aren't good enough to keep the account open just 10 days later? How does AMEX stay in business?
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by sarah v. Posted Thu July 8, 2010 @ 5:40 PM
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I was a new customer to American Express. My parents have been
American Express customers for over forty years and I decided to
follow in their footsteps and apply for an American Express card. I
received my card, activated it, set up online bill pay and made a few
small purchases, for which I promptly paid online. In fact, I was
pleasantly surprised at the ease of setting up and using the online
bill pay. All I had to do was enter in my banking information and we
were all set. As long as I kept my relationship with American Express
virtual (i.e. online) it was smooth sailing. Unfortunately, I had the
great displeasure of speaking with three of their customer service
representatives in the fraud department. First, on Saturday, July 3rd
I received a phone call from a woman who stumbled over her sentences
and mumbled. She let me know that I had to verify my banking
information with her. I was on a boat at that time as it was 4th of
July weekend and quite frankly, was irritated that (1) I was called on
a Saturday during a Holiday Weekend and (2) that the caller, although
barely able to articulate, wanted my banking information. I dismissed
the call as fraud. When I returned Tuesday evening from my weekend
trip, and I was able to settle back in, I remembered the weekend
caller and decided to check in with the good people of American
Express. I called on Wednesday, July 7th and was told that as I did
not call within 24 hours I would need to fax or mail in copies of my
drivers license, my social security card and my banking information.
Both of the representatives that I spoke to were incredibly rude. I
was eventually transferred to a voicemail box where I left a message.
I知 expecting a call anytime now. Within 24 hours, right? I would just
like to know, is this really how American Express chooses to treat
their customers? I am extremely disappointed. Both fraud
representatives were so rude to me that I do not feel comfortable
faxing them my personal information. Can you give me a reason not to
cancel my card and switch to another credit card provider?
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by Marty5223 Posted Tue February 12, 2008 @ 6:59 PM
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My Amerioan Express is always open. Sounds more iike someone is
trying to work a scam on you. Did they tell you they could not verify
information at night?
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Hi, Michele.
I went through a similar scenario when my husband and I received joint
AMEX Jet Blue cards. We were approved online (since that's how we
applied), and the cards arrived in the mail. Nearly a month after
receiving the cards, we received a letter much like the one you
described, stating that they had been trying to call us and the
account was being "frozen" until we call to speak with them.
Our home phone number is unlisted, and we have a privacy manager,
which prevents unknown or private callers from ringing through to us
unless they identify themselves first. This was apparently a big
problem for them, because they refused to identify themselves as
American Express when the recording prompted them to do so. So after
receiving the letter, my husband called and provided them with the
peace of mind that we exist. The woman he spoke with told him that
they do this for everyone who applies for a credit card online. Seems
to me it would've been helpful to complete this process BEFORE sending
us the cards and allowing us to activate them; but I digress. If it
makes any difference to you, we've been very happy with their services
other than this initial experience.
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But I read too many stories about credit card companies, too many good
people that are involved with the rebates and points, and % back that
end up getting bit in the end.
Its your choice, like its your opinion, just like mine is my own. I
personally believe there are too many negatives with not many
positives. I read stories about bills being 1 hour late and getting
their rates jacked up. I read that here in PFB. I could go on and on,
I just prefer to avoid them, and I share my opinion as others rebutt
me. I hope you dont mind my opinion, I do not mind reading yours!
Good Day
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by ~Fiナ-la-ネea~ Posted Wed February 13, 2008 @ 12:23 PM
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I have no problem with it at all. I'm tight with my credit cards and
money, always have been. I handle them carefully and pay them each
month off. I dont run them up, just use them for things I'd buy
anyway. I like using 0% ones, and I don't get too caught up with their
offers because I don't want to have to work too hard at it. I dont
like having more than a few either. I'm one who has never bounced a
check and my fico score runs 800-825. Except for mtg, I have no debt
or car payments etc. Debt weighs on my mind so I avoid it as much as
possible.
I've read the horror stories too. You can learn alot from them.
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by StoicGrrl Posted Mon February 11, 2008 @ 6:26 PM
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Wow! RedHead said it perfectly: that's just nutty! I can't imagine
accepting the word of either a family member OR a coworker in any
event, since either could be prepped to back you up (I'm NOT saying I
think you'd do that, just that it's a stupid way to verify
information).
You are right to be wary. Especially since you haven't received any
phone calls about this before, it almost sounds like someone went
through your trash/mail and found out you HAD an AMEX card, then tried
to steal your information. And if that really IS the way AMEX tries
to verfy personal info, all I can say is wow. Just wow.
For what it's worth, I poked around on AMEX's website and couldn't
find any reference to this practice. I hope you hear from them!
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I've had many credit cards in my time (Amex Clear being one, right
after I moved) & I've never heard of this or been asked for this.
You're very smart to not fall for it & to ask about this. Also,
you write very well so I expect you will get a response.
I found the best thing to do in MY life was to get rid of all credit
cards. They're never worth the trouble.
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by Brian D. Posted Mon February 11, 2008 @ 5:42 PM
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This almost sounds like a scam artist is trying to get your
information
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That is just nutty! And I agree completely: Some of the methods they
suggest for verifying who you are just don't make sense. You're
right--you could have a friend backing you up.
If they can't get their act together to get your card info verified,
do you want to count on them when there's a major billing or other
service-related complaint/issue on your part?
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