Scams, phishing and online safety

Phishing Emails

Website Scams

Phone Scams

There is a range of simple and effective ways to protect yourself online. Our tips will show you how

to avoid scams, how to spot phishing emails, how to stay safe online and how to keep your Account

details private and secure.

Phishing Emails

Email phishing is when a fraudster attempts to trick you into doing things, often handing over passwords or verification codes, directed in an email that may initially seem legitimate. Always be cautious when you see emails from recipients you don't recognise.

The sender calls you something general like 'customer' instead of your name

They ask you to act urgently, or tell you that unless you do something right away, your account may be suspended or closed

They ask for your username, password and bank details

They ask you for a verification code that has been sent to you by text or email

They want you to open an attachment you weren't expecting

The email has been sent from a different address from what it appears or it is a free website address

The email contains spelling or grammar mistakes

Hover over the senders email address to check it's the same as it appears in an email.

Don't give out your PIN, password, log-in details or card details

Don't give out a verification code if you weren't expecting it, even if it's from American Express

Keep your anti-virus software up to date and install a firewall

Make sure your spam filter is switched on

Check the sender's address. We will normally email you from these addresses:

@americanexpress.com

@aexp.com

@welcome.aexp.com

@americanexpress.co.uk

@email.americanexpress.com

@welcome.americanexpress.com

@aexpfeedback.com

@alerts.americanexpress.com

Fraudsters may send you a text message that asks you to confirm your Account details. You can spot them in the same way you can spot a phishing email. Contact us straight away if something seems odd.

Report a suspicious email

Report a suspicious email by sending it to:

UKemailfraud@americanexpress.com

Website Scams

Fraudsters may create a fake website that appears legitimate to attempt to trick you into entering your personal information such as your password or PIN. Find out how to check if it's a legitimate website.

The web address should start with 'http' and end in 's': 'https://' - the 's' stands for secure

It should have a padlock symbol in the browser address bar

In some browsers, the address bar or the company name is in green

Log out of every site, every time you've registered your details. Simply closing the browser isn't enough

Choose strong, unique passwords (not your child's birthday, for example)

Keep your anti-virus software up to date and install a firewall

Hover over the URL to check it's the same as it appears in an email or search engine before clicking it

Check the URL, our websites will normally start with:

https://americanexpress.com

https://network.americanexpress.com

https://global.americanexpress.com

https://online.americanexpress.com

https://consumer-travel.americanexpress.com

Report a suspicious website

Report a suspicious website by sending it to:

UKemailfraud@americanexpress.com

Phone Scams

Fraudsters may call you pretending to be from

American Express. This can also be done via 'spoofing', where a fraudster presents their number as ours. They will often ask for personal information such as your account details or a verification code (something we would never, ever do). Find out how to protect yourself against them.

Someone calls you asking to confirm your Account details

Someone calls you asking for your PIN, Card details and/or Card security code

Someone calls you asking for a verification code that has just been sent to you by email or SMS

They ask you to act urgently, or tell you that unless you do something right away, your Account may be suspended or closed

Never divulge your Account details or verification codes over the phone

We will never ask for the 4-digit or 3-digit security code on your Card

If something doesn't feel right, simply hang up, then call us on the number on the back of your Card

If we call you, we will only ever ask security questions which require answers in partial form, we will never ask you for your PIN or password

We will never ask for the 4-digit or 3-digit security code on your Card

If we call you, we will not send you a verification code via email or text and ask you to confirm it over the phone

If something doesn't feel right, simply hang up, then call us on the number on the back of your Card

Report a phone scam

Contact us straight away if you think you've been a victim of a phone scam, we're here to help and protect you.

Contact us

Identity Theft

Your details are private. Let's keep it that way.

Learn More

How we keep your Account safe

Fraud Protection Guarantee

If you do become a victim of fraud, our Fraud Protection Guarantee means you won't be held responsible for any fraudulent charges, provided you've taken resonable care to protect your Account details, PIN and any device you store your Account information on.

Account and fraud alerts

If we spot anything unusual on your Account, we will contact you by text, email or phone call straight away and help you get back on track.

Learn more

Scams, phishing and online safety

Phishing Emails

Email phishing is when a fraudster attempts to trick you into doing things, often handing over passwords or verification codes, directed in an email that may initially seem legitimate. Always be cautious when you see emails from recipients you don't recognise.

How to protect yourself from an SMS scam Fraudsters may send you a text message that asks you to confirm your Account details. You can spot them in the same way you can spot a phishing email. Contact us straight away if something seems odd.

UKemailfraud@americanexpress.com

Website Scams

Fraudsters may create a fake website that appears legitimate to attempt to trick you into entering your personal information such as your password or PIN. Find out how to check if it's a legitimate website.

How to check it's a legitimate website The web address should start with 'http' and end in 's': 'https://' - the 's' stands for secure It should have a padlock symbol in the browser address bar In some browsers, the address bar or the company name is in green

How to check it's a legitimate American Express website Check the URL, our websites will normally start with: https://americanexpress.com https://network.americanexpress.com https://global.americanexpress.com https://online.americanexpress.com https://consumer-travel.americanexpress.com

Phone Scams

Fraudsters may call you pretending to be from

American Express. This can also be done via 'spoofing', where a fraudster presents their number as ours. They will often ask for personal information such as your account details or a verification code (something we would never, ever do). Find out how to protect yourself against them.

How to protect yourself from a phone scam Never divulge your Account details or verification codes over the phone We will never ask for the 4-digit or 3-digit security code on your Card If something doesn't feel right, simply hang up, then call us on the number on the back of your Card

Contact us

Identity Theft

Your details are private. Let's keep it that way.

How we keep your Account safe

Fraud Protection Guarantee

Account and fraud alerts

Fraudsters may send you a text message that asks you to confirm your Account details. You can spot them in the same way you can spot a phishing email. Contact us straight away if something seems odd.

The web address should start with 'http' and end in 's': 'https://' - the 's' stands for secure

It should have a padlock symbol in the browser address bar

In some browsers, the address bar or the company name is in green

Check the URL, our websites will normally start with:

https://americanexpress.com

https://network.americanexpress.com

https://global.americanexpress.com

https://online.americanexpress.com

https://consumer-travel.americanexpress.com

Never divulge your Account details or verification codes over the phone

We will never ask for the 4-digit or 3-digit security code on your Card

If something doesn't feel right, simply hang up, then call us on the number on the back of your Card