Amex data leak

[Anonymous]

---

@creditwherecreditisdue wrote:

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

creditwherecreditisdue wrote: 

As far as additional fraud monitoring is concerned I don't believe it. That just means they are going to try a little harder to make sure there is no fraudulent use of your card. They can't really do much more than that and given that it is AMEX I doubt they will be looking any harder than they already look at everything else.

---

When my husband first got his card as an AU on my AmEx account (2 people using one Blue Cash account = actually worth having the card), AmEx kept rejecting purchases and freezing his card on an almost-daily basis for about the first month, for "security" reasons. It wasn't one of those "we need the current balance paid before we can allow any more purchases" deal (they were letting my purchases through with no problems), just that their fraud monitoring software (or whatever) threw a fit at each and every (very mundane) purchase he tried to make. I had to call them multiple times over the course of a few weeks because, yet again, I'd had a call from the husband to say his card wasn't working, for whatever reason. I really, REALLY hope their "additional fraud monitoring" on his account doesn't take that form, again! 

---

Were I you I'd be concerned. You're best off with Amex when they aren't looking at you.

---

I was very, VERY concerned (about the future health of my relationship with AmEx) for a while, but things settled down after those first few weeks and we've had no problems since. I was getting incredibly frustrated at the time - I'd had to talk my husband into what a great idea it would be for him to be an AU on my Blue Cash so we could earn all that cashback, and then as soon as he got his card, he had nothing but problems and I had to be on the phone to AmEx every other evening trying to find out what the problem was this time. It seemed like even they didn't know what the problem was, more often than not, but I agree entirely with the "when they aren't looking at you" thing, and would rather not have to get myself on their radar at all. 

In the end, I spoke to a very nice CSR (they were all very nice, it has to be said!) who said that she thought my husband's account had been flagged because his first purchase was at the pump at a gas station (and that such purchases are very popular with people who like to steal/clone credit cards), but she was very apologetic that his card kept getting frozen even after I'd called in (repeatedly) to clear things up (basically having to confirm that all the AU purchases were my husband's and that I knew about them). She ended up sending him a new card, "just in case" that might help"... I have to admit I had my doubts that getting a replacement card would help, but coincidentally or otherwise, he never had any purchases rejected after that. We just got our rebate (a very nice $725) for the year credited to the account today!

Sorry, that is all VERY off-topic and on a tangent from this thread - but the mention in the letter about fraud monitoring did make me wonder if we're in for more fun and games with my husband's card. I've never figured out whether what happened to us is something all AUs can expect, or just something specific to AmEx's first purchase model, and the fact my husband happened to put gas in the car straight after receiving his shiny new Blue Cash in the mail...  

Message Edited by fevmlo on 08-16-2009 12:58 AM

[Anonymous]

Yes, by "fraud monitoring" they mean rejecting suspicious out-of-state purchases, online money transfers, unusual gas purchases etc. I will consider writing them a letter.

Thanks everyone for sharing!

[creditwherecreditisdue]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

Yes, by "fraud monitoring" they mean rejecting suspicious out-of-state purchases, online money transfers, unusual gas purchases etc. I will consider writing them a letter.

Thanks everyone for sharing!

---

Either:

How is this different from anything they normally do?, -OR-

How are you supposed to enjoy hassle free use of your card?