Is AMEX Pulling Sly One?

I read a while back that AMEX was in trouble;along with most of the big credit lenders. I always though of AMEX as tough and mean and probably lean as well. However, it was disclosed that AMEX changed thier charter recently to qualify for the buy-outs. It was in the news. Amex is hutin'.

The other day I get a VM and it was AMEX security telling me to call ASAP-suspicious charges on my account.

So I called and they first apoligized for the attempted false charge by someone who was trying to buy tickets on Wiz Air. Then they transfered me to a specialist who "Could issue me a new card". (That's a bit odd). Well this new card fellow was like a timeshare salesman. He wanted to sell me a CC protection service to prevent this type of thing from hurting me. I declined. They said a new card would be send and arrive after the new year. Mind you-this call was Dec. 20th-just in time from Xmas shopping. I asked for an overnight shipment and they agreed and sent a "Temp".

I get home from work and find an e mail about suspicious charges and and offer for Fraud protection for $70.00 a year. I get my temp card the next day UPS (No extra Charge for expedited shipping), along with a full page ad for Fraud protection Services.

I have a feeling that AMEX is trying to Phish revenue out of thier customer base. They, IMO-caused all of this (made it up) just on the chance that I would pick up the $70.00 FP coverage. The Wiz Air thing-they could not give me details. It is a Hungary based budget airline I found out by using Google.

Has anyone else gotten this same treatment? If so-then this stinks....BAD

Are you so convinced that it's fraud that you wouldn't cancel your card?

I'm willing to bet that indeed your card was breached and that Amex offers this service, and has offered it before, to all people in your situation.

It would be too easy to prove that it was fraud if it was done on a scale that makes Amex any money.

Ziemas said:

Are you so convinced that it's fraud that you wouldn't cancel your card?

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Not really. That is why I opted for the new one. You could be roght. However, it is just a gut feeling that they should have been able to offer the new card with one person in the loop-not a handoff to a team member and without all of the hoopla adverts. After all-I am protected by default ($50.00 liability-which is $20 cheaper than the service) and they did catch the "possible" hacker-right? so why do I need the $70.00 service if the system is working? If they had ponied-up the details of the fraudulent Wiz Air transaction-I wouldn't be posting-nor wondering..

Thanks for the reply.

Atomic6 said:

Not really. That is why I opted for the new one. You could be roght. However, it is just a gut feeling that they should have been able to offer the new card with one person in the loop-not a handoff to a team member and without all of the hoopla adverts. After all-I am protected by default ($50.00 liability-which is $20 cheaper than the service) and they did catch the "possible" hacker-right? so why do I need the $70.00 service if the system is working? If they had ponied-up the details of the fraudulent Wiz Air transaction-I wouldn't be posting-nor wondering..

Thanks for the reply.

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I doubt you do need the system, but the nature of business is to sell things, so they try.

AMEX offers all kinds of extra "insurance" for things that you don't need, but make them extra money.

My last statement indicated that the interest rate will be rising in February...odd considering how low the prime rate is right now.

As for issuing a new card, they have to. Once a card (credit or debit/bank/ATM) has been compromised it has to be taken out of circulation ASAP.

I don't think your experience is different, when's the last time they are not trying to get you buy all sortd of add ons.