888-800-5234

This is the AMEX Fraud / Security hotline.

DON'T CALL 888-800-5234! DEFINITELY A SCAM!

I got a call from an unknown number, and a suspicious woman asking for me by name left a message asking me to call the AmEx Fraud Department back at 888-800-5234.

She could have easily found my name and number from the phone book.

If the AmEx Fraud Department wanted me to call back, they would have told me to call the number on the back of my credit card and ask to be transferred to the AmEx Fraud Department. 888-800-5234 is probably a transfer number to the Nigerian Express Bank!

I work for American Express and that is legit number for the id protection team just call the number on the back of the card and we can redirect you to them if you feel more safe but it is for your safety

I got this voice mail too, and was suspicious. After several calls to official, published numbers for AmEx, I became satisfied, for myself, that this is legitimately AmEx.  That said, the previous poster is right -- the best thing to do is to always call the number on the card itself -- that way you know you're reaching the genuine company.

I think it is legit, but it is 100% annoying.

If you call the # on your card (not the 800-5234) AmEx will know that 800-5234 called you. They want you to get on a conference call with your bank to confirm your identity.

They have not told me what they want to ask the bank. I asked and was told "some questions" repeatedly. Unfortunately, AmEx's rep had difficulties operating his phone and could not conference in the bank. I was told to call AmEx back; perhaps they'd then be able to conference in the bank.

There are apparently other ways to verify, but the rep did not want to discuss those and hinted that if I didn't get on a call with him and my bank, AmEx might not be able to verify me. Perhaps this adds to the concerns that 800-5234 is a scam.

I imagine this is some kind of advanced security set up, but it is annoying. I've spent more than 10 minutes on this and have not satisfied AmEx's demands.

I feel like I've been flagged as some kind of wrong-doer. The rep was vague and evasive; again I understand why some believe that this is a scam, especially if they just call the 800-5234 number. Nice way to start a relationship with a customer.

If you recieve a call from (888-800-5234) is is very real, it is the phone number for the Idenity Protection Team of  American Express. Their job is to confirm poss fraudulant applications or idenity theft of existing accounts. If you receive a call from this phone number and are not sure just call the number on the back of your card or any other source you are comfortable with, like directory asst. or American Express website. ANYONE can be a victim of ID Theft !  American Express works hard to make sure you are not and if you are to let you know and to help stop it ! You may be asked to do procedures that other companys do not do but it IS for your PROTECTION !!    Frauds today are very sophisticated

YOU ARE AN IDIOT !!

I thinked its cloaked or something. I called back and the operator was not able to verify my information, she asked me for the whole digits of the card number I said I did not feel comfortable giving it so I said can't you pull it up by name. She said she would try to ? than asked me the last 4 digits of the number I gave her that, she than asked the first school I went to, I have never given this information to american express so I started to question it, when I told her the school she said it was wrong and needed my WHOLE SOCIAL SECURITY # ? what ever happend to the security # that goes with your card, I told her I didn't trust her and she said to call the # on the back of the card I did and they told me the # is correct but that department is closed and has been closed for 5 hours??????  obviously the number is being cloaked and people from india are running a really good (id theft) THEFT game.......

I got a call with a caller id of 888-800-5234 at around 9 AM.

I did not answer the call.  The caller left no message.

I looked up the number online, and sites pointed toward American Express.

I picked up my American Express card and called the number on the back of my card, to be safe.

I spoke with American Express and they said 888-800-5234 is one of their phone numbers but that everything is fine and they haven't tried to call me.

What I suspect is going on:

A scammer out there is probably setting a fake caller ID as this number.

This is a valid AMEX no, and is definitely not a fake. This is the no. for AMEX fraud.

I work in this department at Amex and our direct line 8888005234 shows up as unknown. If you see this number show up on caller ID, it's a scam.

This number 888-800-5234 is indeed AMEX customer identity protection department.

888-800-5234 called my home phone, left msg on my answering machine. Asked for my husband by name. Said they were American Express fraud dept calling about suspicious activity on our card.  We don't have an American Express card!  I blocked the phone number.  They immediately called MY cell phone number, asked for my husband. I asked why were they calling him on MY cell and told them neither of us have an Am Exp card!  He said they must have the wrong number!??   This may very well be Am Exp. but there is some kind of fraud going on. They have our home ph, my cell ph, and my husband's name? Wondering if we've had our identity stolen and someone is using our name and ph. numbers :/

(I did have an amex credit card but closed it four years ago) Received a "Unknown" phone call with a similar voicemail, which basically told me to call this 888 phone number with a given reference#. I immediately called back, however the lady on that side kept asking me for my social security number, to "verify any possible accounts". I said no but suggested her to use the given reference#, but she INSISTED on my SSN. I have to say thank you and hung up the call. It is kind of strange, even some earlier posts have confirmed the 888 number is valid.

Actually that is a valid #, it's not a scam at all. The message does state that if you feel more comfortable you can call the # on the back of your card. They helped me out a lot w/identity theft information.

100% true.

The reason this dept calls is because of fraudulent applications and activity... so clearly they were trying to get ahold of you to tell you an acct was opened in your name, trying to HELP you, not to invade your privacy. Phone numbers are public record.

i called American Express after having repeatedly received calls and messages about security. American Express checked all my accounts and everything was in order with nothing flagged. all my accounts on line also show nothing out of the ordinary.  I then answered one of the calls and the person could not tell me which account was in trouble but kept insisting on mr ss#. something is definitely off and I suspect something even though this may be a number to the American Express security dept.

in reference to my above post. the number is in fact America Express. it seems someone was trying to bill my card for several hundred dollars to buy sprint phones and a contract. What's strange though is that when I called the number on the card the first time, the agent said my accounts were fine, leading me to think the calls were bogus. When I called the second time as my card had been declined, I learned why. wish Amex had it more together.

this is a valid # for amex. if you are ever unsure of call back # we ask that you call the number listed on the back of your card.