American Express customers’ accounts are being “vigilantly monitored” by the company, after account information, including credit card numbers, was leaked.
The 120 million Amex card users around the world are likely to be affected by a cyberattack. In a letter sent to the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulator (OCABR) of Massachusetts, the company American Express, based in New York, announces that it has been the victim of a data breach. Information about payment accounts, including credit card numbers, names and expiration dates were thus disclosed. “We have learned that a third-party service provider engaged by many merchants had unauthorized access to its system,” explains the company, specifying that internal systems were not affected. “It is important to note that systems owned or controlled by American Express were not compromised by this incident, we are providing this notice as a precaution.”
For the moment, customer accounts are being closely monitored. “We have sophisticated monitoring systems and internal protection measures to help us detect fraudulent and suspicious activity. If we notice unusual activity that could constitute fraud, we will take protective measures,” assures the financial services company.
If you are an American Express cardholder, it is recommended that you review your account within the next 12 to 24 months to ensure that no transactions appear fraudulent. Also don’t forget to activate your notifications on the app in order to receive alerts linked to your accounts by email and SMS. In such a situation, changing your password comes in handy to protect yourself from any malicious acts.
If necessary, contact customer service for new credit card numbers and advice based on your situation. Please note, however, that in the event of fraudulent use of your payment cards, “the Monetary and Financial Code guarantees you a full refund of the disputed sums debited from your account”, specifies American Express on its site.
In total, more than 120 million people hold an Amex card worldwide. But American Express has chosen not to communicate on the origin of this hack, nor on the number of customers affected by this data breach.