What Do I Do If My American Express Account Is Locked?

If you have just found out your American Express account was locked, you are probably panicking, because you can't access your money. To learn more about why American Express would lock your account and how to get it unlocked, just read this article.

Reasons Why American Express Might Lock Your Account

There are two primary reasons why American Express might lock your account. One of these reasons is suspected fraud. If American Express suspects somebody has stolen your card or gained access to your account, it will lock your account to protect you until the situation has been resolved. This can happen if you use your card in a place far away from where you usually use it, or if your account shows atypical transactions that seem suspicious. The company may also have locked your account if you recently reported your card as lost or stolen.

American Express might lock your account for an unpaid bill. If you owe the company money and have not paid it off in some time, you may find your account locked.

However, the American Express contract specifies that the company has the right to lock your account for pretty much any reason it wants. It's, therefore, possible that you're facing a different issue than either of the above cases.

What to Do If American Express Has Locked Your Account

The first thing to do is contact American Express' customer service. A customer service representative can tell you why your account was locked and how you can get it unlocked. This may involve verifying that you were responsible for the suspicious transactions or paying off a past due bill.

However, if you feel that American Express has unfairly locked your account, you can file a complaint with the FTC. You will need to call the FTC's Consumer Response Center to make the complaint.

Contact American Express

Contact American Express' customer service department to start the process of unlocking your account.