Fraud Protection
Feel secure knowing we make fraud protection our business.
Report a Fraud
Has your Card or eligible device been lost or stolen? Don’t recognize a transaction on your Account? If you think you may have become a victim of fraud, contact us.
Call 1-800-869-3016 or the number on the back of your card. Outside of Canada (please call collect) 905-474-0870. For Corporate Cardmembers, please call 1-800-716-6661.
Contact us from abroad
Around the globe and around the clock, you’re just one phone call away from expert help.
Simple steps to help you stay protected
Read these helpful tips to help you keep track of your account.
Step 1
Check your statements thoroughly as soon as you receive them. You can also switch to online statements. You can opt into online-only statements by logging into your Online Services account, where you can also check your transactions daily.
Step 2
Log in to your Online Services account to register for Account Alerts which can provide updates on your account balance by email or SMS.
Step 3
Register for Push Notifications via the American Express Mobile App to receive account updates on the go.
Fraud Protection Guarantee1
Use the American Express Card online or off, and you won’t be held responsible for any fraudulent charges, as long as you’ve taken reasonable care to protect your account details, PIN and any device on which you have added your account information. Notify us at once if your Card or eligible device is lost or stolen, or you suspect it is being used without your permission. For more information on the Fraud Protection Guarantee1 refer to Fraud FAQs.
FAQs
Unfamiliar transactions on your statement happen for a number of reasons, and they are often not a result of fraud. Firstly‚ you should confirm your question by going through our checklist of common reasons for unexpected charges - often, your query can be resolved right here. If none of these seem to be reasons for yours, just call us at 1-800-668-2639 any time of the day or night, 7 days a week. We are always here to help you.
Our relationships with merchants all over the world help us protect your transactions. As part of our regular screening of Cardmember transactions, our systems will look for unusual transactions - this could include purchases outside your normal spending habits. Where our fraud detection programs identify suspicious activity, we may try to contact you to verify whether the transaction is legitimate. However, there may be cases where we will try to prevent a potential fraudulent transaction by putting a hold on your account transactions.
Using your Card online is safe and convenient as long as you follow a simple rule. When shopping online, only use "secure" web pages when you enter your Card details. A web page is secure if there is a locked padlock in the lower right-hand corner of your browser or if the address starts with 'https', where the 's' stands for secure. Also, it is your responsibility to practice safe computing.
If you are a victim of online fraud, have taken reasonable care to protect your account details, and provide any necessary information to our Fraud Department, you won’t be held responsible for any fraudulent charges.
If you have taken reasonable care to protect your account details, PIN and biometric authentication such as fingerprint and facial recognition, you will not be held responsible for any fraudulent charges.
Reasonable care includes practices such as:
- Contacting us as soon as you realize your Card or device on which your account information has been added has been lost or stolen
- Advising us if a renewal card has not been received
- Advising us if someone else learns of your PIN or code
- Contacting us if you suspect that your account is being misused
- Protecting your PIN, code and device access from others, including your family and close friends
- Safe computing (e.g. encryption, virus scanning software, firewall, anti-spyware software and other similar safeguards)
Your American Express Card or account is non-transferable meaning other people are not allowed to use your Card. If you still lend your Card to another person, even with permission to use the Card for any purchase, you will be held responsible for all charges they make. Similarly, you are responsible if you let a person use your device or add their biometric authentication such as fingerprint or facial recognition.
In some instances, fraudulent card use by a family member can be covered by our Fraud Protection Guarantee, provided you are able to provide us with information which will include a declaration, affidavit, and/or a copy of an official police report. If you are concerned about a situation like this, please call us.
There are some simple steps you can take to ensure you and Supplementary Cardmembers are safeguarding your Card:
- Sign the Card in ink as soon as it is received
- Keep the Card secure at all times
- Regularly check that you have the Card in your possession
- Do not let anyone else use the Card
- Ensure that you retrieve the Card after making a purchase
- Never give out your Card details to unauthorized parties
- Protect your PIN, telephone codes, online passwords and any other codes used on your account
- Take care to prevent anyone else seeing the code when entering it into an ATM or ABM or other electronic device
- Take care to prevent someone from using or acessing a device on which you have added your account information
Refer to your Cardmember Agreement for more details on how to prevent misuse to your account.
Related Pages
Phishing
To help stop fraudsters, and to help keep you safe and secure when shopping online, we have a range of helpful advice to protect you against their tricks and scams.
Identity Theft
Find out what you can do to help keep your financial details safe and secure.
Terms and Conditions
TM, ®: Used by Amex Bank of Canada under license from American Express.
1. We will guarantee protection against fraudulent payments on your Card, provided you have taken the responsibility to notify us immediately, and you have complied with your Card Terms and Conditions.