Card issuer · complaint record
Is American Express legit?
Filed under AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
American Express is a real card issuer with a public complaint record: 61,693 complaints since 2011, and it is still answering them. It answered 98.9% on time and closed 25% with relief. A complaint record shows how a company treats people when things go wrong - it doesn't prove wrongdoing, and bigger companies get more complaints.
Good response record. How it works
What the record shows
Good signs
- Answers complaints on time98.9% of complaints answered within 15 days.
- Active and answeringIt took part in the complaint process as recently as Nov 11, 2026.
- Response Score 68/100Grade B: good response record.
Red flags
No red flags in its complaint record.
From the complaint record only. A company can be legitimate and still not be right for you; a company with few complaints may simply be small.
- Complaints on record
- 61,693
- Last 12 months
- 11,560
- Answered on time
- 98.9%
- Closed with relief
- 25%
- Last 30 days
- 538
- Rank
- #4 of 52
Since December 2011
+12% vs the year before
Industry: 98.7%
Typical card issuer: 26%
Newest: Nov 11, 2026
Most complained-about credit card companies
How to check American Express yourself
- Use contact details you found yourself. Go to the company's own website or the number on your card or statement - never a number or link from a text, email or caller.
- Check its licence. Banks should be on the FDIC's BankFind; credit unions with the NCUA. Many apps are not banks themselves - check which bank holds your money.
- Read the latest complaints. Look for the same problem again and again in the complaint log, and at how they were answered.
- Read people's own experiences. See what others say about American Express, and add yours.
- Get everything in writing before you pay, sign or share anything.
More: how to check if a company is legit · how to spot financial scams
Your rights with credit card companies
Under the Fair Credit Billing Act you have 60 days from the statement date to dispute a billing error in writing, and the issuer must investigate. Your liability for unauthorized charges is capped at $50 by law (and usually zero in practice). Issuers must give 45 days' notice before raising your interest rate or most fees.
General information, not legal advice; rules vary by state. Plain-English guides
Experiences with American Express
AllHave you dealt with American Express? Tell people whether it was legit in your experience.
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Is American Express a real company?
American Express is a real card issuer with a public complaint record: 61,693 complaints since 2011, and it is still answering them. It answered 98.9% on time and closed 25% with relief. A complaint record shows how a company treats people when things go wrong - it doesn't prove wrongdoing, and bigger companies get more complaints.
Is American Express a scam?
Its record shows a real card issuer that answers complaints through the official process (98.9% on time). Scammers often pretend to be well-known companies, though: if someone contacts you claiming to be American Express, hang up or delete the message and contact the company using details you found yourself. Your card company will never ask you to read out a full card number, PIN or one-time code on a call it made. Hang up and call the number on the back of the card.
Can I trust American Express?
Look at the trend and the answers rather than the total: American Express closed 25% of complaints with relief and complaints are rising. Read the experiences from people like you.
What should I do if American Express won't fix my problem?
Put it in writing to the company, keep copies, then file an official complaint - companies must answer. See what to do if a company ignores your complaint.
Complaint records are public consumer complaints filed with U.S. regulators, checked (newest received Nov 15, 2026). Complaints are consumers' own accounts and are not verified; counts grow with a company's size. How the data works
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