AMEX is one of the most friendly major U.S. issuers for people applying without an SSN, and it is also one of the easiest issuers to get approved with. We have even successfully helped family members apply for quite a few AMEX credit cards. However, AMEX also has strict risk controls, especially for cardholders without an SSN, and dealing with a review can be a hassle. I recently helped a family member go through this process (on their card), and overall it was fairly easy to resolve. So here is a consolidated guide to AMEX ID verification reviews and how to handle them.

What Triggers the Review

Earlier, I introduced the new “Send & Split” feature from AMEX and PayPal:

In that post, I mentioned using my LD’s AMEX credit card to send a payment to my PayPal account through Send. The transaction was for $1,000, and it ended up causing LD’s AMEX account to be frozen. The following email was then received:

  • Email subject: Contact American Express Regarding Your Account
  • Sender: [email protected]
  • The email said:
Dear 美卡攻略，We are writing to you because we need to speak with you regarding a security concern on your account.For your security, new charges on the accounts listed above may be declined. If applicable, you should advise any Additional Card Member (s) on your account that their new charges may also be declined.Please call us immediately at 1-888-800-5234, or international collect 336-393-1111. Our hours of operations are 8:00 am to 12:00 am (midnight) Eastern Standard Time seven days a week.Your prompt response regarding this matter is appreciated.Sincerely,American Express Credit Services

Seeing the warning that future purchases might automatically be declined was definitely scary. I immediately checked both the mobile app and the website, and everything still appeared normal. There was no FR.

AMEX then sent another email asking to confirm that the transaction was made by the cardholder:

However, purchases related to PayPal gift cards or other cash-equivalent transactions cannot be confirmed directly online. I tried several times, and each time it said I had to call in for verification and an identity review.

Complete Identity Verification by Phone

This can only be handled by phone. I recommend first calling the number on the back of your card and having customer service transfer you. You can also call one of these two departments directly (choose 1 of 2):

  • Option 1: Charge Verification Team, +1-800-824-9289
  • Option 2: Identity Protection Team, +1-800-824-5234

Usually, answering the representative’s questions is enough. In many cases, verifying “your birth year + the last four digits of your SSN + the 3-digit security code on the back of another card on your account” will restore your card usage. If you cannot provide an SSN, then you may need to provide:

  • A valid U.S. ID; an expired one will not work.
  • If you cannot provide that, another option is to provide the phone number tied to your credit file so AMEX can call you back to verify your identity.

If you do not remember the number, you can ask the representative for the last 2-4 digits. Once they confirm it, the representative can call you back. This also shows how important the phone number tied to your first credit card is, especially for people without an SSN.

Third-Party Seal Verification

If you do not have the appropriate phone number, then your only option may be third-party Seal verification. This means having a bank, your school or employer’s finance office, or another AMEX-approved third party such as NotaryCam verify your identity and apply an official seal.

How the Verification Works

After choosing this option, you will receive either a paper letter or an email from AMEX with instructions like the following. (AMEX generally assumes cardholders are U.S. residents by default, which is the first case below.)

If you are an individual residing in the U.S., please go to your local banking institution, ask for a notary and present your government issued photo ID, Passport, or Visa. The notary will then fill out the document below. If residing in California please provide a Signature Guarantee.If you are a U.S. citizen residing or traveling overseas, please go to a U.S. Embassy, ask for a notary and present your government issued photo ID, Passport, or Visa. The notary will then fill out the document below.If you are currently active in the military and are residing overseas, please contact your local legal Military office, ask for a notary and provide them with your photo Military ID card. The notary will then fill out the document below.To protect the security of your account, we require an appropriate authorizing source to verify your identity. Please complete the enclosed form in the presence of a licensed notary within a banking institution, U.S. Embassy, or Military office per the instructions below:

Some relatively simple ways to do this include:

  • Bring your passport and bank card to a local bank branch and ask a banker to stamp/seal the form;
  • Ask a school finance office secretary, since they may also have a Seal.

If you are not in the U.S., AMEX also provides a workaround: NotaryCam, a third-party online ID verification service.

  • NotaryCam: a solution for cardholders outside the U.S. who need ID verification

A few important notes based on my experience:

  • If your credit card has already been frozen (cannot be used and shows as frozen), then once you choose Seal verification, you cannot reverse that choice. You must complete the verification, or your account may be closed when the deadline passes.
  • If your card is not officially frozen (transactions do not go through, but the account does not show as frozen), then making your payment on time may allow the issue to resolve automatically later. YMMV.

How to Send Back the Seal Verification

After you get the document stamped or sealed, there are a few ways to send it back to AMEX. In practice, once you agree to Seal verification, AMEX will usually mail you a physical letter the next day with return instructions. Normally, the document sent to your billing address must be taken to a local bank or ID verification provider, certified, sealed, and then mailed back to AMEX. But of course, there is no guarantee you will be in the U.S. at that time. What if this review gets triggered while you are traveling? AMEX provides two solutions:

Return by Email: AMEX will not proactively tell you about this method; I had to ask a representative for it.

  • Go to this page and enter your email address: https://encryptedexchange.americanexpress.com/login/br/IDVerification
  • Upload the scanned copy of your stamped/sealed document

NotaryCam: This is also the best option if you are outside the U.S.

  • Go to the third-party ID verification service at https://www.notarycam.com/. It is normally a paid service, but they work with AMEX (AMEX covers the cost), and they can complete your ID verification directly for AMEX. This is especially useful if you are outside the U.S. when the review is triggered, or if you live outside the U.S. and do not fit into any of the three categories listed in the second method above.
  • AMEX’s dedicated free link: https://www.notarycam.com/amex
  • The process is quick; just follow the instructions. Once completed, they will apply the Seal and automatically forward the result to AMEX.
  • After verification, NotaryCam will also send you a PDF certificate. It remains valid for a very long time and may be usable for ID verification for years. I will discuss that in a separate post.
  • My personal suggestion is to also use the email-upload method at the same time and send the scanned copy directly to AMEX.

After the Seal verification is sent back, you do not need to contact AMEX again. AMEX will review it automatically, and as long as there is no issue, lifting the account freeze is just a matter of time. Due to space constraints, I will cover the detailed NotaryCam unfreezing steps and tips in another post.

How to Avoid Triggering This

At its core, this AMEX process exists to protect customers, which is a good thing. Still, users should try to avoid behavior that may trigger a fraud review.

  • Try to avoid using a newly opened credit card to buy gift cards or other cash equivalents, especially if you are new or have a short credit history. In fact, AMEX’s welcome bonus terms clearly say these purchases do not count, even though that rule is not always strictly enforced.
  • If you are not very experienced with PayPal or third-party gift card websites, do not rush to link a new card to PayPal for large purchases, gift cards, or other cash-equivalent transactions.
  • If a transaction gets declined by AMEX, stop making additional purchases immediately. Use the methods above to figure out which charges were blocked. You can call the number on the back of the card or contact online chat for more information, but calling +1-800-824-9289, the Charge Verification department, should be your first choice for getting the block removed.
  • A fraud review only affects the specific card being reviewed; it does not affect your other credit cards. If an authorized user card triggers a fraud review, the primary cardholder must personally call in to verify. If Seal verification is required, it is also the primary cardholder’s ID that must be verified.
  • Based on my conversations with customer service, primary cardholders without an SSN are more likely to be asked for Seal verification. Those with an SSN usually are not, and even if they are, the verification tends to be much easier. My guess is that newly issued authorized user cards making cash-equivalent purchases can also trigger this easily, though the primary cardholder is the one affected.
  • My guess is that this is also one of AMEX’s stronger measures against selling authorized user spots, remotely opening U.S. cards while living outside the U.S., and fraud. Once an authorized user card makes suspicious purchases or is used fraudulently and triggers a review, the primary cardholder has to go through the verification process. That is a reasonable safeguard. As long as the spending was genuinely made by you or your real authorized user, these reviews are mostly just a formality.