A Scam Call From a Real American Express Number
2026-09-06
A Scam Call From a Real Americ...

A Scam Call From a Real American Express Number

Today, I received a phone call from someone claiming to be from American Express.
 
They asked, “Was the charge made on August 20 yours?”
 
I didn’t remember making that charge, so I said no and ended the call.
 
About 30 minutes later, I received another call, this time supposedly from the American Express Fraud Center. The caller said they had questions about an American Express account I had opened in early August.
 
Of course, I had opened no such account.
 
The caller said this could be fraud and asked if they could verify some information with me. Something didn’t feel right, so I told them:
 
“I’m not comfortable discussing this on this call. I will call American Express myself.”
 
Surprisingly, the caller responded, “Please call the number on the back of your card.”
 
That sounded completely legitimate.
 
So I hung up and called the number printed on my American Express card myself.
 
American Express checked my account. They found no other cards or newly opened accounts under my name. More importantly, they had no record of American Express calling me.
 
Here is the scary part.
 
The number displayed on my phone was:
 
1-800-528-4800
 
That is an actual American Express customer-service number.
 
In other words, seeing a legitimate phone number on Caller ID does not mean the person calling you is legitimate. Scammers can spoof phone numbers and make a call appear to come from a trusted company.
 
What protected me was very simple:
 
I hung up and called the number on my card myself.
 
If your bank, credit-card company, government agency, or another trusted organization calls you and something doesn’t feel right, don’t continue the conversation.
 
Hang up.
 
Then find the official number yourself and call them directly.
 
We used to think a suspicious call would come from a suspicious number.
 
Not anymore.
 
Even the phone number can be fake.
 
Please be careful.
 
 
Disclaimer: I use AI as a tool to help create images and proofread my writing. However, the ideas, opinions, experiences, and messages in my posts are my own. AI does not generate my posts for me. It simply helps me present my own words and ideas more clearly.






Kenichi Uchikura
Founder & CEO

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. (PSPINC)
Uchikura & Co., LLC.

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ABOUT THIS BLOG

I was born and raised in Japan and have spent most of my adult life in the United States. Through this blog, I share Japanese culture, language, expressions, and wisdom. My goal is not to say one culture is better, but to explore different perspectives and what we can learn from them.

Your comments are always welcome.

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