Amex Business Gold Facebook Advertising Fraud

I wanted to put together a quick PSA type of article about something that has been going on for a while now. I can remember dealing with this over a year ago, and it is back again on our cards. Friends of mine have had this issue across every single Amex Business Gold card they have had. It is a bit nuts, and American Express seems perfectly fine doing nothing about the Amex Business Gold Facebook advertising fraud running rampant out there. So much so that they even denied my claim last year, so now I don't even bother with it and do something else instead.

What Is Happening?

It appears someone, somewhere is able to track down a ton of Amex Business Gold card numbers. Then they are running the card numbers through something that codes as Facebook advertising in order to pull off this fraud. Maybe they are like the guys in Office Space just trying to nibble a bit at a time across a ton of cards? That is the only thing that makes sense, because the charges are usually tiny. They don't seem to ever go for the big win, like most other fraudsters. Maybe that is how they have flown under the radar with this Amex Business Gold Facebook advertising fraud for so long.

It has been so bad that most everyone I know has been hit at least once. Many people have become victims multiple times across the same cards, even with new card numbers. It always starts with a $2 or $3 charge, so you would think that American Express would have a tripwire set for small Facebook advertising charges or something. How do I get fraud alerts for McDonald's purchases from issuers and these people can't figure out how to block one of the most widespread fraud scams I have ever seen?

My Personal Experience

My wife had these unauthorized Facebook advertising charges hit her cards last year. I hadn't noticed them at first, and by the time I noticed there were several charges racked up across multiple cards. I was a bit surprised that these had not triggered any fraud alert since they looked scammy as hell. My assumption was that this wouldn't be a big deal, and that I would simply file a chargeback and be made whole. At that point American Express would either issue us new cards or set up some kind of alert for these charges.

You know that saying about assumptions, right? American Express actually denied the claims. I decided to just move on and eat it, since American Express has been very generous with doling out Membership Rewards points the last few years.

Now these advertising charges are making a comeback on cards that have already been replaced for these fraudulent charges once before. Another buddy just had the same problem on a card he had already replaced as well. Over a year later and American Express has continued to let this go unchecked. Unbelievable!

What Do I Now Do Instead

So, what do I do when hit with the Amex Business Gold Facebook advertising fraudulent charges if I don't do a chargeback? I go into my American Express account and claim the card was lost or stolen. This eliminates the possibility of them using that card number again, and it stops the bleeding before it gets past a few dollars. You do need to check your accounts semi regularly though, something I normally do anyway.

I acted quickly this time around and beat the next fraudulent charge in time. This email came the following morning after I had claimed the card was lost.

How To Mark Your American Express Card As Compromised

If you are struggling winning your claims against an Amex Business Gold Facebook advertising fraudulent charge too, this is how you get a new card and number.

Step 1: Account Services & Card Management

The first step is to select the account affected by the Facebook advertising fraud charges and then select Account Services. Once on that page select Card Management at the top.

Step 2: Replace A Card

After you get to the Card Management page you will want to select Replace A Card. This will have American Express ship you a new card with a new card number depending on what you select on the next page. That effectively negates any more fraudulent Facebook advertising charges on your account.

Step 3: Select Lost Card Or Stolen Card

The last step, in this three step process, is to select that your card was Lost or Stolen. The new card, and new card number, should arrive within a week. You will need to update any charges you have automatically billed to the card, since it will have a new number now.

Amex Business Gold Facebook Advertising Fraud: ToP Thoughts

It blows my mind that these Amex Business Gold Facebook advertising fraud charges are still a thing. The fraudster's playbook has not changed for over a year now. It is also widespread with hundreds (if not thousands) of people experiencing the same thing. Set up a proper alert for these charges already American Express! Also, you need to DO BETTER when it comes to people's claims. Your customers are having money stolen while you collect your swipe fees on the way to the bank. Do better and be better!

Let me know if you have had any fraudulent charges for Facebook advertising over in the ToP Facebook Group.