Identity Theft Information Page 47

American Express Adds Free Identity Theft Assistance to Its Line-Up of Cardmember Benefits

New Benefit is Latest Addition to Suite of Fraud Prevention Programs; Cardmembers Can Access Special Representatives and Toll-free Hotline 24-Hours a Day, Seven-Days a Week

NEW YORK, Sept. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- American Express today announced the launch of Identity Theft Assistance, a new benefit available to all American Express® Cardmembers at no extra cost. The new Identity Theft Assistance benefit provides dedicated support that can help Cardmembers safeguard their personal information, determine if their identity has been stolen, and if so, provide assistance in helping regain it.
American Express, a leader in providing consumer protection programs, has offered fraud protection benefits to Cardmembers for several years through the CreditSecure® service, Identity Protection from American Express and Credit Card Registry. In addition to these benefits, American Express has several other measures in place such as Online Fraud Protection, which protects Cardmembers from being held responsible for any unauthorized charges when they use their Card online.

"Identity Theft Assistance adds further value to the Card by enhancing the customer experience," said Peggy Maher, Senior Vice President, Consumer Charge Card. "For 154 years, American Express has stood for trust and security, and this new benefit is yet another way for our Cardmembers to feel secure."

The new Identity Theft Assistance benefits include:

* Access to representatives who are on call 24-hours a day, seven-days a
week, to help navigate the recovery process and to offer tips on how to
protect against identity theft in the future.

* Assistance with evaluating suspicious activity to determine if identity
theft has occurred.

* A comprehensive package of materials that can help Cardmembers
re-establish their good credit, including sample letters to credit
bureaus and credit card companies, and a sample fraud account
statement.

For more information about Identity Theft Assistance, Cardmembers can call 1-800-297-7672 or visit: http://www.americanexpress.com/identitytheftassistance.

In addition to the new Identity Theft Assistance benefit, American Express offers Cardmembers three other valuable fraud protection programs for a nominal fee:

CreditSecure from American Express:

Launched in 1997, CreditSecure from American Express is a comprehensive fraud protection service that helps enrolled Cardmembers to protect themselves against fraudulent situations including identity theft and credit card fraud by monitoring credit profiles and promptly notifying them of any changes. In addition, the CreditSecure service offers identity theft insurance and access to resources to help Cardmembers resolve identity theft. The fee for CreditSecure is $9.99 per month or $99.95 per year. Benefits include:

* Personal credit report from Equifax.

* Notify Express, which monitors the Cardmember's credit report at
Equifax every business day and alerts the Cardmember by mail or e-mail
of changes such as new open accounts, new inquiries and address
changes.

* Quarterly credit updates summarizing changes to credit profile,
including derogatory information, public record items, collection
accounts, accounts closed, items removed from the Cardmember's file,
credit limit increases and status changes.

* Free upgrade to a three-bureau-in-one credit report from the three
major credit reporting companies: Equifax, Experian and Trans Union.

* Identity Theft Expense Coverage of up to $5,000 (after a $250
deductible) for certain expenses incurred in connection with recovering
from an identity theft incident.

* Members Only Access to CreditSecure Website for valuable resources on
credit and identity theft resolution tools.

* Sample dispute letters to help correct inaccuracies.

* Toll free assistance from credit education specialists.

For more information about CreditSecure, Cardmembers can visit: http://www.americanexpress.com/creditsecure or call 1-800-270-7506.

Identity Protection from American Express:

Introduced earlier this year, Identity Protection from American Express provides enrolled Cardmembers with coverage up to $15,000 (after a $100 deductible) to cover costs incurred with correcting identity theft. In addition, the coverage provides Cardmembers with access to identity theft counselors to guide them through the process of recovering their losses. The fee for Identity Protection coverage from American Express is $5.95 per month or $59.95 per year. Benefits include:

* Coverage up to $15,000 including:

-- Up to $5,000 for attorney's fees and court costs resulting from
legal suits or proceedings to remove judgments wrongfully entered
as a result of identity theft.

-- Up to $2,000 for lost wages resulting from efforts to amend or
rectify personal records.

-- Up to $2,500 restitution for fraudulent fund withdrawals from
financial or credit accounts.

-- Miscellaneous fees and charges including notary services, long
distance calls, postage and document copying.

* Access to identity theft counselors to:

-- Provide overview and examples of identity theft.

-- Outline tips and techniques Cardmembers can follow to avoid
becoming a victim.

-- Help file police reports if a Cardmember is a victim of identity
theft.

-- Assist with reviewing credit reports and contacting the three
major credit bureaus.

-- Provide sample dispute letters and forms to help correct
inaccuracies.

For more information about Identity Protection, Cardmembers can call 1-800-671-9285.

American Express Credit Card Registry:

American Express Credit Card Registry ensures a Cardmember's cards will be protected. The service will cancel and request replacements of any lost or stolen cards (including ATM cards) -- all with a single call. It also provides fraud liability coverage, passport replacement, and driver's license replacement in several states. In addition, the service offers storage of important document numbers and notification of card issuers in case of an address change. The fee for Credit Card Registry is $29 per year. For more information, Cardmembers can call 1-800-227-2639.

American Express Company is a diversified worldwide travel, network and financial services provider founded in 1850. It is a world leader in charge and credit cards, Travelers Cheques, travel, financial planning, investment products, insurance and international banking. For more information, visit http://www.americanexpress.com.

From: http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040929/nyw151_1.html