{"id":232115,"date":"2024-08-19T10:40:00","date_gmt":"2024-08-19T14:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/milesopedia.com\/news\/financial-review-american-express\/"},"modified":"2025-07-28T08:46:59","modified_gmt":"2025-07-28T12:46:59","slug":"financial-review-american-express","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/milesopedia.com\/en\/personal-finance\/financial-review-american-express\/","title":{"rendered":"What is an American Express Financial Review and how to avoid it?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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In the world of point-hunting, signing up for new credit cards andoptimizing our purchase categories<\/a> for free (or nearly free) travel<\/a> is perfectly legal. However, when “abusing the system”, this type of conduct can trigger an American Express financial review <\/strong>or future denials on new applications<\/a>. <\/p>\n

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Although all banks can carry out this process (and each in their own way), Amex is the one that does it most frequently according to feedback; both to detect abuse and fraudulent behavior.<\/p>\n

There’s a grey area when it comes to the definition of abuse; when the conditions described in the terms and conditions are met, there shouldn’t be a problem.<\/p>\n

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American Express’ financial review<\/strong> criteria have never been officially disclosed; the claims in this article are subjective and based on feedback and observations over the course of several years.<\/p>\n

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When you are subject to an American Express financial review<\/strong>, the first indicator is that your card gets declined when you try to make a purchase.<\/p>\n

Then, when you log in to your account, you’ll be told that your account (and all your cards) are suspended, and instructed to call customer service.<\/p>\n

Next, you will receive an email or letter confirming that your account has been frozen and instructions on how to proceed; Amex will ask you to provide several documents within 14 days for them to investigate.<\/p>\n

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During this time, you can’t use your credit cards, and you can’t access your Membership Rewards points<\/a> either. So, if you have pre-authorized<\/a> payments set up, it’s important to pay your bills manually in time for the American Express Financial Review<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

By speaking with an agent, you can usually get an idea of the motive for the review based on the questions they will ask you and the documents requested.<\/p>\n

The documents required are usually your tax returns, notices of assessment, bank statements, pay stubs, etc. You can submit these documents electronically through the website<\/a> or by fax; when done, confirm receipt with an agent.<\/p>\n

It’s very invasive in terms of sharing your personal information, but if you don’t do it, you guarantee yourself a closure of all your accounts and the loss of your Membership Rewards points as well as any current statement points that have not been transferred to other programs.<\/p>\n

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Make sure you also have travel insurance<\/a> if you’re in financial review; your credit card may no longer insure you during the investigation.<\/p>\n

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When fraudulent activity is detected by Amex algorithms, your account may be put under financial review to verify your information.<\/p>\n

There is no official list, but the actions that have been reported most often by people who have had an American Express financial review<\/strong> are as follows:<\/p>\n