American Express Card Number Format 2023

by Tony Joshie

American Express Card Number Format and Security Features 2023 – Feeling curious about to find out American Express Number Format? Congratulations on your right choice to open this valuable page. On this page, you will get much information about American Express, and American Express Card Number Format.

Before we are going through about finding American number format, let’s start with a credit card. Credit card is a card that a company issues to help people make a payment or purchase. American Express or we called as AmEx is one of the popular credit and debit and credit card from the old times up to now.

However, AmEx is unique and different from any other cards because of its security features. Let’s say wow!



American Express Credit Cards

For consumer cards AmEx offers at least three different types; Green card, Gold card, and Platinum card. Also known as a charge card, the company released its first card back then in 1958.

As commitment to improve its services, American Express also offers credit cards that can be for travel throughout the world, even though it is less commonly accepted than MasterCard and Visa. However, the card acceptance remains growing. Because of many card types it has, you need to learn the format of each AmEx card. Below, there will be format of most American Express Card Number Format and Security Features 2018.

American Express Card Number Format

American Express card number format has many distinguish types. However, American Express number is always the same no matter what types of the American Express card types. Number34 and 37 is the starting number of all American Express cards. Meanwhile, as comparison, MasterCard starts with number 5, Visa Card starts with number 4 and Discover’s starts with number 6.

Compared with other kinds of cards which have 16 digits account number, American Express card only consists of 15 digits. AmEx card uses no alteration and space in its format I the three blocks which are 4, 6 and 5 digits number from left to right side. On the other hand, other cards including Visa, Discover and MasterCard consist of 16 digit account numbers with space within the four groups of digits.

american express number format
american express number format

The placement of American Express Number is based on the rules made by American national Standard institute (ANSI). This organization has been working to allocate the INN (Issuer Identification Number) to the network of the card.


What is American Express Card Security Number

American Express Card security code is the security of the card. Other cards has 3 digit security code placed on the back of the cards, however, American Express Card has 4 digit number security codes. Look at the example of American Express Card below.

The cardholder’s name is in the lowest part and in the left side of the card just below the location of ‘member since’. Meanwhile, the expiration date is in the middle of the card just below the Card Identification Number. The expiration date’s format is using 'mm/yy'. The hologram of the American Express card will be next to the magnetic stripe, but the centurion image could only be visible if there is any UV light.

This is finally you understand about to find out American Express Card Number Format.

Other uniqueness of American Express card number format is that the account number of the card is printed along with the signature field. And it must suits the number printed in the front card and on the transaction receipt.


Benefit of knowing the American express Card Number Format

american express security features
american express security features

After knowing how to find out American Express Number Format, it is beneficial for you to know the benefits of knowing the American Express Card Number format. Some of which are you will understand how American Express Number is formatted, what each number exists for, and the placement of every parts of the card. Hence you will know the strength of American Express Card Number format. There is also the strength in its security code which is different from any other cards available. Its format really differs from those of other cards format, too. This is why many credit cardholders prefers using American express comparing to others.


How to make payment using American Express Card

How to make payment using american express card
How to make payment using american express card

After finding out American Express Card Number Format, now you need to know how to make payment using American Express Card. Here we are:

  • Swipe the AmEx card if you do the payment electronically. Swipe it via POS (poin-of-sale) terminal. Pay attention to the magnetic stripe. If you can’t read it, you have to press the key and enter manually to carry out the transaction. The imprint of the card will directly come out.
  • Get the authorization of the transaction. There will be an approval code from American Express Card which consists of 6 digits number. This authorization is run by the payment processor.
  • Make sure that you have more attention to the expiration date.
  • You must know that the embossed number printed on the front of the card, the number printed on the back, and the number printed on the sales receipt must be matched.
  • Look at the name printed out on the sales receipt and the name on the front of the card. They must be same.
  • The signatures of the cardholder must also be the same with the signature in the back of the card. Pay attention when you make a payment. Usually in this case, the cashier is the one who pay more attention about this to avoid fraud.

American Express Card Number Format and Security Identification Features

American Express Card Number Format and Security Identification Features
American Express Card Number Format and Security Identification Features

Can you identify the number format of your American Express card? Some people can not recognize the AmEx number format, only knowing card number along with their name printed on the front side of the card. This is not a surprise, considering American Express provides several cards with different formats. Not all AmEx cards display the critical information such as card number, identification number, cardholder… Below is the general guideline for American Express Card Number Format and Security Features, equipping you the knowledge to proceed smoothly with either for online purchase or other activities.

Card Number Prefix

It is not a secret that each card brand has a special number prefixes to start their credit cards. This is mandatory, allowing the customers to identify what kind of card one is using, only by seeing the first few digits. American Express card numbers started with “37” or “34”.

This is the rule for American Express company governing over all of its cards. As a comparison, most Visa card starts with “4” while Discover starts with “6”. And every MasterCard user must know that the card number begins with “5”. You can check out this online credit card validator page with information about the brand prefixes to understand more


Card Number Length and Format

Have you ever wondered how long your American Express card number is? This knowledge is necessary to help you identify if the number is valid. American Express account numbers are typically 15-digit long, in which it comes with a specific format.

The rule for American Express Card Number Format is that their cards must include the digits that have no alterations, spaced in 3 blocks of 4, 6, and 5 digits printed from left to right. For example, “3759 874543 21001”. Besides, this also distinguishes American Express number from the others. For example, the card numbers of MasterCard, Visa, and Discover are 16-digit long which is spaced in 4 groups consisting of 4 digits.

What makes AmEx card number different with other card issuers? The truth, this card number formatting complies with the regulation from the American National Standards Institute. This is an organization is in charge with allocating identification numbers of issuers to the card networks.


American Express Card Personal Identification Number (PIN)

Identification number is considered essential in every card. This is a security code that is equivalent to CVV2 for Visa or CVC2 for MasterCard. Whenever you make online transaction that requires card number, chances are that you have to input the identification number.

Unlike the other card issuers that use 3-digit format for identification number and places on the back of the card, American Express uses 4-digit format which is printed in the front of the card. It is usually above the card number.


Location of Cardholder Name, opening date, and expiration date

American Express card locate the cardholder name in the lower left corner of the card. There is no difference with other card issuers. In the card’s face, there are some other information including opening date. The date is printed in emboss to the right of expiration date.

For comparison, AmEx’s competitors print this date to the left of expiration date. Where is the expiration date located? American Express card locates the expiration date right above cardholder name. It uses format mm/yy.


Centurion image

American Express uses Centurion or gladiator as its logo, which appears on most AmEx cards. The figure evokes classical antiquity. On the card, you will also see AMEX word that is only visible under UV light.

In addition, every card from American Express comes with Centurion image hologram which is embedded into magnetic stripe. This hologram helps you identify if a card is authentic or counterfeit.

Like the other card, American Express card provides signature stripe on the back of the card. This signature stripe is located under the magnetic stripe. The stripe consists not only signature field but also account number.

This is what makes AmEx quite different with other competitors—most of them only print the last 4-digits of the card number in the same field. The authentic card must have the same card number on the card’s face and on the back of the card.

Those are some things that you need to know related to American Express Card Number Format and Security Features 2018. It is necessary to get to know the characteristics of authentic card format, therefore, you can easily identify whether or not a card is valid. In fact, AmEx number can also be validated, just like the other card numbers. It is quite simple to validate your American Express card using Luhn Algorithm.


American Express Card Number Format : Advanced Counterfeit Recognition

Advanced Counterfeit Recognition of the American Express Card
Advanced Counterfeit Recognition of the American Express Card

As technology is getting more sophisticated, irresponsible people always find their ways to take advantages from others, even though by doing something unlawful. Regarding AmEx card number, there are cases of counterfeit card.

Hence, understanding the valid American Express Card Number Format and Security Features is a necessity, to prevent you from being deceived. Previously, you have learned how to identify valid AmEx card. Now, you also need to know how to recognize counterfeit AmEx card from its appearance.


Overall appearance

Do you know? You can recognize counterfeit AmEx card from its overall appearance. If you find new AmEx card looks dull in some parts, you need to be aware. AmEx made the card with high-gloss finish. Even though time can make the finish worn out, be careful when seeing new AmEx card that looks dull. Besides, bumpy surface or bent edges may also be another sign of counterfeit card.


The Front of an AmEx card

The Front of an AmEx card
The Front of an AmEx card

Recognizing American Express can also be possible with identifying the card’s face. You have understood valid American Express Card Number Format and Security Features 2018. At the time you find something wrong or different with the card, please directly contact the customer service or go directly to the bank.

From the front card, identify whether the black in on the embossed number is messy or smudged. This can be a sign that the card is invalid. Crooked or out of line printed number must trigger your awareness.

Some counterfeit cards arere-embossed to make a different identity. This will cause “ghost” image around the embossed printing including name, number, and date. In case you have used the card, make sure the name printed on the receipt match the name on the front of the card.


The Back of It

On the back of the card, American Express card only comes with the card number. To identify from the back side, you need to make sure if the card number printed on the back match the number embossed on the card’s face. This is easy to identify.

There is magnetic stripe that can be visible. Is the stripe scratched or destroyed? The last but not least, also check if the signature panel is whited out, erased, or taped. In case you find something suspicious, you need to recheck the validity of the card and make a call to American Express authorizations.

In a nutshell, American Express card is one of versatile products for AmEx customers. The designers made an AmEx card to distinguish the product from the other card issuers such as Visa, Discover or MasterCard. Among its uniqueness, American Express Card Number Format and Security Features 2018 is one you should consider.

The characteristics of AmEx card include the number of digits along with its format, identification number location, and others. Understanding typical format of American Express allows you to make sure if certain AmEx card is valid.


Conclusion on AmEx Card Number Format and Security Feature

With American Express, you can make payment either online on web apps or offline by mailing a check. Business owners also love using American Express for online payment processing because of smoothness, scalability security, and reliability.

AmEx customer service is superb. They pick up phones around the clock. They also have chat support agents, who are nice and able to help with most common problems including credit limit increase. Their reps would go extra miles to resolve any issue for you, usually in your favor. A great company all around with a great variety of cards for consumers.

About Tony Joshie

Tony's journey as a blogger began several years ago when he discovered his love for the visual arts. Fascinated by the stories behind the masterpieces and the artistic techniques employed by renowned artists, he started sharing his thoughts and interpretations on his blog.

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