American Express tells consumers their identity was stolen to open up bank accounts

A bank account opened in your name, and you didn't even know about it.

If you're impacted, you should be getting a letter in the mail letting you know about this identity theft.

This letter is from American Express, and it lets consumers know their identity was used to open a bank account. Dozens of viewers in Moore, Hoke, and Cumberland counties are reaching out to ABC11 after getting this letter from American Express. Many thought it was initially a scam, but American Express confirms this is no scam; this is the real deal.

The letter states, an account was opened without the victim's authorization, and the scammer had access to the name, address, and social security number prior to submitting the application. It's not known how the scammer got this personal information, but American Express says it wasn't from them. The company took swift action and closed the fraud accounts.

A spokesperson for American Express added this: It is important to note that this was not a breach of American Express' systems, and American Express' systems were not used to access this personal information. We do not know how the fraudster obtained the consumers' personal information.

American Express has sophisticated monitoring systems in place to help detect and prevent fraudulent activity. If we suspect an account was opened without a consumer's authorization, we take immediate protective measures, including closing the account, and we also, inform the consumer of our actions via a written letter.

Our security controls acted quickly to ensure no consumers have faced any financial losses in connection with these fraudulent accounts. Ensuring the security of personal information is our top priority, and we investigate these incidents in close partnership with law enforcement.

To safeguard their personal, financial or account information from fraudsters, we encourage consumers to be extremely cautious about sharing any sensitive information with anyone who reaches out via phone, email or text asking them to provide it, and to call their financial institution directly if they are ever unsure about such requests.

The Troubleshooter Takeaways: If you got one of these letters or you just want to protect your identity, are to check your credit report. You can do it for free from each of the three credit bureaus once a year. If you notice any fraud on your report, take action right away. Also, consider a security freeze. This blocks access to your credit unless you give permission.