Radar / Bank
American Express
Bank United States americanexpress.com ↗
Reviewed 2026-10-22
Our verdict
High risk
We found serious problems with this provider.
- On 2026-10-08 the OCC issued a cease-and-desist order and a $350M civil money penalty against AENB over BSA/AML programme failures. The Federal Reserve separately issued …
- Credible media report the AML enforcement action. They cite roughly $13B in suspected trade-based money laundering not adequately reported, some linked to accounts …
What should I do?
- Do not send money, card details or ID documents.
- If you already paid: contact your bank or card issuer at once and ask for a chargeback.
- Report the provider to your financial regulator or the police.
Based on public sources at the date of review. Not a finding that the company acted unlawfully; the company can respond below.
About
American Express Company is a New York-incorporated, publicly listed (SEC registrant) card issuer, payments network and merchant acquirer. It and its subsidiary American Express Travel Related Services Company are bank holding companies supervised by the Federal Reserve. The FDIC-insured American Express National Bank is regulated by the OCC. On 2026-10-08 the Fed and the OCC announced consent orders over AML/BSA compliance, including a $350 million civil money penalty against the bank. Earlier CFPB consumer-protection actions (2013, 2017) are listed as terminated.
Read more
American Express Company is a New York-incorporated, publicly listed (SEC registrant) card issuer, payments network and merchant acquirer. It and its subsidiary American Express Travel Related Services Company are bank holding companies supervised by the Federal Reserve. The FDIC-insured American Express National Bank is regulated by the OCC. On 2026-10-08 the Fed and the OCC announced consent orders over AML/BSA compliance, including a $350 million civil money penalty against the bank. Earlier CFPB consumer-protection actions (2013, 2017) are listed as terminated.
The full check
🪪LicenceLicensing & registrationOK
AXP and TRS are Federal Reserve-supervised bank holding companies (financial holding company election). AENB is an OCC-regulated, FDIC-insured national bank (cert. 27471). Other jurisdictions were not checked.
👥Who owns itOwnership & controlOK
Publicly listed company filing with the SEC. Group structure is disclosed: AXP, then TRS, then AENB. CEO is identifiable.
🏦Where your money goesBanking & payment chainOK
Operates its own regulated US bank (AENB), with a global network and licensed third-party partners in about 130 countries. Structure is transparent.
⚖️Regulator actionsRegulatory actionsProblem
On 2026-10-08 the OCC issued a cease-and-desist order and a $350M civil money penalty against AENB over BSA/AML programme failures. The Federal Reserve separately issued a cease-and-desist order against AXP and TRS. The company consented without admitting or denying the findings. No asset cap was imposed.
📰News & reputationAdverse media & OSINTCaution
Credible media report the AML enforcement action. They cite roughly $13B in suspected trade-based money laundering not adequately reported, some linked to accounts connected with bank insiders.
- Reports about $13B in suspected activity 2026-10-09
- Earlier report of expected enforcement 2026-07-27
💬Customer experienceCustomer conductNot checked yet
Not yet assessed.
How we rate: methodology.
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Licences & registrations
| Regulator / register | Type | Number | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Reserve (Board of Governors) | Bank holding company / financial holding company (AXP and TRS) | Active | |
| OCC / FDIC | National bank (American Express National Bank, FDIC cert. 27471, Sandy, Utah) | 27471 | Active |
People & network
People (public registers)
- Stephen J. Squeri · Chairman and CEO · source
Version history
- 2026-10-22 Red signal Automated profile created from public sources
Are you American Express?
You can respond to this profile at any time, free of charge: send a statement for publication or ask us to correct a fact. Please include sources. We review every request and record the outcome.