Secure online shopping with Amex SafeKey

What is American Express SafeKey®?

Shopping online is convenient and the choice is huge. But every day criminals send emails with dangerous links or attachments or use other phishing methods to obtain access information and personal data from their victims.

To make sure that the person who wants to make a transaction is really the person they claim to be, on paying with an American Express credit card, the SafeKey® customer authentication tool runs in the background. SafeKey® is based on the 3-D Secure security standard, which American Express has developed together with other credit card providers.

SafeKey serves as a comprehensive security check when shopping online to minimise the risk of fraud. To ensure you have the best possible protection when paying with American Express, you will often be asked to verify your identity in a two-factor authentication process. This can take place in three different ways:

• By entering a unique code sent to you by text message or email
• By push notification in the app
• By entering parts of your card PIN – the same PIN you use for in-store payments

The Swisscard app is not mandatory for online purchases, but it makes verifying online payments even easier. It is therefore best to download the app and enable the notifications for the Swisscard app in your smartphone settings.

Highest security standards at American Express

To ensure the high security standards for American Express, merchants are requested to activate SafeKey®. Many thousands of merchants have already implemented this requirement. Some stores may not yet be technically capable of using SafeKey in their payment processes, though. If you shop at these stores online and your transaction requires a secure authentication, American Express will decline the transaction.

Also, if there are any signs of fraudulent activity with your card, a transaction will initially be declined. If there is any doubt about your identity, you will be contacted immediately by email, text message or telephone.

Wide-ranging purchase protection with American Express

American Express credit cards not only offer you secure payment in online shops. The purchase protection goes far beyond this and also applies to transactions in local shops. If you pay with American Express, you benefit from the following security services:

• With the Platinum Card, the Gold Card, the American Express Card and the BLUE credit card, you enjoy Return Protection Insurance. This allows you to return goods worth CHF 60 or more within 90 days if they aren’t accepted by the seller.
• With the Platinum Card, the Gold Card, the American Express Card and the American Express Credit Card Gold, you get Purchase Protection Insurance, which covers you against theft, burglary, robbery, destruction and damage to products for 90 days from the date of purchase.
• The Gold Card and the Platinum Card also provide an extended guarantee, which extends the manufacturer’s guarantee by two years.

Pay securely with American Express: in Switzerland and worldwide

With American Express credit cards, you can pay securely and quickly worldwide – in boutiques, shopping centres and other local stores as well as online. The cards are accepted at millions of merchants around the world, with more than 150,000 acceptance points in Switzerland. With SafeKey, you benefit from secure payments when shopping online, minimising the risk of the fraudulent use of your card.