AMERICAN EXPRESS® CREDIT CARDS – COMPARE THE MOST POPULAR CARDS FROM AMERICAN EXPRESS       

* FYI — American Express® has discontinued issuing Business Cards as of Novemeber 13, 2008

Common features of American Express® Consumer Credit Cards : Experience the Financial Power and Security of American Express® Cards—no matter which one you choose. FYI : Most consumers choose the cards above, read on to learn why...

Access Your Account Online
You can view up-to-date billing information online, including transactions, charges, and payments.

Identity Theft Assistance
If you suspect you are a victim of identity theft, know that Identity Theft Assistance, free from American Express, will be there to help. Our experienced counselors are on call 24 hours a day to help you navigate the recovery process; offer tips on how to protect yourself in the future; as well as provide a comprehensive package designed to further assist you in re-establishing your good credit.

Transfer Balances
Transferring balances from higher-rate credit cards, department store cards, and loans help you save money on interest, reduce your monthly payments, and make one convenient payment. American Express credit cards offer attractive balance transfers, many with a 0% introductory transfer rate and a low, ongoing interest rate thereafter.

Year End Summary
Your new Online Year End Summary of Charges gives you access to important information 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Flexible features make organizing your expenses a snap - download the Summary and print it out; sort by date, merchant name, or charge amount; review charges made within a category, such as Travel and Restaurant. Your Year End Summary is an indispensable tool for preparing taxes and budgeting. You may also receive a paper Year End Summary in the mail by calling the number on the back of your Card.

Dedicated Customer Service
American Express is here to help you around the clock, with the kind of Customer Service that keeps Cardmembers loyal for a lifetime. For immediate service, call the phone number on the back of your Card.

Online Fraud Protection Guarantee
Use the American Express Card online, and you won't be responsible for any fraudulent charges. Period. No fine print, no deductible-just pure protection, so you can shop with confidence anywhere on the Internet.

Return Protection
If you try to return a designated item within 90 days from the date of purchase and the merchant won't take it back, American Express will refund the full purchase price, up to $300 per item.

Buyer's Assurance
With the Buyer's Assurance Plan you can shop worry-free knowing that the terms of the original manufacturer's warranty will be matched up to one additional year, on warranties of five years or less that are eligible in the U.S.

Purchase Protection Plan
Shop with confidence and the Purchase Protection Plan, which protects eligible purchases made with the Card against accidental damage and theft for up to 90 days from the date of purchase.

Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance
Did you know that you are covered under the Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance Program - at no additional charge? Simply use your Card to reserve, and pay for an auto rental. See the Description of Coverage or call 1-800-338-1670 for full details.

Emergency Card Replacement
Enjoy the security and convenience of access to Emergency Card Replacement services by calling 800-964-8542 or visiting one of over 1700 Travel Service Office locations worldwide.

Express Cash
Access your credit line 24 hours a day at more than 500,000 ATMs worldwide with Express Cash. To activate Express Cash, simply call 1-800-CASH-NOW (1-800-227-4669)

Global Assist® Hotline
Wherever you travel, you have security and peace of mind 24/7 with medical, legal, financial or other emergency assistance while traveling more than 100 miles from home, including medical and legal referrals, visa/passport help, cash access, lost luggage, and more.

Travel Accident Insurance
Provides up to $100,000 in accidental death and dismemberment insurance while traveling on a common carrier (plane, train, ship, or bus) when the entire fare has been charged to the Card.

PLUS all the rewards of your particular American Express Credit Card Rewards Program!
* See terms and conditions of your actual card. Features, benefits and rewards can vary.

*   The NilsonReport, #851, February 2006
**  Brookfield Research, July 2006
*** Brookfield Research, June 2007

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HOW TO SAVE MONEY WITH YOUR AMERICAN EXPRESS® CARD
We suggest you maximize the value of your new Amex Card using the following strategy – Use your Amex Cash Back Credit Card for every single purchase possible in conjunction with the checkbook you'll use to pay your monthly bill. After every purchase using your Cash Back Credit Card, record the purchase in your checkbook as a debit. At the end of the month when the bill comes you've already allotted for the amount necessary to pay your balance because you've been debiting it's charges in your checkbook register all along. So when you pay the bill it won't hurt a bit. Some of our customers even pay their mortgages and car notes with Cash Back Credit Cards to maximize savings. If you're spending 3,000 per month you could be getting 150 of that back in your pocket. For those with a very good credit rating we recommend Blue Cash(SM) from American Express®-It pays you up to 5% Cash back on every purchase with No Annual Fee.

American Express (NYSE:AXP ) is a diversified global financial services company headquartered in the United States. The company is mainly known for its credit card and charge card business. It is also a large player in the travel services, mutual fund, brokerage, financial advisor, and insurance businesses. Company headquarters are in New York City. The current CEO is Ken Chenault, who took over in 2001. The company was led by Harvey Golub from 1993 to 2001 and prior to that it was headed by James D Robinson III from 1977 to 1993.

The company's common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol AXP. It is one of the 30 stocks that comprise the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

American Express was founded in 1850 by Henry Wells, William Fargo, and John Butterfield as an express business. In 1882, American Express launched its money order business to compete with the US Post Office's money orders. This product quickly spread to Europe where no such financial product existed. Sometime between 1888 and 1890, J. C. Fargo took a trip to Europe and returned frustrated and infuriated. Despite the fact that he was president of American Express and that he carried with him traditional letters of credit, he found it difficult to obtain cash anywhere except in major cities. Mr. Fargo went to Marcellus Flemming Berry and asked him to create a better solution than the traditional letter of credit. Mr. Berry created the American Express Travelers Cheque which was launched in 1891 in denominations of $10, $20, $50, and $100.

The Travelers Cheque established American Express as a truly international company and in 1915 they announced the establishment of a Travel Department and soon established its first travel agencies.

During the winter of 1917 the US suffered a severe coal shortage and on December 26th President Woodrow Wilson commandeered the railroads on behalf of the US government to move US troops, their supplies, and coal. Treasury Secretary William Gibbs McAdoo was assigned the task of consolidating the railway lines for the war effort. All contracts between express companies and railroads were nullified and McAdoo proposed that all existing express companies be consolidated into a single company to serve the country's needs. This ended American Express's express business. The result was a new company called the American Railway Express company formed in July 1918. The new entity took custody of all the pooled equipment and proprety of existing express companies (the largest share of which, 40%, came from American Express who had owned 71,280 miles of railroad lines, 10,000 offices, with over 30,000 employees).

American Express executives discussed the possibility of launching a travel charge card as early as 1946, but it wasn't until Diners Club launched their own card in March 1950 that American Express began to seriously consider the possibilitiy. At the end of 1957 American Express CEO Ralph Reed decided to get into the card business, and by the launch date of October 1, 1958 public interest had become so significant that they actually issued 250,000 cards prior to the official launch date. The card was launched with an annual fee of $6, $1 higher than Diners Club, to be seen as a premium product. The first cards were paper. It wasn't till 1959 that American Express began issuing plastic cards, an industry first.

In 1966 American Express introduced the Gold Card and in 1984 the Platinum Card, clearly defining different market segments within its own business, a practice that has proliferated across a broad array of industries. The Platinum Card was billed as super-exclusive, had a $300 annual fee. It was offered by invitation only to American Express customers with at least 2 years of tenure, significant spending, and excellent payment history.

In 1999 American Express introduced the Centurion Card or "black card" catering to an even more affluent and elite customer segment. It charged a $1,000 annual fee, with a variety of exclusive benefits. Also, in 1999 the company introduced a marketing triumph, the American Express Blue Card, a popular card among the young and techno-savy with its multi-functional onboard chip.

During the 1980's American Express embarked on its dream to become a financial services supercompany. In mid-1981 it purchased Shearson Loeb Rhoades Inc the second largest securities firm in the US. In 1984 it purchased the 100-year old IDS company, bringing with it a fleet of financial advisors and investment products. Also in 1984, American Express acquired the investment banking and trading firm Lehman Brothers and added it to the Shearson family. When Harvey Golub took the reins in 1993 he negotiated the sale of the Shearson brokerage and in 1994 the sale of Lehman Brothers to part with a troubled brokerage and asset management business.

In April 1986 American Express moved its headquarters to the American Express Tower, the center of the world's most important new address, the World Financial Center. The 51-story building was an architectural triumph and noted as a significant and important addition to New York City. After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. American Express had to leave its headquarters temporarily as the building was damaged during the attacks. It was located directly across the street from the World Trade Center complex. American Express tower became the backdrop to efforts in rescue, recovery, and reconstruction at the foot of Ground Zero. The company began gradually moving back into its rehabilitated building in the year of 2002.

Author: Frankford Financial ®2008