This is also an automated "sign up for our merchant account" via Amex.

Actually if you sign up to paymenttech you are signing up to visa/MC/discover. The reason your information was given to AMex is because your application was forwarded to AMEX to add American Express as an accepted payment.

ONLY AMEX can add american express as an accepted payment for you. They are the ones who give your current merchant your american express merchant number in order for you to be able to process amex. So the call is a verification to finish the application process with Amex.

SCAM ALERT: ***** 866-484-4636 ********
Hey I received a call from this number they were very persistent about me supplying them with personal info claiming it was a phone only offer. I asked multiple times if more information or the application could be sent through the mail. I was called about 4-5 times with a sales pitch about why her deal was a limited time offer and phone only. I called American Express and they said that it sounded bogus, and that even when third party companies such as Costco provide deals they always have the ability to send more information and applications through the mail. So all in all it is totally bogus do not trust it at all.

As a rule of thumb never ever give personal information out to someone who contacts you.

I verified...it's not bogus...

I signed up for a merchant account and AMex called me back 2 days later...not bogus

Yeah, I'm not sure why people are getting all worked up over this.  I just got a call from them and they left me a message with my name, the name of my company, and a request to call them back to confirm some information for my new merchant account that I set up last week through Authorize.net.  It's definitely a legit number.

That's interesting, because today I got a call from this number and it was back to being American Express Merchant Services.  Is it me or is it starting to smell like fraud in here???  :)

This telephone number is for American Express Merchant Services. They are the contact for setting up a biz to accept American Express.

We've gotten 2 calls from American Express merchant services and I don't believe either of them to be real. The first one we tried to call back but no one would answer and today I got a call from 866-484-8093... which is listed here as a phony American Express number. I'd say if AMEX calls you always just call back a number on your statment or from the AMEX website. If it was really them trying to contact you they'll know where to transfer your call too.
Thanks all for the heads up!

I just had the same thing happen.
If this is a fraudulent company how should I proceed?

I have a merchant account with American Express.

After seeing these posts, first I called the merchant services number listed on Amex website to confirm that those numbers were a part of American Express, the woman said it would be fine for me to return the calls.

I returned the calls, and after giving them my phone number, they told me my last name, and after I said "Yes," they told me the name of my business, and they wanted to upsell me on an Amex Business card, and send me some pens and clipboards.

They also knew my home address, which I rarely give out.

So, it seems legit. Does not smell of a phishing operation and I'm not sure why everyone here is so up in arms about it. I didn't have a problem with it, and I didn't supply any personal or confidential information.

I received a message today from Kathleen with AMEX Merchant Services needing to verify some basic information re: my new account.  She provided a phone number of 866-484-8093 x 2192 to return her message.  I did a search on the phone number listed on my caller id, 800-638-4636 and came across this site with the posts.  I then called AMEX (phone number listed on my statement) to confirm if any information was needed for my account and the representative stated no.  Thanks for the posts and the heads up!

Interesting - I just got a call from this number - I did not answered it, but googled it to see what it was (which is how I found this board).  I found it on a Bergen County, NJ real estate site with this text:

Train service provided by MTA Metro-North Railroad can be found just across the Tappan Zee Bridge in Tarrytown, NY (15 mile drive & 35 min. train trip). For schedule information call: 1-800-638-4636  Or visit their web site (http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us/mnr/).

I could not find that # anywhere on their website.  Sounds like a scam to me.

These guys are totally bogus.  I recently starting taking AMEX and within days was bombared with calls from "Merch Services." I was immediately skeptical when they called well after business hours, and just didn't sound like the representatives you speak with at AMEX, so I googled the number and came across this forum.  When I contacted AMEX via the number on their website they said no one was trying to call and reported the number (800-636-4636).

This site was helpful, thanks

I received a call today from 800-638-4636 to verify my new American Express Merchant account.  When I called the number back from it did seem a bit suspious, almost sounded like you were calling a normal number NOT AMEX.  I went along with the questions, he just verified basic information about my business, address, phone, type, etc.  While I was talking to him I found these comments and needless to say freaked out a little.  Immediately, I went to American Express and contacted the merchant department and had her look at my account and she verified that they DID IN FACT call me.

I hope that my experience helped some people.

I think people should always becareful about the information they give out - however, instead of writing these things off as fraud maybe just do a bit of leg work and make sure it is legit.  I mean I DID sign up for merchant account to accept credit cards and i checked the box to included AMEX.

The call I received today was from American City Business Journal.  It was from information I requested about printing an ad in a newspaper.  Apparently numbers are recycled.

http://www.FearlessIncome.com

For what it's worth, I posted to this site when I first received a call over a month ago.  I cancelled my merchant services with AMEX and received a confirmation letter in the mail that the account was closed two weeks ago.  Two days ago I received another call from this number stating I had to call AMEX to verify my account information.  I then got a fax today asking me again to call them.  Funny thing about the fax...

It was sent from a place called Harvard Drug store.  

BEWARE!

I received the same phone call. This is the AMEX Sales Finalization Group. All they did was verify my basic Amex Account information, like address and phone number. They did not ask about any type of banking or personal information. I called the AMEX number listed on the website and they verified that this is part of their set-up process.

Similar call from a woman stating it was American Express Merchant Account Services and she needed to talk to me immediately.  Must have gotten my phone number from my website.  I called the 800-638-4636 number at 8:30 p.m. MST and the same lady's voice on a recording said that American Express Merchant Account Services was closed for the evening and to call back during regular business hours.  Beware!

I received a call today from "American Express" from a Michael Abbot saying that he needed to verify financial information on my account for a recent application to accept American Express cards on my new merchant account through Merchant First Bankcard.

He had much of my information, but I refused to verify information until I checked with my accounts.  He gave me the number below to call back and that's when I found the listings on this site.  I confirmed with American Express that the number was bogus and reported it to them and to the FCC as fraud.

BEWARE!

person from "American Express" stated I needed to return call "immediately" regarding my merchant account and used the term "imperative" in his verbage. I checked this website and saw the comments, so I dismissed the message.  They almost got me, as I activated an amex merchant account recently. Thank you!

That's it, they have info files,
why would they call and ask info they already have.

The number on my caller ID read 800-799-7184, but it was a gentleman from American Express wanting me to verify some of my merchant account information.  I signed up with Chase Paymentech so I knew this call was
bogus.

I received the same "imperitive you call" message.  It sounded fishy, so I called AmEx from the merchant services # on their website.  They said they hadn't called and everything was fine.  Didn't know anything about the 800-638-4638 number.

The caller said it was Pamela from American Express. She said it was imperetive that she speak with me immediately about my new merchant account. (I don't have an American Express account) She then stated my full name with the middle name incorrect. When I called back, there was no answer.