TRAVELERS CHEQUE AND GIFT CHEQUE FRAUD

Travelers Cheques and Gift Cheques are safer than cash because they are reimbursable if lost or stolen. They are also easy to use: simply sign the Cheques in the upper left-hand corner as soon as possible after purchase, and when you're ready to use them, be sure the cashier or bank teller watches you countersign them in the lower left-hand corner.

Although the vast majority of Travelers Cheques and Gift Cheques are authentic, there have been attempts to pass counterfeit Cheques. If you have any question regarding the validity of Cheques, call American Express at 1-800-525-7641.

You should take extra precautions by calling American Express if any of the following circumstances apply:

• You are asked to cash or accept Travelers Cheques or Gift Cheques for payment but did not watch the Cheque holder countersign in the lower left-hand corner.
• You are asked to cash or accept Cheques with no signatures.
• You are asked to cash or accept Cheques in denominations of $500 or $1000. The maximum denomination of an authentic Gift Cheques is $100, so any Gift Cheque with a denomination of $500 or $1000 is counterfeit.
• The Cheques are offered by someone you met on-line or from someone you know mostly through email communications.
• The Cheques are presented for payment of an item sold on-line or for rent, especially if the value of the Cheques exceeds the original selling price or rental fee.
• The Cheques are provided as pay for "work-at-home" employment, especially if you were hired online or over the phone.
• The Cheques are described as funds that will be used to pay taxes or other fees in order to receive other funds, such as an inheritance or lottery winnings.
• You received the Cheques by mail or express mail.
• You are asked to wire, send or ship funds from cashed Cheques, especially if the return address is a large U.S. city or another country.

INTERNET SCAMS

Con artists can use the anonymity of Internet chat rooms and email communications to scam unsuspecting people, and there have been incidents where Internet scams used counterfeit Cheques. If you are holding Cheques as the result of Internet or email communications, call American Express at 1-800-525-7641 or AARP ElderWatch at 1-800-222-4444.