How to Use an American Express Gift Card
If you receive an American Express gift card from a friend or family member on your birthday or other occasion, you will need to know how to use it. American Express gift cards are a type of prepaid credit card. They can be used anywhere American Express is accepted. This includes restaurants, grocery stores, specialty shops and to make certain online purchases.
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Instructions
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1
Sign the back of your American Express gift card with a pen. This should be done as soon as you get the card.
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2
Write the American Express gift card number down on a piece of paper. Add the customer service number to the paper. Store in a filing cabinet. This information will be needed should your gift card become lost or stolen.
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3
Activate the card by calling the toll-free number on the front of the card. Follow the prompts to enter the American Express gift card number as well as the security number, which can be found on the front of the card.
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4
Hand your card to the cashier when you are ready to make a purchase. Make sure that you are keeping track of the balance on the card so that you do not exceed the amount of money available on the card.
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Sign a receipt if asked. Some purchases do not require a signature if they are under a certain dollar amount.
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Tips & Warnings
It may be helpful to keep a small ledger of the available funds on the gift card. For example, if your beginning balance is $100 and you purchase a $20 DVD, you would record this to show that you now have $80 remaining on the card.
