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Enhanced Authorization v2

Help your business increase sales and reduce fraud and operational costs by submitting additional data.

Enhanced AuthorizationTM is a free solution from American Express that better identifies who is on the other end of transactions in real-time. Merchants who use Enhanced Authorization typically see increased approval rates, reduced false positives, and fraud reduction of up to 60%, while maintaining a seamless Customer experience. Enhanced Authorization enables Merchants to share additional transaction data with American Express, such as email address, IP address, shipping information, phone numbers, and more. American Express uses its best-in-class machine learning models to link together thousands of factors including Customer spending patterns, merchant profiles and real-time transaction data to significantly improve our ability to assess risk and distinguish between a legitimate Customer and a fraudster. For additional overview information including a video, please click here.

Why it’s great

Increase approval rates

Merchants typically see higher approval rates with Enhanced Authorization. Good Customers are more easily identified through the sharing of additional transaction information.

Seamless Customer Experience

Enhanced Authorization has no impact to the Customer checkout experience (no step-up authentication). Merchants provide data elements in the background through the authorization request.

Reduce Fraud

Because Enhanced Authorization makes it easier for American Express to identify good Customers, we can also accurately decline fraudulent purchase attempts.

Reduce False Positives

For example, a Customer attempting a large purchase as a new Customer at a Merchant is at higher risk and could be declined. However, with data the Merchant provides to American Express through Enhanced Authorization, that transaction could be approved.

How it works

1

The Merchant's existing checkout process collects transaction information from the Customer for the order.

The Merchant’s existing checkout process collects transaction information from the Customer for the order.

2

The Merchant combines the Customer order data with other parameters, calls the API and submits an authorization request.

The Merchant combines the Customer order data with other parameters, calls the Enhanced Authorization API, and then submits an authorization request.

3

American Express reviews the authorization request using the additional Customer order data and returns an approved or declined message to the Merchant.

American Express reviews the authorization request using the additional Customer order data and returns an approved or declined message to the Merchant.

Technical Highlights

  • Leverages Public (Client ID) and Private (Secret) key pair and HMAC Authentication.
  • Encrypted communication via TLS.
  • Restful API with JSON format for data exchange.

What You Need To Go Live

  • Provide your American Express Merchant Account Number.

Your Merchant Account Number is a 10-digit number that represents your Merchant account in our systems. You can find it on your Merchant Financial Activity Statement or by calling Merchant Services at 1-866-220-4272. Not accepting American Express yet?Become a Merchant

  • Sandbox & Production credentials.

API Details

  • Please refer to the Specification and Guide.