If you’re like most people, you probably use your smartphone to manage your finances. But what about all the other devices in your life – like your Amazon Echo or Google Home? If you’re looking for an easy way to manage your credit cards, Alexa is a great option. Here’s how to do it:
- Open the Alexa app on your phone and sign in.
- In the “Skills” section, click on “Add a New Skill.”
- In the “Skill Type” dropdown menu, select “Credit Card Management.”
- In the “Alexa Voice Service” section, type in “creditcardmanagement” and press Enter. (You can also say “Alexa, open creditcardmanagement.”)
- On the next screen, you’ll be asked to provide some basic information about your credit cards – including their account numbers and expiration dates. You can also add new cards here if you have them handy. (Just be sure to enter their account numbers exactly as they appear on the card.) ..
Not all credit card issuers are supported. To know if your credit card can work with these features, simply open the Alexa app, visit the Skills page, and type in the name of the credit card issuer. If yours appears, you can use it. In this guide we’ll cover the process for both American Express and Capital One cards, but yours should be similar.
Managing Your American Express Credit Card
From there, enable the American Express skill by tapping on “More” on the button menu, tapping “Skills & Games” and searching for “Amex.”
Tap on “Amex” and tap “Launch.”
From there, you will be prompted to link your account by entering your user ID and password.
For extra security, American Express will ask you to create a four-digit PIN, which is requested every time you open the Amex skill. Create a pin and accept the following Terms & Conditions.
Once done, you will see the message “Your Amex account has been successfully linked,” prompting you to close the window and revisit the Skills page.
The Alexa app will then ask which connected Alexa-enabled device you wish to launch the Amex skill from.
RELATED: How to Autofill Your Credit Card Number (Securely)
What You Can Do With the Amex Skill
To launch the Amex skill, start by saying “Alexa, open Amex.” From there, Alexa will say “Handing off to Amex by American Express” before asking you to recite the 4-digit pin you set up when enabling the skill.
From there, you can enjoy seven voice commands covering everything from getting your account balance to making a payment.
Here are the corresponding wake words for each action.
Say “Account balance” to check your account balance. Say “Make a payment” to make a payment. Say “Recent charges” to view recent charges. Say “Membership rewards” to check your Membership Rewards balance. Say “Available credit” to check your available credit. Say “Payment due date” to learn your payment due date. Say “Amex offers” to hear a list of all current Amex offers.
For example, saying “Amex offers” prompts Alexa to recite a number, followed by a cashback or similar deal. To hear more details about the offer, say the offer number. From here, Alexa will recite the offer’s terms, expiration date, and invite you to learn its terms and conditions before posting the offer to your account page.
For more offers, say “Next.”
RELATED: How to View Your Saved Credit Card Numbers in Firefox
Managing Your Capital One Credit Card
Like American Express, Capital One also allows cardholders to check balances, make payments, and do other account management tasks.
You can enable the Capital One skill by tapping on “More” on the button menu, tapping “Skills & Games,” and searching for “Capital One.”
As with American Express, Capital One cardholders are asked to link accounts by entering a username and password before creating an optional personal key and accepting the Terms and Conditions.
Once in, simply ask Alexa to “open Capital One.”
What You Can Do With the Capital One Skill
Here are some wake phases you can tell Alexa, covering your credit cards, bank accounts, and auto loans.
“What is my auto loan principal?” “What is my credit card bill’s due date?” “Pay my credit card bill. ” “What is my account summary. ” “How much money do I have in my savings account?” “What is my checking account balance?”
Try these out to see how easy it is to manage your Capital One account through Alexa.
How to Remove Alexa’s Access to Your Account
To disable account linking through the Alexa app, open your Alexa app, visit American Express or Capital One’s skills page, then tap on “Disable.” This will de-link your account and prevent Alexa from accessing it to obtain any information.
A Nifty Tool for Card Holders
Managing your American Express and Capital One cards using Alexa is a breeze and an excellent alternative to logging on on desktop or mobile to retrieve a simple account balance. The interface is responsive, and the PIN number adds an extra layer of security.
RELATED: How to Connect Google Pay to Your Bank or Credit Card to Track Spending
