If your card gets lost or stolen, you should take the following steps immediately to protect yourself from unauthorized use and financial loss:
- Lock or freeze your card: Use your bank or card issuer’s mobile app, online banking, or call their 24/7 hotline to temporarily lock or permanently disable your card to prevent new transactions
- Report the loss or theft to your card issuer: Contact your bank or credit card company immediately to report the card as lost or stolen so they can cancel it and issue you a replacement
- File a police report: If you believe your card was stolen, file a report with your local police. This can serve as formal evidence and may be required by your bank for fraud claims
- Monitor your account: Check your recent transactions for any unauthorized charges and report them promptly to your issuer
- Set up fraud alerts: Contact the major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion) to place a fraud alert on your credit report to prevent identity theft
- Follow up in writing: Send a letter to your card issuer confirming the loss or theft and your report, including relevant details like dates and account numbers
- Update automatic payments: Once you receive your new card, update any automatic billing linked to the old card to avoid service interruptions
Acting quickly limits your liability for unauthorized charges and helps secure your financial information. Many issuers also provide fraud protection services and alerts for suspicious activity
