What to do if you’ve lost your bank card

• What should you do if you’ve lost your debit or credit card?
• Can I access emergency cash if I have lost my card?
• What should I do if I have lost my debit card while overseas?
• Can someone use my lost credit or debit card?
• What should I do if I see unauthorised transactions on my stolen credit card?
• How can the MustCompare lost bank card directory help me?
• What should I do if I find a lost card?
• How can I reduce the risks associated with losing my card?

Worrying about a lost or stolen card is understandable, especially considering most cards are contactless. Statistics also show the dangers. In the UK, during 2022, fraud losses on payment cards totalled over £550 million, of which over £100 million was due to lost and stolen cards.

So, what should you do if you’ve lost your bank or credit card?

What should you do if you’ve lost your debit or credit card?

If you cannot find your card, do not delay and cancel it. Speed really is of the essence. All banks and building societies offer a 24-hour service to report missing, lost, or stolen cards. The longer you wait, the greater the chances of your payment card being used fraudulently.

In fact, failing to cancel your card could be construed as being negligent and might mean you’re not entitled to compensation if your card is used fraudulently. To make things easier, we’ve got a full list of contact information to help you quickly access the relevant details (phone numbers and web pages) for your provider: Lost bank card contact details.

Freezing your payment card

If you’re confident the debit or credit card might still turn up, you can ask about a ‘lock’ or temporary freeze instead of cancelling outright if your provider permits it. This disables the card but makes it possible to reactivate it if you find it under a pile of clothes later that evening. This service started mainly with online bank accounts. However, most card providers now have this service available on their banking apps or online banking, making it convenient and quick.

Reporting your bank card as lost or stolen

When reporting a lost or stolen card, you must confirm your identity and some details about the card. The questions you’ll likely be asked might be the name of the card issuer and the country in which it was issued, the cardholder’s name (as it’s printed on the card), and the address and/or phone number associated with the account.

You may also be asked for details of how the card went missing. If you’ve already noticed fraudulent activity on your account, now’s the time to tell your bank, in which case they will take you through more thorough security if they haven't already.

Requesting a replacement credit or debit card

Next, you’ll need to request a replacement card, which you can do when you call to cancel your existing one. Ensure your provider has the correct address details to send it to—some fraudsters will change this so that the new card is sent to them instead. Most banks promise you’ll receive it within 3-5 working days.

Your bank will normally replace your credit or debit card for free. However, in some cases, as with UK prepaid cards, you may have to pay a fee of around £5.

Reporting lost or stolen items

If you’ve lost other possessions as well as your bank cards—for example, your whole bag has been stolen—call the police. While they might not be able to recover your stuff, it’s always worth a shot. As importantly, they’ll give you a crime reference number, which you’ll need to pass on to your insurers when you make a claim.

If you’ve lost your phone or you think it’s been stolen, be sure to get your provider to block your phone or blacklist it. This will stop others from using or being able to sell it. You should also report it to the police. If you use mobile banking or use a banking app and your phone is stolen, make sure you let your bank know immediately.

Can I access emergency cash if I have lost my card?

Yes, if your bank cards have been lost or stolen and you don’t have any cash until your new ones come, some providers will offer emergency money. For example, Natwest Bank and RBS allow you to access up to £300 if you're a telephone or online banking.

Barclays offers emergency cash should you need it while abroad. Similar services are available for online and telephone banking customers. Other providers will release money via the branch itself, so you’ll have to turn up with some form of photo identification and answer a few security checks.

Alternatively, you could consider getting card protection insurance, typically costing £30-£40 a year. It also promises a refund for fraud on your lost or stolen cards and might cover other expenses, too – replacing lost bags or essential documents like passports, for example. Bear in mind, however, that as fraudulent account activity should already be covered by your card provider, the benefits might not always outweigh the cost of premiums.

What should I do if I have lost my debit card while overseas?

If you've lost your debit card abroad, take the same steps as if you were in your home country:

1. Contact your bank to freeze or block your card. You can do this by logging into your account. Alternatively, your bank’s lost and stolen card details can be found on MustCompare or your bank's website.
2. Request a replacement card.
3. Continue to monitor transactions for any suspicious activity.
4. If your card has been stolen, inform the police.

While you’re on the phone, find out what your provider offers in terms of access to emergency cash. While some schemes aren’t available outside the UK, other initiatives might help.

TIP: Visa has a directory of freephone numbers you can call while overseas. They also can get an emergency card replacement (if approved by your bank) within one to three business days. MasterCard has a lost and found global service and can arrange cash in local currency as quickly as two hours.

Can someone use my lost credit or debit card?

To put it bluntly, yes. That’s why it’s vital to act quickly to block your card, monitor your bank account, and report any unauthorised transactions you see immediately—even if they’re just a small amount. Sometimes, fraudsters test the water by charging low amounts to your account to ensure the transactions go through before moving on to much bigger purchases.

Keep an eye on your credit report, too. Fraudsters may attempt to take out credit, such as a short-term loan, in your name. While a bank or credit card may have limited details about you, they can combine details with other sources. Checking your credit report regularly can help you pick up suspicious activity.

What should I do if I see unauthorised transactions on my stolen credit card?

If money has been taken from your account fraudulently because of a lost or stolen bank card, then the rules laid down in the Payment Services Directive entitle you to a full and immediate refund.

That’s on the provision that the fraud was not the cardholder's fault. However, if your card provider can prove you’ve been negligent (for example, you didn’t keep your PIN secure), you might be liable for £50 of any disputed transaction.

Gross negligence meanwhile (like not cancelling your card when you realised it was missing) or being responsible for the fraud yourself (like authorising someone else to buy the item on your behalf) could make you liable for the full amount. Even if you’re told the provider’s decision is final, there are still steps you can take to challenge it.

First, ask them to issue you with a final letter of deadlock so that you can refer your dispute to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). The ombudsman will consider all the circumstances surrounding the transaction, and you may be asked to supply additional information to help it decide. This is binding on the card provider but not the consumer, which means that if you’re not satisfied with the process, you can take your claim to court.

How can the MustCompare lost bank card directory help me?

We've put together a directory of UK bank and credit card providers in case you need to contact them in an emergency, whether at home or abroad. Use the search field to find your card provider, or scroll down. It’s good to keep these to hand (although don’t store them with your card), especially when you’re overseas.

If you’re having difficulties contacting your card provider, you can use the Visa lost or stolen card help page or the Mastercard lost or stolen card help page, details of which are also listed in the directory. They may be able to cancel your cards themselves.

TIP: Mustcompare also has a directory of lost and stolen bank contact details for businesses in the UK.

What should I do if I find a lost card?

Call the telephone numbers on the back of the card and report it lost or hand it into the local branch. The bank will block the card as reported by a third party, and you can rest assured you’ve done a good deed for the cardholder, who will be grateful that you took action to keep their account safe. The same applies to lost credit cards.

How can I reduce the risks associated with losing my card?

If you’re out in public, keep your handbag or wallet near or on you at all times and stay vigilant. If possible, leave any card you won’t need that day safely at home. This will reduce the risk of all access to cash being lost in one fell swoop and cut down the administrative headache of having to cancel multiple cards. It’s also recommended that some emergency cash be kept at home.

If your card does go missing or get stolen, you can make it harder for criminals to take advantage by ensuring they don’t have access to your PIN, too. Never scrawl it on a piece of paper next to your card in your purse, for instance. Similarly, ensure your cards are signed as soon as you get them. You’ll be surprised to learn some places still ask for signatures for goods and services, especially if you're abroad.

Another good tip is to ensure your bank has your correct contact information. It’s possible they’ll spot suspicious activity on your account before you even realise your credit card has been stolen and try to contact you to confirm the transactions. If you feel uncomfortable giving them security details, say you'll call them back and ensure you do so straightaway on their customer service number.

Concluding

It’s important to act quickly when you notice your debit or credit card is missing. Failure to do so may be considered negligent and result in monetary loss. Here is what to do:

1. Contact your bank immediately to freeze or block your card and request a replacement card.
2. Check your account regularly to ensure there are no transactions that you did not perform.
3. Check your credit report for attempted credit and personal loan applications by other persons.

Keep your wallet or purse on you at all times. Finally, be aware of your surroundings, especially when using your bank card at cash machines or shopping. And always keep your PIN safe.

Share this guide. Thank you!