How to Block Debit Card Information

If you find that your debit card is lost or stolen or you have disclosed the information on some scam website, you could be a victim of monetary loss. Another type of fraud is card skimming, the illegal copying of information from your card's magnetized strip. This can occur when a clerk or restaurant employee takes your card out of your sight, but your information can also be stolen by devices slipped behind the faceplate of an ATM that read the personal information embedded in the strip. Some of these devices also are able to discern your personal identification number (PIN) as you enter it. Most banks provide protections to assist you in such situations, but card holders are encouraged to block card information immediately to avoid financial risk.

Instructions

Call your Financial Institution

1




Report to customer service.

Contact your bank immediately through its help line to report your missing card so the bank can block your account. You can find the help-line number of your location in the booklet provided with the card.

2

Answer any questions posed by the bank to verify your identity. The information requested may include such identifiers as your name, birth date or location.

3

Ask your bank if you need to supply additional documentation so that action on your request is not delayed.

Documentation Formalities

4




Document reasons to block the debit card information.

Prepare a follow-up letter that explains what happened to your debit card or your debit card information. Describe the place you left your card or where you think it was stolen or your personal information compromised, and include when the theft or loss occurred. Detail any suspicious charges deducted from your account.

5

Submit your request for the blocking of your debit card information, along with your documentation, to the bank. As soon as the bank receives the request, your debit card information will be blocked. You will not be able to access your account until the bank provides you with new information (a new PIN) and a new debit card.

6

Call the customer service agent to activate your new card once you have received it in the mail.