Nowadays the need to keep cash in pocket for shopping is much less than before. Be it online shopping, paying a bill at a restaurant or making a payment at a store, debit and credit cards make things easy. Many banks also offer discounts, cashbacks and other offers on card payments. This is the reason why people have started using it more for daily expenses.
But trouble can arise when the card suddenly disappears or is stolen from the wallet. In such a situation it is not worth spending time just looking for the card. There is a risk of the card being misused if it falls into someone else’s hands. Therefore, the first thing you should do is block the card as soon as it is lost or stolen. No need to go to the bank branch for this. Many banks also provide card blocking facility through mobile app, internet banking and SMS.
How to block card from mobile banking app?
If your debit or credit card is lost, first open your bank’s official mobile banking app. After logging in, follow the steps below.
Open the card or card related section in the app.
- Identify the card that needs to be blocked by the last four digits of your card.
- After selecting the card, go to options like Manage Card, Manage or Support.
- Here you can see disabled card, permanent block and reissue or similar options.
- If the card is lost or stolen, choose the option to block it permanently. Also request reissue for new cards as needed.
- Confirm your request by following the on-screen instructions.
- After the card is blocked, the bank can provide this information through SMS or email. Keep in mind that the option names and process may be slightly different in different banks’ apps.
Internet banking will also help
If you don’t have a banking app on your phone or don’t want to use it, the card can also be blocked through internet banking. For this, open the official website of the bank and login to your account. Then go to the Cards section and select the relevant debit or credit card.
After this, go to options like Manage Cards or Support and request to block the card. If the bank asks for the reason that the card is lost or stolen, complete the process by selecting the correct option. After submitting the request, please check the confirmation message you received from the bank.
How to block card via SMS
Some banks also provide card blocking facility through SMS. However, the SMS format and number may be different for each bank. So, before sending the message, please check the information provided on the bank’s official website or mobile application.
Fill the required information like last four digits of the card in the format prescribed by the bank and send an SMS to the prescribed number. Once the request is completed, you may receive a confirmation message from the bank.
Keep these things in mind if your card is lost
After blocking the card, check recent transactions in your bank account. If you see any unknown payment, inform the bank immediately and file a fraud complaint if necessary. To contact the bank, just use the number provided on the official website, application or card related documents.
Do not share OTP, PIN or internet banking password with any stranger. Remember, the sooner you take steps to block a card, the more it will help reduce the risk of misuse.
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