Your Card Is Lost/Stolen: Next Steps

Your Card’s Been Lost/Stolen: Next Steps

When you realize that you’ve lost your card or it's been stolen, you’ll want to notify your bank or credit card company as soon as possible. If you’re not satisfied with their response, you can file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Debit

You aren’t responsible for any unauthorized charges if you report a lost/stolen card before someone uses it. If you don't, your responsibility depends on how long it takes you to notify your bank when you learn of the loss/theft. It can be

  • up to $50 (within two business days)
  • up to $500 (more than two business days)
  • all of the charges (more than 60 days after receiving a statement that contains unauthorized charges)

Credit

You aren’t responsible for any unauthorized charges if you report the loss or theft before someone uses it. If you don’t, you could be responsible for up to $50.

If there's an error on your bill and you notify your credit card company within 60 days of receiving the first bill that shows it, they must investigate it. They must resolve the dispute within two billing cycles of being notified and you can withhold payment on the disputed amount during the investigation.

Prepaid

You generally can’t be held responsible for any of the lost money if you've registered your card and report it lost/stolen as soon as you know.