What to Do if You Lose Your Credit Card

A lost credit card is an inconvenience just about everybody deals with at some point. It usually starts with wondering why your missing credit card isn't where you thought it was. That quickly leads to worry about where it has gone and if someone is using it right now to go on a spending spree.

If you can't find your credit card, don't panic. You won't be on the hook for unauthorized charges. By law, credit card issuers can only hold cardholders liable for up to $50 in fraudulent purchases. But practically all credit cards have zero-liability fraud policies. That type of policy means you aren't responsible for any purchases made on your lost or stolen card. There's also no risk of losing any money from your bank account like there is from a stolen debit card.

You don't need to stress about losing money, but you should still act quickly. Here are the steps to take when you lose your credit card.

1. Report the lost credit card to the card issuer

Let the card issuer know you've lost your card right away. The sooner you do, the sooner it can mail you a replacement card. Your credit card company will also cancel the old card as soon as you notify it that your card is missing. If a thief has stolen your credit card, then getting it canceled promptly minimizes the chances of credit card fraud.

If you want some time to look for the lost credit card first, see if you can lock it online, in the card issuer's app, or by phone. Many credit cards offer this feature, which allows you to temporarily shut down the card so that no one can use it for any purchases.

There are two simple ways to report a lost credit card:

• Use the credit card issuer's website or app. Most credit card companies provide the option to report a lost credit card through your online account.
• Call the credit card issuer. You can always report a lost card by phone.

If you want to call the card issuer and you don't have the number, you can find it on your monthly statement. You could also find it online. To save you some time, here are phone numbers for the major card issuers:

2. Check for and dispute unauthorized charges

Review the recent transactions on your credit card account, including pending charges, to see if there are any unauthorized charges. You can do this through your online account. If you haven't set that up and you're reporting your lost credit card by phone, then you can ask the representative to read you the most recent charges.

Keep an eye out for both large and small purchases. Thieves often use a stolen credit card for a small charge first to see if it works. Assuming it does, they move on to bigger fraud.

If you see a fraudulent transaction you didn't make, dispute it. This is something else that credit card companies typically let you do either online or over the phone. When you dispute a credit card charge, the card issuer freezes it during its investigation. You won't need to pay it off while it's frozen. If the card issuer confirms that it's a fraudulent charge, then it will be taken off your bill entirely.

3. Activate your new card and update recurring bills

When you get your replacement card in the mail, you may need to activate it. If so, activation instructions will come with the replacement card.

After that, all that's left is updating your payment information for any recurring bills you paid with the lost credit card, such as streaming services, the gym, and so on. The old card number isn't valid anymore. Your new credit card will have its own card number, expiration date, and security code. You'll need to change your saved payment information to your replacement card so your bill payments go through.

Your previous billing statements can help you figure out where you need to update your payment information. Don't forget about recurring bills that you don't pay every single month. For example, if you pay insurance premiums every six months or Amazon Prime once per year, you may not see those if you only review billing statements for the last month.

A lost credit card is easily resolved

It can be a hassle to lose your credit card, but it's not a big problem. You just need to report the loss and wait for a replacement card in the mail.

The possibility of a lost credit card is a good reason to consider getting at least two cards instead of only one. That way, you have another card you can use while you're waiting for the replacement to arrive.

Still have questions?

Here are some other questions we've answered:

• How to Dispute a Credit Card Charge
• Why Was My Credit Card Declined?
• Should You Close an Unused Credit Card?