How to oppose in case of loss or theft of his credit card?

Lost your card on vacation? Have you had your wallet stolen with your credit card inside? Do not panic ! It is now very simple to oppose and avoid disaster quickly. We give you the best practices to adopt in this article.

Have you recently noticed charges or suspicious activity on your bank account or have you simply lost your card by forgetting it or during a theft? Rest assured, there are many solutions to protect your account and your money and we give you the fastest and most effective tips.

How to oppose your lost or stolen bank card?

This is the first reflex to undertake when your card is lost or stolen, or if you notice fraudulent transactions on your account: oppose it. The operation then renders your card unusable and all movements of funds (inflow or outflow of money) are then completely blocked. Be careful, however, be sure to not just misplace it, because this operation is irreversible and therefore has an immediate impact on automatic debits. Thereafter, it is strongly recommended to file a complaint at a police station, in order to cover your back in the event of a dispute with your bank.

How do I oppose my credit card online?

This is the fastest and easiest way to achieve this. Just connect to your bank with its application and simply request the blocking of your card. This option is most often found in the security section of your application or directly from the menu of your card. The bank will then ask you for some customary information before starting the blocking procedure, which will most often be immediate.

Most online banks or neobanks also offer temporary blocking of the card in case of doubt. In this case, you will be asked after a while to confirm whether or not the card has been lost. Also, some banks offer you the provision of a new virtual card with immediate effect while changing the confidential code, which you can use via your smartphone. This is particularly the case of N26, Fortuneo, Revolut or Hello Bank via their more premium accounts.

Then ask your bank to send you a new bank card. If you are traveling abroad, your bank may also offer you a replacement card. In general, once the opposition has been made, the bank immediately offers to send you a new card, this is obviously a free service.

How do I block my credit card over the phone?

If you do not have the application on your smartphone, you can initiate an opposition procedure by contacting your bank by telephone. In general, two solutions are proposed to you:

• Contact your bank directly viae customer service number listed on the official website. These numbers are accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via voicemail with a specially dedicated service to make the process as quick as possible. If you are abroad,
• call 0 892 705 705. This is the number of the opposition interbank service. It allows, whatever your bank, to oppose your card. This service is open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day and costs €0.34 incl. tax/min.

Whatever your choice for opposition, it is in any case a completely free service. Only the edition and sending of a new card by your bank may be subject to charges depending on the offer you have.

Do you see fraudulent transactions? How to get reimbursed?

If your card has been stolen and no opposition has been made, a malicious individual can use your card from at least one contactless payment terminal. Depending on the limits of your account, it is quite possible for a thief to make a purchase of 50 to 150 euros without having to use the card code. So remember to check the authorized limit for contactless payments to determine if the fraudulent transactions have been carried out in this way. According to current legislation, you have up to 13 months to obtain a refund on a fraudulent banking transaction.

If the thief used the card via contactless, the bank is required to reimburse you for the full amount lost, because the thief did not use the card code. It must also reimburse you for any agios, i.e. payment incident fees.

If the thief used your card’s 4-digit code, the bank is not required to reimburse all of the stolen sums. As a general rule, banks follow the legislation and only reimburse sums above 50 euros, the latter acting as a deductible: if the sum stolen is 300 euros, then the bank reimburses 250 euros.

If your bank refuses to reimburse you the stolen sums, for whatever reason, or if it does not do so within two months, you can call on a mediator. This will be responsible for resolving the dispute with your bank if you are within your rights. The mediation procedure is free, confidential and impartial.

What if the fraud is carried out on the internet?

If it is not impossible, credit card fraud on the internet is very limited today. Since May 15, 2021, the majority of purchases made on the internet are protected by banks via double authentication (often called 2 FA) via banking applications. If a third party used your card to make a purchase on the internet, you would be immediately notified of a transaction in progress asking you to identify yourself on the application. This greatly limits the risk of fraud, but it does not exempt you from contacting your bank for all that, the advice provided above for filing an opposition is also recommended.

Does it pay to oppose my credit card?

The procedure of opposition to your credit card can be paid according to the establishments. It depends on your contract and the insurance taken out according to your accounts. On average it costs 15 euros.

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