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What to Do if Your Credit Card is Lost or Stolen

Minimise the pain of a stolen or lost credit card by following our guide on who you need to inform, what you need to do, and how to make sure you don't end up footing the bill for fraudsters. We'll also run you through what you need to do if you lose your entire bag and the insurance you should consider getting to protect yourself in future.

How to Report the Loss

Call your provider

As soon as you know that your card has been lost or stolen you must call your credit card provider. The sooner you call the better because until you've informed them the card is gone, you could be liable for any losses. Once your card provider knows the card is no longer in your possession your legal status changes, meaning that you should be refunded in full for any future transactions that take place. The majority of companies have 24-hour telephone lines for such emergencies. You can find the number for your card provider here.

Follow up in writing

Since the date and time that you reported the loss of theft of your card is important when claiming back for any unauthorised expenditure, it’s best to follow up this telephone call in writing. In either a letter or an e-mail you should include your account number, the date, time and place that you first noticed your card was missing and when you first reported it was missing. On top of this, keep records of any further transactions for future reference.

Protect Yourself from Fraud

You should always check your credit card statement for mistakes, but be particularly vigilent after losing your credit card or having it stolen. Report any transactions you don't recall making to your credit card provider immediately along with any information (eg. if you were in a different country at the time of the purchase) that proves you couldn't have made the transaction. You will also have to fill in forms detailing any transactions on your account that were not made by you. Also keep a close eye on your credit report for any signs someone is using your identity fraudulently with details obtained from your credit card. You can find out more about your credit report and how to check it with our guide to improving your credit rating.

Your Right to Get Your Money Back

So long as you haven't been negligent you are only liable for the first £50 of unauthorised withdrawals or transactions on your card after it is lost or stolen. But, if your card provider can prove you were negligent you could be landed with a much bigger bill. What counts as negligent? There is no precise definition but these points give you the general idea:

  • Storing your pin number with your card. Eg. Having it written on your card or on a piece of paper in your wallet.

  • Telling anyone your pin.

  • Changing your pin to something ridiculously easy to guess. Eg. 1111 or 1234.

However, if your provider thinks that you have been grossly negligent or fraudulent then it’s up to them to prove it.

Is Your Bank Refusing to Pay?

If your card provider suspects foul play or negligence and refuses to pay out, you should ask for your dispute to be escalated through the internal complaints process of the card provider. However, if that doesn't work you should take your dispute to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). REMEMBER – They must prove that you have been fraudulent or negligent. The decision of the FOS is binding upon your provider but not you. If you still dispute their decision and think you still have a strong case you can take your claim to court.

What Else Was Stolen?

The chances are you haven't just lost your credit card. Here are some tips on what to do about other things you may have lost:

  • Debit cards - You need to act fast and in the same way as for your credit card. Call your provider and report your card lost or stolen, then follow this up in writing. As with credit cards, until you've reported your debit card lost you are liable for any transactions made on it.

  • Driver’s licence - You need one to drive so get on and order a new one quickly. It costs £20 to get a new one and you'll need to provide proof of ID and three years of address details. You can order a new licence here.

  • Reward/Membership Cards - Contact the relevant company to request a new card. If it is a card that builds up loyalty points, make sure your old balance is carried over.

  • Keys - If you've got a spare set you may be inclined to just use those, but if there is any chance your address was printed on anything that was lost at the same time as your keys (for example, your driving licence) you need to get your locks changed. Otherwise, thieves could just let themselves in to your home.

  • Passport - As soon as your passport is lost or stolen it needs to be reported to the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) and (if in the UK) your nearest police station. To get a new passport you then need to follow the standard passport renewal process, plus you'll have to send a completed LS01 form with your application (if you haven’t already reported it as stolen).

Lost/Stolen Credit Card Hotlines

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Card Name

Telephone Number

If Overseas

Out of Hours

AA

0800 917 4466

+44 1244 672 111

Numbers open 24 hours

Abbey

0845 602 1582

+44 1512 648 725

Numbers open 24 hours

Accucard

0800 096 9779

+44 1702 278 270

Numbers open 24 hours

Alliance & Leicester

0800 068 6464

+44 1512 648 725

Numbers open 24 hours

Allied Irish Bank Credit Card

028 9023 6644

Numbers open 24 hours

Amazon MasterCard

0800 917 5235

+44 1244 675 989

Numbers open 24 hours

American Express

01273 696 933

+44 1273 696 933

Numbers open 24 hours

Aqua

0845 601 0436

+44 113 244 8986

Numbers open 24 hours

Argos store card

0845 640 0700

+44 845 640 0700

Numbers open 24 hours

Asda

0800 783 5881

+44 (0) 800 783 5881

Numbers open 24 hours

Bank of Cyprus

0845 850 5555

+44 2082 677 343

Numbers open 24 hours

Bank of Ireland

1890 706 706

+353 56 7757007

Numbers open 24 hours

Bank of Scotland

0845 3000 0344

+44 (0)131 454 1605

Numbers open 24 hours

Barclaycard

0844 811 9111

+44 (0)1604 230230

Numbers open 24 hours

Beneficial

0870 010 0453

+44 (0) 870 010 0453

Numbers open 24 hours

Breakthrough Breast cancer

0800 062 062

+44 1244 659 005

Numbers open 24 hours

Britannia BS

0845 7283 848

Numbers open 24 hours

British Airways American Express

0845 604 2532

+44 1273 696 933

Numbers open 24 hours

British Heart Foundation

0800 062 062

+44 1244 659 005

Numbers open 24 hours

BT Credit Card

0808 100 2255

+44 1904 544 622

Numbers open 24 hours

Burton store card

0871 522 5454

+44 (0)20 8181 0000

Numbers open 24 hours

Cahoot

0844 9000 900

+44 1908 937 222

Numbers open 24 hours

Cancer Research

08457 20 30 99

+44 113 242 2229

Numbers open 24 hours

Capital One Bank

0800 952 5267

+44 115 993 8002

Numbers open 24 hours

Clydesdale Bank

0800 731 6444

+44 (0)844 736 7361

Numbers open 24 hours

Co-Operative Bank

0844 8758 755

+44 (0) 844 8758 755

Numbers open 24 hours

Coutts & Co

020 7309 0045

+44 20 7309 0045

Numbers open 24 hours

Create Card

0800 096 9779

+44 1702 278270

Numbers open 24 hours

Danske Bank (was Northern Bank N.I)

0870 850 2481

+44 0 2890 049201

Numbers open 24 hours
Debenhams Credit, Gold & Store card0871 522 5050+44 871 522 5050Numbers open 24 hours
Diners Club Card (New Card)0800 460 800+44 1244 470910Numbers open 24 hours
Diners Club Card (Old Card)0870 1900 011+44 1 252 513 500Numbers open 24 hours
Dorothy Perkins store credit card020 8181 0000+44 (0)20 8181 0000Numbers open 24 hours
Dunfermline BS0800 062 062+44 800 062 062Numbers open 24 hours
easyMoney0845 606 2174+44 845 606 2174Numbers open 24 hours
Egg Card (now Barclaycard)0844 811 9141+44 1604 230 230Numbers open 24 hours
Evans store card0871 522 5500+44 871 522 5500Numbers open 24 hours
First Direct08456 100 100+44 113 234 5678Numbers open 24 hours
First Trust (N.I)028 9033 0099+44 28 9033 0099Numbers open 24 hours
Fluid0800 062 062+44 (0)1244 672 111 (reverse the charges)Numbers open 24 hours
Flybe0800 783 5881+44 (0)121 712 6952Numbers open 24 hours
GE Money0800 316 1625+44 (0) 1923 426 426Numbers open 24 hours
GM0800 072 2242+44(0)800 072 2242Numbers open 24 hours
Goldfish Bank01604 230 230+44 1604 230 230Numbers open 24 hours
Greenpeace0844 875 8755+44 845 600 6000Numbers open 24 hours
Halifax0845 720 3099+44 131 339 2573Numbers open 24 hours
Help the Aged (Age Uk)0844 875 8755+44 845 600 6000Numbers open 24 hours
HFC Bank0870 010 0453+44 (0)870 010 0453Numbers open 24 hours
Hilton Honors0844 251 1000+44 1604 269 9017Numbers open 24 hours
Homebase card0845 077 8888+44 845 640 0710Numbers open 24 hours
House of Fraser store card0871 552 5827+44 871 552 5827Numbers open 24 hours
HSBC08456 007 010+44 1442 422 929Numbers open 24 hours
ICICI0808 131 4151+44 (0)20 3106 7160Numbers open 24 hours
Ikea store card0844 856 5770+44 844 856 5770Numbers open 24 hours
Intelligent Finance0845 720 3099+44 845 720 3099 reverse the chargesNumbers open 24 hours
John Lewis Partnership0800 015 0914+44 121 214 5732Numbers open 24 hours
Karen Millen store card0844 856 5744+44 844 856 5744Numbers open 24 hours
Laiki Bank020 8920 1021+44 20 8492 2090Numbers open 24 hours
Laura Ashley store card0871 522 5272+44 208 181 0000Numbers open 24 hours
Lloyds TSB0800 096 9779+44 1702 278 270Numbers open 24 hours
Lombard Direct0870 606 0606+44 870 606 0606Numbers open 24 hours
Marbles0845 602 7795+44 (29) 20 818079Numbers open 24 hours
Marks & Spencer Money0845 900 0900+44 (0)1244 879 080Numbers open 24 hours
Marriott Rewards020 7012 7312+44 (0)20 7012 7312Numbers open 24 hours
MBNA Europe Bank0800 062 062+44 (0) 1244 672 111Numbers open 24 hours
Metro Bank

0345 08 08 500

+44 20 3402 8312

Numbers open 24 hours

MINT

0870 6000 459

+44 1268 500 813

Numbers open 24 hours

Miss Selfridge store card

0871 522 5322

+44 (0)20 7012 7312

Numbers open 24 hours

Morgan Stanley

020 7425 8000

+44 1604 230 230

Numbers open 24 hours

Mothercare Mastercard

0871 522 5192

+44 (0)20 7012 7312

Numbers open 24 hours

Mothercare store card

0871 522 5000

+44 (0)20 7012 7312

Numbers open 24 hours

National Trust

0800 062 062

+44 1244 659 005

Numbers open 24 hours

Nationwide BS

08457 99 22 22

+44 2476 438 996

Numbers open 24 hours

NatWest

0870 600 0459

+44 1268 500 813

Numbers open 24 hours

Nectar (American Express)

01273 696933

+44 (0)1273 696 933

Numbers open 24 hours

New Look store card

0844 856 5744

+44 (0)115 850 3000

Numbers open 24 hours

Northern Rock

0800 015 0306

+44 800 015 0306

Numbers open 24 hours

Norwich & Peterborough BS

01733 372374

+44 1733 372 374

Numbers open 24 hours

NSPCC

08457 20 30 99

+44 113 242 2229

Numbers open 24 hours

Oasis store card

0844 856 5744

+44 844 856 5744

Numbers open 24 hours

Opus

020 7871 0464

+44 (0)20 7871 0464

Numbers open 24 hours

Orange Credit Card

0844 556 0603

+44 1604 54 9764

Numbers open 24 hours

Orange Marbles

0845 602 7795

+44 2920 818 079

Numbers open 24 hours

Oxfam

0844 875 8755

+44 845 600 6000

Numbers open 24 hours

Paypal Access Mastercard

020 8181 0000

+44 (0)20 8181 0000

Numbers open 24 hours

PDSA Credit Card

0800 062 062

+44 1244 659 005

Numbers open 24 hours

Play.com

0800 062 062

+44 1244 659 005

Numbers open 24 hours

Post Office

0800 169 2646

+44 117 373 3865

Numbers open 24 hours

Priority Club Visa

0844 251 0304

+44 1604 26 9016

Numbers open 24 hours

Royal Bank of Scotland

0870 600 0459

+44 1268 500 813

Numbers open 24 hours

RSPB

0845 600 6000

+44 845 600 6000

Numbers open 24 hours

RSPCA

0800 062 062

+44 1244 659 005

Numbers open 24 hours

Saga

0845 603 5473

+44 2890 328641

Numbers open 24 hours

Sainsbury’s Bank

0845 300 0344

+44 845 300 0344

Numbers open 24 hours

Santander

0845 602 1582

+44 1512 648 725

Numbers open 24 hours

Save the Children

0845 600 6000

+44 845 600 6000

Numbers open 24 hours

Shell

0845 900 6008

+44 845 900 6008

Numbers open 24 hours

Shelter

0845 600 6000

+44 845 600 6000

Numbers open 24 hours

Sky

0160 423 0230

+44 1604 230 230

Numbers open 24 hours

Smile

0844 875 8755

+44 8448 44 88 44

Numbers open 24 hours

Tesco Credit Card

0845 300 42 78

+44 1268 50 80 27

Numbers open 24 hours

Thomas Cook

0844 251 0058

+44 1604 54 9239

Numbers open 24 hours

Topshop/Topman store card

0871 522 5252

+44 (0)20 8181 0000

Numbers open 24 hours

Ulster Bank (N.I)

0870 600 0459

+44 (0)1268 500 813

Numbers open 24 hours

United Airlines (Mileage Plus)

0845 8444 777

+44 (0)845 844 4777

Numbers open 24 hours

Vanquis

0800 783 9003

+44 161 444 4495

Numbers open 24 hours

Virgin Atlantic

0800 056 7686

+44 800 056 7686

Numbers open 24 hours

Virgin Money

0800 015 0306

Numbers open 24 hours

Wallis store card

0871 522 5321

+44 (0)20 8181 0000

Numbers open 24 hours

Warehouse store card

0871 781 3055

+44 871 781 3055

Numbers open 24 hours

WWF

0800 062 062

+44 (0)1244 659 005

Numbers open 24 hours

Yorkshire Bank

08447 368 368

+44 141 951 7315

Numbers open 24 hours

Yorkshire Building Society

0845 910 1112

+44 (0)845 9 10 11 12

Numbers open 24 hours

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