You found a lost credit card and want to help reunite the card with its owner, but you’re busy and can’t stick around for that person to come running back to claim it. What should you do to help? Here are some options.
Hand the lost card over to someone with authority. Depending on where you found it, that could mean a store employee, restaurant or bar manager, security guard or a lost-and-found. If the card’s owner can retrace their steps to the last place they used the card, they’ll probably contact people on staff to find it. At the very least, you’re giving that card a more secure home while it waits to be claimed.
With a NerdWallet account, you can see all of your credit card activity in one place and easily access your credit report to spot any red flags quickly.
If you have a few minutes, call the credit card company
Got some time to spare? Call the number on the back of the card and tell the credit card company that you found it. They’ll contact the card’s owner for you. It’s possible that the card was already reported as lost anyway, and the card company will issue a new card with a new number.
🤓Nerdy Tip
If a credit card is affected by fraud, issuers usually cancel that card and send a new one with a new number linked to the same account. This typically won’t affect the age of the account or harm the owner's credit scores.
What if someone claims you have their card?
As you stand there, considering exactly how to be a good Samaritan, someone runs up to you and says you’re holding their lost card. Now your ethical dilemma has intensified. What if that person is lying?
Just ask them for the name on the card. If their answer is quick and correct, odds are they’re being honest. If they hesitate, find a store manager or security guard immediately and make sure the would-be thief doesn’t follow you out the door. If they become irate, make your own safety the priority.
Take the card home and destroy it. Don’t invite liability into your life by taking a lost credit card home. You run the risk of being reported as a thief even if your intentions were good. Plus, as unshreddable metal cards become more popular, you may not be able to safely destroy and dispose of a card without the credit card company’s help.
Call the police. A lost credit card is annoying, but it doesn’t exactly rise to the level of police involvement, even if the card gets used for fraudulent purchases. Federal law limits a card holder’s liability for fraud to $50, and many credit card issuers offer zero fraud liability. In other words, the cardholder can report the stolen funds and get their money back.
Do nothing. Unless you are truly in a rush, you can be helpful in just a few minutes by handing the card to a store employee or calling the credit card company. You’d want someone to do the same for you.
Call the number on the back of the card and tell the credit card company that you found it. They'll contact the card's owner for you. It's possible that the card was already reported as lost anyway, and the card company will issue a new card with a new number.
Key takeaways. If you find a lost card, don't leave it where you found it. Instead, try to return it to a bank branch or call the customer support number on the back of the card. After reporting a found credit card, the card issuer will likely cancel the card and issue a replacement to the owner.
Act as fast as possible. Contact the credit card company to close or freeze the fraudulent account, file reports with the FTC and local police, and dispute the account with the credit bureaus to ensure the activity does not impact your credit scores.
If you can see what bank the card is through, then drop it off at one of those branches, and the will get it to the owner. Or you can drop it off at the police station. You could cut it up and throw it away as another option.
A card issuer will typically issue a temporary refund while the company investigates a disputed charge, which sometimes takes 30 to 90 days. If your credit card information is stolen, your identity may have been, too. Freeze your credit until you can determine if your identity is safe.
Credit card fraud is illegal, but whether the police investigate cases depends on a number of factors. Police may investigate the theft of a credit card if it was among other stolen items, as in a home robbery or car theft. Police typically do not investigate a single stolen credit card.
Banks can only locate the merchant of the last transactions, not the card itself. Debit and credit cards don't have built-in tracking technology. In cases of lost or stolen debit cards, getting a new card is often a safer choice since the card's information may have become compromised.
The best way to find out if someone has opened an account in your name is to pull your own credit reports to check. Note that you'll need to pull your credit reports from all three bureaus — Experian, Equifax and TransUnion — to check for fraud since each report may have different information and reporting.
If someone uses your SSN to obtain credit, loans, telephone accounts, or other goods and services, contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC collects complaints about identity theft from those whose identities have been stolen.
“The statute states specifically that if you use the card without permission it's a criminal offense,” says Beaulier. “Consequences become more severe the larger the amount you spend.”
Someone accused of stealing another person's credit or debit card may also be charged with grand larceny in the fourth degree, which is a class E felony (Section 155.30). Similarly, criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree is also charged as a class E felony in New York.
Can You Track Someone Who Used Your Credit Card Online? No. However, if you report the fraud in a timely manner, the bank or card issuer will open an investigation. Banks have a system for investigating credit card fraud, including some standard procedures.
If your card gets stolen or lost, call your bank immediately to deactivate the account. Typically, you will be made to pay for unauthorized purchases, so you need to block your account as soon as you can.
Under California law, you can report identity theft to your local police department. Ask the police to issue a police report of identity theft. Give the police as much information on the theft as possible.
Is there a reward for handing in a lost bank card? There's not a specific reward for handing in a lost bank card. However, if you do it carefully, you can have peace of mind knowing you helped someone avoid potential fraud or identity theft.
Can You Track Someone Who Used Your Credit Card Online? No. However, if you report the fraud in a timely manner, the bank or card issuer will open an investigation. Banks have a system for investigating credit card fraud, including some standard procedures.
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Introduction: My name is Madonna Wisozk, I am a attractive, healthy, thoughtful, faithful, open, vivacious, zany person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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