Content:
The advantage of a bank plastic card in comparison with cash is obvious. The main thing is the safety of funds. You do not need to carry them with you, worrying about their safety. If the card is suddenly lost or stolen, then it is enough just to block it so that the money remains safe and sound. Nevertheless, if such an unpleasant moment comes, many bank customers do not know what to do and what to do to block a bank card. In addition, cardholders do not always have an idea of why the bank is blocking it and how such an unpleasant situation can be prevented.
What is bank card blocking?
What is card blocking? In fact, this is a situation when any operations with a bank card become impossible. As noted above, the card can be blocked by the client himself, or the plastic is blocked by the bank. Moreover, card blocking is sometimes carried out automatically or by a third party (under certain circumstances).
Blocking options
There are two main types of bank card blocking.
The first option is when the client himself contacts the bank and asks to block the card due to theft, damage or loss, as well as if the PIN code is forgotten and it is impossible to recover it. If the client has applied to the bank with a request to block, then all information on the card is entered into the so-called stop-list of one of the payment systems (Visa or MasrterCard) in order to prevent any possibility of using the card in the future. Such blocking excludes all transactions on the card and it is paid (for both the cardholder and the issuing bank).
The second option is to block the card from the filing of the bank itself in case of detecting the passage of a dubious transaction on this card. As a result, any online transactions become impossible.
How to block a card to its holder
Contacting the bank
The simplest way to block a lost or stolen card is to contact a bank employee on this issue. Unfortunately, this option is not suitable for every client and, as a rule, takes a lot of time.
Calling the bank support service
In order to use this blocking method, you must have a bank support number on hand. This contact should be entered into the memory of your own mobile at the stage of receiving the card, otherwise the above method will be unavailable. Of course, the support phone number can be found at the nearest ATM, in the agreement or on the bank's website. However, in this case, everything is decided by time and additional gestures will only increase the risk of a third party resetting the account.
Contacting the payment system support service
To block the card, you can call the appropriate MasterCard or Visa service. In this case, it is necessary to have on hand not only the contact phone number of the above-mentioned service, but also the number of your own card.
Blocking by sending an SMS message
Some banks provide their clients with a similar opportunity. In particular, Alfa-Bank, Raiffeisenbank, Tinkoff, Sberbank and others allow blocking "plastic" via SMS. The card is unblocked in the same way.
Blocking a card through an ATM
If the card is in hand, then the client can impose a ban on any transactions and Internet operations on it abroad. To do this, just insert a plastic card into the ATM. It should be noted that not every bank provides such an opportunity.
Internet blocking
In order to block a bank card, you can go to the website of the financial institution and contact the operator or find out the phone number of the support service on the same website. To block "plastic", you can also use Internet banking.
How much does it cost?
In the case when the bank itself blocks the card (in case of dubious transactions), the client does not pay for blocking (the service is free, since it is performed at the level of the bank's processing center). If a client independently applies to a banking institution with a request to block a plastic card for one reason or another, then the bank charges him an appropriate client commission, equal to the commission paid by the issuing bank to the payment system.
Reasons for blocking by the bank
Incorrect PIN entry
One of the most common reasons for blocking a card by a bank is the incorrect PIN code when a customer withdraws cash or when paying with a card at a point of sale. Usually the user has 3 attempts, after which the blocking occurs. Do not tempt fate and try to remember the PIN yourself. The best solution is to call home and ask family members to find the coveted card access password among the documents. It's also a good idea to postpone cash withdrawals and find out the correct PIN yourself.
Late payment
Quite often, the card is blocked by the bank due to the lack of funds on the account to pay for the service of the card account. The credit card is blocked if the client fails to make the minimum loan payment on time. Usually, it may take several days before this happens (the period taking into account the unstable operation of terminals and postal services). Nevertheless, it is not worth the risk of delaying payments. After all, after unblocking the card, a penalty is imposed on its owner due to delay.
Providing incorrect information
Another reason for blocking a card by a bank is entering incorrect information when registering a card. In the case of the next scrupulous check, inaccuracies may be found (sometimes every letter is checked) and the bank's security service blocks the card account. Naturally, it is impossible to immediately identify deliberate or accidental distortion of information, but access to funds, just in case, is still blocked. To prevent such unpleasant excesses, the client should carefully check the data provided to the bank when issuing a card.
Conducting transactions abroad
The blocking of the card by the bank also happens when it is used abroad. In a number of countries, such incidents are not uncommon. Suspicion, for example, can be caused by transactions made with a card in different states within a short period of time. Thus, in order to prevent blocking of plastic, it is better to warn the bank before the trip (by phone or by visiting the branch in person) that in the near future the card will be used in certain parts of the world.
Blocking at the request of a third party
Sometimes the card can be blocked by the bank at the request of a third party. It happens that a customer forgets to pick up his card from the supermarket. In accordance with the existing rules, the store employees must contact the bank in order to block the card. These measures are taken to ensure that the client does not subsequently make claims to the store about the misuse of personal funds.
How to unblock a bank card?
There are several ways to unlock the card:
If it is necessary to unblock plastic blocked at the request of the client himself, the latter must contact the bank by writing a corresponding application and indicating a special secret word that was agreed upon when processing documents for the card. Naturally, the unlocking process in this case will take time. However, it is not necessary to wait for unlocking, since access to funds can be obtained with a passport.
If the card is blocked by the court (at the same time the account is frozen), then the card can be unblocked only after the final solution of the problem.
So that there is no need to unblock a bank card, you should be responsible, protecting plastic from theft, possible loss, and not forgetting the PIN code. Forewarned is forearmed!
- What is bank card blocking?
- Blocking options
- How to block a card to its holder
- How much does it cost?
- Reasons for blocking by the bank
- How to unblock a bank card?
The advantage of a bank plastic card in comparison with cash is obvious. The main thing is the safety of funds. You do not need to carry them with you, worrying about their safety. If the card is suddenly lost or stolen, then it is enough just to block it so that the money remains safe and sound. Nevertheless, if such an unpleasant moment comes, many bank customers do not know what to do and what to do to block a bank card. In addition, cardholders do not always have an idea of why the bank is blocking it and how such an unpleasant situation can be prevented.
What is bank card blocking?
What is card blocking? In fact, this is a situation when any operations with a bank card become impossible. As noted above, the card can be blocked by the client himself, or the plastic is blocked by the bank. Moreover, card blocking is sometimes carried out automatically or by a third party (under certain circumstances).
Blocking options
There are two main types of bank card blocking.
The first option is when the client himself contacts the bank and asks to block the card due to theft, damage or loss, as well as if the PIN code is forgotten and it is impossible to recover it. If the client has applied to the bank with a request to block, then all information on the card is entered into the so-called stop-list of one of the payment systems (Visa or MasrterCard) in order to prevent any possibility of using the card in the future. Such blocking excludes all transactions on the card and it is paid (for both the cardholder and the issuing bank).
The second option is to block the card from the filing of the bank itself in case of detecting the passage of a dubious transaction on this card. As a result, any online transactions become impossible.
How to block a card to its holder
Contacting the bank
The simplest way to block a lost or stolen card is to contact a bank employee on this issue. Unfortunately, this option is not suitable for every client and, as a rule, takes a lot of time.
Calling the bank support service
In order to use this blocking method, you must have a bank support number on hand. This contact should be entered into the memory of your own mobile at the stage of receiving the card, otherwise the above method will be unavailable. Of course, the support phone number can be found at the nearest ATM, in the agreement or on the bank's website. However, in this case, everything is decided by time and additional gestures will only increase the risk of a third party resetting the account.
Contacting the payment system support service
To block the card, you can call the appropriate MasterCard or Visa service. In this case, it is necessary to have on hand not only the contact phone number of the above-mentioned service, but also the number of your own card.
Blocking by sending an SMS message
Some banks provide their clients with a similar opportunity. In particular, Alfa-Bank, Raiffeisenbank, Tinkoff, Sberbank and others allow blocking "plastic" via SMS. The card is unblocked in the same way.
Blocking a card through an ATM
If the card is in hand, then the client can impose a ban on any transactions and Internet operations on it abroad. To do this, just insert a plastic card into the ATM. It should be noted that not every bank provides such an opportunity.
Internet blocking
In order to block a bank card, you can go to the website of the financial institution and contact the operator or find out the phone number of the support service on the same website. To block "plastic", you can also use Internet banking.
How much does it cost?
In the case when the bank itself blocks the card (in case of dubious transactions), the client does not pay for blocking (the service is free, since it is performed at the level of the bank's processing center). If a client independently applies to a banking institution with a request to block a plastic card for one reason or another, then the bank charges him an appropriate client commission, equal to the commission paid by the issuing bank to the payment system.
Reasons for blocking by the bank
Incorrect PIN entry
One of the most common reasons for blocking a card by a bank is the incorrect PIN code when a customer withdraws cash or when paying with a card at a point of sale. Usually the user has 3 attempts, after which the blocking occurs. Do not tempt fate and try to remember the PIN yourself. The best solution is to call home and ask family members to find the coveted card access password among the documents. It's also a good idea to postpone cash withdrawals and find out the correct PIN yourself.
Late payment
Quite often, the card is blocked by the bank due to the lack of funds on the account to pay for the service of the card account. The credit card is blocked if the client fails to make the minimum loan payment on time. Usually, it may take several days before this happens (the period taking into account the unstable operation of terminals and postal services). Nevertheless, it is not worth the risk of delaying payments. After all, after unblocking the card, a penalty is imposed on its owner due to delay.
Providing incorrect information
Another reason for blocking a card by a bank is entering incorrect information when registering a card. In the case of the next scrupulous check, inaccuracies may be found (sometimes every letter is checked) and the bank's security service blocks the card account. Naturally, it is impossible to immediately identify deliberate or accidental distortion of information, but access to funds, just in case, is still blocked. To prevent such unpleasant excesses, the client should carefully check the data provided to the bank when issuing a card.
Conducting transactions abroad
The blocking of the card by the bank also happens when it is used abroad. In a number of countries, such incidents are not uncommon. Suspicion, for example, can be caused by transactions made with a card in different states within a short period of time. Thus, in order to prevent blocking of plastic, it is better to warn the bank before the trip (by phone or by visiting the branch in person) that in the near future the card will be used in certain parts of the world.
Blocking at the request of a third party
Sometimes the card can be blocked by the bank at the request of a third party. It happens that a customer forgets to pick up his card from the supermarket. In accordance with the existing rules, the store employees must contact the bank in order to block the card. These measures are taken to ensure that the client does not subsequently make claims to the store about the misuse of personal funds.
How to unblock a bank card?
There are several ways to unlock the card:
- through a support service that works around the clock;
- through the “mobile bank” system;
- through an automated helpdesk;
- by contacting directly the bank branch where the card was issued.
If it is necessary to unblock plastic blocked at the request of the client himself, the latter must contact the bank by writing a corresponding application and indicating a special secret word that was agreed upon when processing documents for the card. Naturally, the unlocking process in this case will take time. However, it is not necessary to wait for unlocking, since access to funds can be obtained with a passport.
If the card is blocked by the court (at the same time the account is frozen), then the card can be unblocked only after the final solution of the problem.
So that there is no need to unblock a bank card, you should be responsible, protecting plastic from theft, possible loss, and not forgetting the PIN code. Forewarned is forearmed!
