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If you suspect someone accessed your bank account or used your debit card, contact your bank or credit union immediately using a phone number or link you obtain independently. Ask its fraud team to secure the account, report each suspicious transaction, and explain how to open a formal dispute. These steps concern US consumer deposit accounts; the rules and your options depend on the payment type and the facts.
What to do first if money is missing or your account may be exposed
- Contact your bank through a verified channel. Use the number on the back of your card, an official statement, or the bank’s official website or app. Do not rely on caller ID, an incoming call, or a link in an unsolicited message. Tell the fraud department what happened and ask what to lock, replace, or reset. The CFPB advises contacting the institution quickly when unauthorized activity appears.
- Contain the payment method involved. If your debit-card information may be exposed, ask whether the card should be canceled and replaced and whether to change the PIN. Continue checking accounts and statements: the CFPB warns that “Fraudulent charges or debits to your accounts might occur months after the theft of your information.” (CFPB guidance on hacked card data.)
- Open a formal dispute and keep records. Follow the bank’s error-notice instructions and ask whether it needs written follow-up to a phone report. Keep copies of correspondence and note call dates, who you spoke with, and what was said. Save statements, transaction IDs, alerts, messages, and case or reference numbers. The CFPB recommends written follow-up records for card disputes.
- Secure online access. Change any exposed password and any reused password on other services. Turn on multifactor authentication (MFA) where available. Never give a caller your password, one-time passcode (OTP), or other security credential. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) says: “Companies generally do not contact you to ask for your username, password, or OTP.”
- Escalate the incident if needed. For a fraudulent wire, contact the institution that sent it immediately and ask it to request a recall or reversal; also report the wire fraud to IC3. If personal information beyond your bank credentials was stolen, follow the identity-theft steps below.
How quickly should you report an unauthorized debit?
Report suspicious activity as soon as you notice it; do not wait for the outer limit described in federal guidance. The CFPB distinguishes between a lost or stolen debit card or PIN and unauthorized debits when the physical card was not lost. For a lost or stolen card or PIN, notifying the bank within two business days matters to the liability protections described by the CFPB. For unauthorized debits shown on a statement, report them as soon as possible and within 60 days after the statement is sent. The applicable deadline and potential liability depend on the access device and the circumstances.
The CFPB’s 2026 explanation of general Regulation E procedures describes these investigation and resolution periods:
| Stage | General period described by the CFPB |
|---|---|
| Initial investigation | 10 business days after notice of an unauthorized transaction; 20 business days may apply if the account has been open less than 30 days. |
| Correction after the bank determines an error occurred | One business day. |
| Report findings after correcting an error | Three business days. |
| General resolution period | 45 days; some cases, including certain foreign, new-account, or debit-card point-of-sale transactions, may take up to 90 days. |
These are general timeframes, not a guarantee that a particular claim qualifies or that you will receive a final credit by a specific date. A temporary credit, if provided, is provisional and may depend on the investigation and applicable rules. The bank may also request written confirmation after an initial phone report. See the CFPB’s explanation of unauthorized transactions and reporting for the relevant conditions.
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When a scam involved deception
Tell the bank exactly what happened, including whether you approved a transfer or gave someone access after being misled. The CFPB says an electronic fund transfer made by a hacker using access information obtained through fraud can qualify as an unauthorized EFT under Regulation E’s definition and conditions. That does not mean every payment made after a scam is automatically treated the same way. The CFPB’s Regulation E compliance FAQ addresses the definition; raise the specific facts with your bank rather than assuming reimbursement is guaranteed.
What to do if someone took over your online bank account
Account takeover means unauthorized access to an online financial or other account, often to steal money or gather information. Call the bank using an independently verified contact method as soon as you recognize the problem. Ask it to secure online access and review recent activity. Change exposed credentials, including passwords reused on other services, and enable MFA where available. For a fraudulent wire, request a recall or reversal through the originating institution immediately.
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File a complaint with IC3 and include relevant banking and incident details. Use contact information you obtain independently: a caller claiming to be from your bank is not verified by caller ID alone. The FBI’s account-takeover public-service announcement explains the risk and advises verifying callers independently.
How to respond when identity information was stolen too
If the incident extends beyond the bank account—for example, personal identifying information was stolen—contact the affected financial institutions’ security or fraud departments and close affected accounts as appropriate. Report the identity theft at IdentityTheft.gov; its report provides an Identity Theft Report and a recovery plan. Depending on what was exposed, consider a fraud alert or security freeze on your credit files. Those credit-file protections do not replace disputing the unauthorized bank transaction with your bank.
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| What may be compromised | First response | Key follow-up |
|---|---|---|
| Debit card or PIN | Call the bank, report the loss or suspicious transaction, and ask about canceling and replacing the card and changing the PIN. | Observe the applicable card/PIN reporting windows; check statements and retain dispute records. |
| Online banking credentials | Call the bank through a verified channel and ask it to secure account access. | Reset exposed and reused passwords, enable MFA where available, and watch for further activity. |
| Fraudulent wire | Contact the originating institution immediately and request a recall or reversal. | Report the wire fraud to IC3 and preserve transfer details. |
| Broader identity theft | Contact affected financial institutions and close affected accounts as appropriate. | Report at IdentityTheft.gov; consider fraud alerts or credit freezes. |
These steps address US consumer deposit accounts and electronic-transfer guidance. Checks, business accounts, commercial agreements, and state-law remedies may involve different rules, so ask the institution about the process that applies to your account and transaction.
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