Contact your card issuer immediately, report the unauthorized charges, and ask it to lock or cancel the card and send a replacement. Then dispute each charge, preserve a written record, and pay the undisputed part of your bill on time. In the United States, federal rules generally limit liability for unauthorized credit-card use before you report the loss to $50; the written billing-error notice deadline is a separate 60-calendar-day rule.
What to do first
- Contact the issuer through a trusted channel. Use the issuer’s official app or a phone number from its website, your statement, or card materials. Say the card is lost or stolen and identify the charges you did not authorize. Ask the issuer to lock or cancel the card and issue a replacement. The FTC recommends reporting the loss as soon as you discover it: FTC guidance on lost or stolen cards.
- Write down what happened and when. Note when you noticed the card missing, when you contacted the issuer, how you contacted it, which charges you reported, and any confirmation or case number. Follow up in writing and keep a copy. The FTC recommends including the account number, the date you noticed the card was missing, and the date you first reported it.
- Dispute the unauthorized transactions promptly. Tell the issuer which charges were not yours and follow its dispute instructions. For the federal billing-error procedure, send written notice to the billing-disputes address within 60 calendar days after the statement containing the charge was sent. That address may differ from the address used for payments. Keep a copy of your letter and proof of sending. The CFPB explains the process and deadline in its billing-error guidance.
- Pay the rest of the bill on time. You generally do not have to pay the amount in dispute, or related charges, while the issuer investigates. Continue paying charges you agree are correct. See the CFPB’s explanation of billing-error rights.
- Check for further suspicious activity. Review later statements and report any additional unfamiliar transactions. If the incident points to broader identity theft, the FTC directs consumers to IdentityTheft.gov and recommends checking credit reports.
Start with the issuer even if you are still figuring out exactly what happened. Reporting the card missing and identifying unauthorized charges are related but distinct tasks: tell the issuer both that the card is missing and which transactions you dispute. Prompt contact can help stop further transactions, while a written dispute creates a record and helps preserve the billing-error procedure.
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Use a number or app you locate independently, rather than relying on a message or call that arrives unexpectedly. If you speak with the issuer, note the date and time, the channel used, and any case or confirmation number. If the issuer provides instructions for a written dispute, follow those instructions and retain a copy of everything you send. Keep the replacement-card process separate from the question of whether particular charges were authorized; requesting a replacement does not replace reporting and disputing those charges.
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How much can you be held responsible for?
The federal baseline depends partly on whether the issuer received notice before the card was used. The CFPB says: “If you report a lost or stolen credit card before it is used, you can’t be held responsible for any unauthorized charges.” The agency’s page was last reviewed April 15, 2024: CFPB guidance on lost or stolen credit cards.
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If unauthorized use happened before you reported the missing card, the federal maximum liability is generally $50. Many issuers waive even that amount under their card agreements, so check your agreement rather than assuming the federal maximum is what you will owe. The CFPB also says that if only the account number was stolen and the physical card was not lost, the consumer generally has no liability for unauthorized use.
The timing distinction is important. If you report the loss before someone uses the card, the CFPB’s guidance says you cannot be held responsible for unauthorized charges. If the card is used first, the federal baseline generally caps potential liability at $50, though your issuer may provide better protection. The $50 figure is a maximum potential liability in that specified situation, not an automatic fee that every cardholder must pay.
These liability rules and the billing-error deadline address different issues. The potential $50 liability concerns unauthorized use before reporting; the 60-calendar-day deadline is for sending written notice under the billing-error process after the statement was sent. Neither is a reason to delay: report the card and charges immediately, and follow the written-dispute procedure on time. Federal protections, card terms, and the facts of a particular case all matter.
For example, a cardholder who discovers a card missing should not wait to see whether the next statement arrives before calling the issuer. The immediate report addresses the lost card and any new activity. Separately, once a statement includes a charge the cardholder says was unauthorized, the written billing-error notice should be sent within the applicable 60-calendar-day period. One action does not substitute for the other.
Why the 60-day deadline matters
To preserve the federal billing-error procedure, send a written notice within 60 calendar days after the issuer sent the statement that first included the disputed charge. Do not treat this as 60 days from the transaction date, from when you noticed the card was missing, or from the day you called. A phone or app report is useful for stopping the card and alerting the issuer, but send the written notice to the issuer’s billing-disputes address as well.
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In the letter, identify the account and the transaction or transactions you dispute, explain that you did not authorize them, and include when you noticed the card missing and when you first reported it. Keep a copy and evidence of delivery or mailing. Use the exact address and instructions in your statement or issuer materials; a payment address may not be the right destination for a billing dispute.
Make the dates easy to verify. The 60 calendar days run from when the statement containing the charge was sent, not from the date the purchase appears to have taken place. Keep that statement, your letter, and the mailing or delivery record together. If more than one statement contains disputed charges, identify the relevant transactions clearly and do not assume that a phone conversation alone satisfies the written-notice step.
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What to expect while the issuer investigates
Follow the issuer’s requests for information and keep copies of messages, letters, and any documents you provide. Track the disputed amount separately from the rest of the balance so you do not accidentally miss a payment on legitimate charges. The CFPB says you need not pay the disputed amount or related charges during the investigation, but you should pay the undisputed portion on time. The issuer’s process and any additional protections may be described in your card agreement.
Review each statement while the matter is ongoing. If another transaction appears that you did not authorize, report it to the issuer and include it in the dispute process rather than assuming the first report automatically covers every later charge. Keep a simple timeline: when you discovered the card was missing, when you contacted the issuer, what transactions you identified, when you sent written notice, and any responses or reference numbers.
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Continue to distinguish between charges you dispute and charges you recognize. The billing-error process does not excuse payment of the rest of the bill. Paying correct charges on time while the disputed amount is being investigated helps you avoid treating the entire balance as disputed when it is not.
If only your account number was compromised
Report unauthorized charges even if the physical card is still in your possession. The CFPB says consumers generally have no liability when only the account number was taken, but you should still notify the issuer, dispute the transactions, and ask whether the account number or card credentials should be changed. Do not assume that keeping the physical card means the account is safe.
This is one of the key differences to tell the issuer: was the physical card lost or stolen, or was only the account number compromised? It affects which liability explanation is relevant, but it does not change the practical first step. In either case, promptly report the unauthorized transactions, follow the issuer’s dispute directions, and keep written records. If the issuer recommends changing account credentials or replacing the card, follow its instructions.
Credit cards, debit cards, and prepaid cards have different rules
This guidance concerns U.S. consumer credit cards. Do not apply the credit-card liability figures or billing-error steps automatically to a debit or prepaid card. The FTC explains that debit-card liability depends on how quickly the loss is reported and describes a separate 60-calendar-day issue for account-number-only misuse. If a debit or prepaid card is involved, contact the bank or provider immediately and ask for the rules that apply to that specific product: FTC guidance on lost or stolen credit, ATM, and debit cards.
The word “60 days” can be especially confusing here. For a credit card, the rule discussed above is a written billing-error notice deadline measured from the statement containing the disputed charge. The FTC’s debit-card guidance describes different timing and liability rules, including a separate 60-calendar-day issue for certain account-number-only misuse. Do not transfer the credit-card rule to a debit or prepaid account; report the problem immediately and ask the bank or provider which product-specific rules apply.
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Avoid paid loss-protection offers
You do not need to buy a separate credit-card loss-protection service to report a missing card or dispute unauthorized charges. The FTC warns that paid offers are unnecessary and are commonly used in scams. Do not give your card number to an unsolicited caller who says you must activate a protection feature. Contact your issuer yourself using a trusted number instead: FTC guidance on card-loss protection offers.
A wallet or other physical accessory cannot resolve charges that have already occurred; the issuer’s reporting and dispute process is what addresses the immediate problem. The issuer supplies a replacement card when needed. Focus on reporting, disputing, recordkeeping, and monitoring statements rather than paying a third party for a service the FTC says is unnecessary.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do immediately if someone uses my lost credit card?
Contact the issuer through its official app or a number from its website, statement, or card materials. Report the card missing and identify the unauthorized charges. Ask the issuer to lock or cancel the card and send a replacement, then keep a record of the report and follow its dispute instructions.
Can I be held responsible for charges made before I reported the card missing?
Under the federal baseline, potential liability for unauthorized use before reporting is generally capped at $50. Many card agreements waive even that amount. If you report a lost or stolen card before it is used, the CFPB says you cannot be held responsible for unauthorized charges. Check your card agreement and report promptly.
Is the 60-day deadline measured from the transaction date?
No. To preserve the federal billing-error procedure, send written notice within 60 calendar days after the issuer sent the statement containing the charge. Send it to the billing-disputes address, which may differ from the payment address. A call or app report does not replace the written notice.
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Do I have to pay my whole bill while a charge is disputed?
The CFPB says you need not pay the disputed amount or related charges while the issuer investigates, but you should continue paying charges you agree are correct and keep the undisputed portion current.
What if only my credit-card number was stolen?
Report the unauthorized charges to the issuer even if you still have the physical card. The CFPB says consumers generally have no liability when only the account number was taken. Ask the issuer whether the number or card credentials should be changed, and dispute the transactions.
Are credit-card and debit-card rules the same?
No. This article covers U.S. consumer credit cards. Debit and prepaid cards can have different reporting timelines and liability rules. Contact the bank or provider immediately and ask about the rules for the specific product.
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No separate paid loss-protection service is needed to report a missing card or dispute unauthorized charges. The FTC warns that such offers are unnecessary and commonly used in scams. Do not give your card number to an unsolicited caller offering to activate protection.
The Bottom Line
Report the lost card and unauthorized charges to the issuer immediately, then send written notice to the billing-disputes address within 60 calendar days after the statement containing the charge was sent. Keep records, pay undisputed charges on time, and do not pay for a separate loss-protection offer. The federal $50 potential-liability baseline and the 60-day written-dispute deadline are separate rules; your issuer’s agreement may give you more protection.
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