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FEATURED CREDIT CARDS

Mission Lane Visa® Credit Card

Mission Lane Visa<sup>®</sup> Credit Card
  • No Annual Fee
  • Fair Credit
  • Enjoy coverage from Visa®.
    *See Card Terms

Indigo® Mastercard® - $1,000 Credit Limit

Indigo<sup>®</sup> Mastercard<sup>®</sup> - $1,000 Credit Limit
  • Get the credit limit you deserve—$1,000 guaranteed if approved
    Rates & Fees

Milestone® Mastercard®

Destiny Mastercard
  • $700 Credit Limit
  • No security deposit
  • Less than perfect credit is ok
    Rates & Fees

What to Do If Your Credit Card is Stolen or Hacked: A Step-by-Step Guide

Discovering that your credit card has been stolen, lost, or compromised by hackers is a stressful experience. Your immediate, decisive actions can minimize financial damage, protect your credit, and ensure a smooth recovery. This guide provides a clear, step-by-step plan for what to do in the immediate aftermath of fraud and how to protect yourself in the long term.

Step 1: Secure your card and accounts immediately

Your first priority is to prevent any further unauthorized charges. The faster you act, the less risk you have.

  • Lock the card: Most modern credit card apps allow you to lock your card instantly with a single tap. This feature prevents new purchases from being made while allowing recurring payments to continue. This is the fastest, most effective first step.

  • Notify your card issuer: Call your card issuer immediately to report the card as lost, stolen, or compromised. The number is typically on the back of your card, your monthly statement, or their official website.

  • Check other accounts: If your credit card number was compromised online, hackers may have access to more information. Check your other credit card and bank accounts for any suspicious activity.

  • Update passwords: If the breach was related to online shopping, change your passwords on any websites where your card information might have been stored. If you use the same password for multiple sites, change all of them, especially for your financial accounts.

    • Step 2: Begin the fraud and identity protection process

    Once your card is secured, it's time to take action to protect your credit and identity.

  • File a fraud alert: Call one of the three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion) and ask for an initial fraud alert. You only need to contact one, and they will alert the other two. This requires creditors to take extra steps to verify your identity before opening a new line of credit in your name.

  • Place a credit freeze: For stronger protection, you can place a credit freeze with all three credit bureaus. This blocks access to your credit report, making it nearly impossible for a scammer to open new accounts. You will need to unfreeze it temporarily when you want to apply for new credit.

  • Report to the FTC: File a report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at IdentityTheft.gov. They will provide you with an official Identity Theft Report and a recovery plan.

  • File a police report: If your card was physically stolen, or if you are a victim of identity theft, file a report with your local law enforcement. This provides official documentation that can be useful for disputing fraudulent charges.

    • Step 3: Manage your accounts and rebuild

    After the initial response, you must remain vigilant to ensure a full recovery.

  • Review your credit report: Get a free copy of your credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com and review it for any fraudulent accounts or inquiries. Dispute any inaccuracies immediately.

  • Monitor your accounts: Keep a close eye on your statements for the next few months to ensure all fraudulent charges have been removed and no new unauthorized activity occurs. Setting up text or email alerts can help with this.

  • Update recurring payments: Once you receive your new card, be sure to update your recurring payments and any online shopping accounts where your card information was saved.

  • Learn from the incident: Reflect on how the fraud occurred. Was it from a compromised online account or a skimmer at a gas station? This will help you identify weak points in your security and strengthen your practices moving forward.

    • How to prevent future credit card fraud

    Taking a few preventative measures can significantly reduce your risk of becoming a victim again.

  • Use virtual cards: Some financial institutions allow you to generate a virtual card number for online purchases. This number is tied to your account but is a one-time-use number, protecting your primary account.

  • Consider identity protection services: While many of the above steps are free, some find added peace of mind with a paid service. These services, offered by companies like Identity Guard, provide continuous monitoring of your credit report and the dark web.

  • Use mobile wallets: Using a mobile wallet like Apple Pay or Google Pay can add an extra layer of security. These services use tokenization to create a unique, one-time-use code for each transaction, meaning your actual card number is never exposed.

  • Safeguard your PIN: Never write down your PIN, and always cover the keypad with your hand when entering it.

  • Be cautious on public Wi-Fi: Avoid conducting financial transactions on public Wi-Fi networks.

  • Shred documents: Shred old credit card statements and other financial documents that contain sensitive information.

  • Enable two-factor authentication (2FA): Use 2FA on all your financial accounts for an extra layer of security.

    • By following these steps, you can effectively manage the fallout of credit card fraud and protect your finances in the future.

    Related credit card articles

  • How Your Credit Card Affects Your Credit Score

  • A Complete Guide to Credit Cards for Fair Credit

  • How to Move from Fair to Good Credit: A Strategic Plan

  • Red Flags to Avoid: Common Pitfalls of Credit Cards for Fair Credit







    • Found this guide helpful? Bookmark it for future reference as you continue your financial journey!

    Experian Boost: A Comprehensive Guide to Boosting Your Free Credit Score

    FICO® Credit Scores

    A FICO® Score is a specific, proprietary type of credit score created by the Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO). It is the most widely used credit scoring model, with approximately 90% of top U.S. lenders using a FICO® Score to make lending decisions.

    FICO® Score Ranges:

    • Exceptional: 800–850
    • Very Good: 740–799
    • Good: 670–739
    • Fair: 580–669
    • Poor: 300–579
    While many people (and credit education websites) use "Excellent" and "Bad" as general, descriptive terms, FICO® officially categorizes its score ranges as Poor, Fair, Good, Very Good, and Exceptional.

    What is a Credit Score?

    A credit score is a three-digit number, typically ranging from 300 to 850, that predicts your creditworthiness—how likely you are to repay borrowed money on time. Lenders use this score to assess the risk of lending to you and to determine the interest rates and terms of any credit you might receive.

    Why is a Credit Score Important?
    A credit score is important because it acts as your financial reputation. Lenders, landlords, insurers, and employers use this single number to quickly judge how reliable you are with money. A higher score helps you qualify for loans and credit cards, often securing lower interest rates that can save you significant money. Conversely, a poor credit score can lead to application denials or much higher costs for borrowing, making it a key factor in your overall financial opportunities.

    FICO® Credit Score Facts

    Key Characteristics of FICO® Scores

    • Three-Digit Number: Like other credit scores, FICO® Scores are a three-digit number that summarizes a consumer's credit risk.

    • Range: Most standard FICO® Scores range from 300 to 850. Higher scores indicate lower credit risk.

    • Data Source: FICO® Scores are calculated using data from your credit reports maintained by the three major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Your score may vary slightly depending on which bureau's data is used.

    • Industry Standard: Lenders rely on FICO® Scores for mortgages, auto loans, and credit cards because they provide a consistent, statistically sound assessment of the likelihood that a borrower will repay their debt.

    Note: Credit scores are used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any credit card product.


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