Credit Card Fraud

What is an unauthorized purchase?

An “unauthorized purchase” is the use of your credit card or card account information by a third party, such as for a charge, purchase or other card transaction where you have not given access to your card information to any other person or business for one time or repeated use, such as a merchant, employee, relative or friend. Please use reasonable care to protect your card, account numbers and personal identification numbers, including in places where your card information may be stored for others to access or use. Transactions made by authorized users, secondary cardmembers and others you have given permission to use or access to your account, and transactions that you benefit from, are not “unauthorized.” It is important that you contact us as soon as you suspect unauthorized use so that we can assist you. We will then open an investigation to determine if the transactions were unauthorized.

I see a transaction I don’t recognize. What should I do?

First, check with any secondary cardmember or authorized user who might share your account, to see if they recognize the transaction. To help you identify a charge, you can also view more details online by clicking on the transaction in your Account Activity section.

If you suspect that a transaction is fraudulent, please call us right away at 1-866-240-7938. Or, you can contact Customer Service online or initiate a dispute.

Am I responsible for unauthorized purchases?

No. All Discover cardmembers are protected with our $0 Fraud Liability Guarantee, which means you’re never responsible for unauthorized purchases on your Discover Card account.¹ If you spot a purchase you don’t recognize, first check with any secondary cardmember or authorized user who might share your account, to see if they recognize the transaction. If the transaction is not recognized, please contact us immediately.

How does fraud occur?

Credit card fraud happens several different ways, most commonly with your card information being compromised in a data breach or your physical card being stolen. Unauthorized purchases are purchases on your credit card or card account information by a third party, such as for a charge, purchase or other transaction where you have not given access to your card information to any other person or business for one time or repeated use, such as a merchant, employee, relative or friend.

Credit card fraud is a serious crime that is punishable by law. We frequently work with local, state and federal authorities to help bring these criminals to justice.

How does Discover handle fraud?

If fraud is suspected, Discover will immediately close your account to help protect your information and prevent any further unauthorized use. A member of our U.S.-based Fraud Team will open an investigation into the questionable transactions on your account. We ask you to please destroy all cards, personal identification numbers (PINs), and checks if you have any, associated with your Discover account. We will be transferring all of your account history, including your cashback bonus over to a new account. We’ll also send a replacement card with new account information and credit your account for the amount of the questionable transaction(s). All unauthorized transactions will be removed from your account pending the outcome of the investigation.

If my card is being replaced because of fraud, can I still use it until the new one arrives?

No. To help protect your information and prevent further unauthorized use of your account, we immediately deactivate your card and close your account. You will receive a replacement card with a new account number within 3-7 business days.

Why do I still see the questionable transaction(s) on my statement?

The transaction(s) in question and any related fees will be credited right back to your account within 10 days.

If you’re unsure whether a transaction was refunded, you can also contact your Fraud Specialist.

I have a pending fraud investigation—how long will it take?

A fraud investigation can take up to 90 days and we’ll notify you once it’s complete. In the meantime, we might contact you for additional information, if needed.

How do I contact a Fraud Specialist?

You can contact a Discover representative at 1-866-240-7938.

For questions related to an open fraud investigation, please call 1-800-347-7466 to speak with a member of our Fraud Team.