Lost Credit Card? Here’s What to Do If Your Credit Card Is Lost Or Stolen

If you lost your credit card, don’t panic. Although a lost or stolen credit card could lead to identity theft and unauthorized use, there are steps you can take to get your card back or get a new one.

Freeze your lost credit card account

If you think you have a lost or stolen card, the first step is to freeze or lock your credit card account. If your credit card issuer allows cardmembers to freeze or lock their account temporarily, you can freeze the account while you look for the card. Then, if you find it, you can unlock or unfreeze the account and resume normal use.

Freezing or locking your account can prevent it from being used for new transactions. So, if the card was stolen, no unauthorized transactions can be processed, and you can minimize the chances of credit card fraud.

If you lost or misplaced your credit card, freezing your account can give you a chance to find the card without canceling it entirely. Then, you won’t have to request a new card or wait for the replacement card to arrive, you only have to cancel the credit card if you’re sure it’s lost or stolen. 

If you misplace your card, you can prevent new purchases, cash advances and balance transfers in seconds with the Freeze it® on/off switch on our mobile app and website.¹ If you find the card, you can quickly unfreeze your account and continue using it, so you can keep earning rewards on your Discover credit card.

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Try to find the lost credit card

If you think you lost your credit card, start by retracing your steps to find it. 

You can review your most recent credit card statement to check where the last charge was made. You could also use your online banking account or call your card issuer to get a record of your most recent transactions. If you call your credit card company, they may verify your identity by asking you for certain personal information. If you view your account online, check under “pending transactions” since purchases can take a few days to be posted.

Once you’ve identified the most recent transaction(s), you could call or visit the merchant to see if they’ve found your lost card. If the most recent transaction(s) happened after you lost your card and they’re unauthorized charges, it’s possible that your credit card was stolen. Immediately contact your card issuer to report the stolen card.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, consumers have limited liability for unauthorized charges or fraudulent credit card charges under the Fair Credit Billing Act. You’re never held responsible for unauthorized purchases on your Discover Card.²

Report your credit card as lost or stolen

If there’s no hope of finding your lost card or you’re sure it’s been stolen, notify your card issuer. Discover® Cardmembers should immediately call customer service at 1-800-347-2683 to let us know  the card is lost or stolen.

Your card issuer can invalidate the lost card and may ask you to destroy any additional cards associated with the account. Then, the card issuer can deliver a replacement card. 

If you’re a Discover® Cardmember, you can expect to receive a new card within 6 business days, and there’s no replacement card fee. Once you receive your new card, you should activate the card and contact any merchants that automatically bill you to update your card information.