Why Can They Block A Bank Card And How To Solve The Problem?

Blocking a Bank card is a common occurrence, so the likelihood of encountering an unpleasant problem is quite high. This usually does not happen because the client is breaking some rules. The fact is that banks use imperfect algorithms for controlling the activity of cards, which often perceive ordinary transactions as potentially dangerous. From this material, you will learn why a bank card can be blocked and how to solve this unpleasant problem.

Why Can They Block A Bank Card?

Banks have the right to block customers’ cards and accounts without their consent if they have reason to believe that a certain operation may be fraudulent. In fact, there is nothing wrong with this, because there are many examples when card blocking helped customers save their money. In addition, financial organizations have the right to refuse clients to make non-cash payments if the recipient is on the list of potential fraudsters. Here are the main reasons why a bank might block your Debit card.

Suspicious Transactions – Bank card

This is a very broad category that includes all transactions that seem illogical or obviously disadvantageous for the client from an economic point of view. Usually, in such cases, the bank representatives immediately contact the client and ask to confirm that the transaction is being carried out deliberately. In some cases, you may be invited to the nearest branch to clarify details.

Operations In A Cyber Hazardous Area

If you suddenly find yourself in a country where, according to your bank, cyber fraudsters are operating, then your card can be instantly blocked immediately after the first attempt to carry out some kind of financial transaction. Therefore, before going abroad, you should ask a bank representative if you will encounter similar problems. There is no specific list of cyber hazard zones as it is constantly changing. This list may differ significantly from bank to bank. In the United States and the European Union, the likelihood of blocking, for this reason, is practically zero.

Incorrect PIN Entry – Bank card

If you enter the wrong PIN three times within 24 hours, your card will be automatically blocked. This is done to prevent fraudsters from finding codes for stolen cards. Therefore, if you have forgotten your PIN code, then it is better not to try to remember it, but restore it immediately.

Suspiciously Frequent Cash Withdrawals

To begin with, you may be limited by the amount that you can withdraw from an ATM. If attempts to withdraw cash do not stop, then the card will definitely be blocked. This is also done to ensure the safety of customers. We are talking about withdrawing unnaturally large amounts. Especially if transactions are carried out at ATMs that do not belong to your bank.

Serial Purchases In The Online Store

If you make a series of purchases in an online store over a short period of time, then your card may be blocked, since banking algorithms perceive such transactions as suspicious. In most cases, we are talking about a short-term blocking for up to 30 minutes. To continue using the card, you do not have to contact the bank. It will be enough just to wait for a little.

How to unblock a bank card?

The procedure for unblocking a bank card depends on the reason for which it was blocked. Please note that after blocking at the request of the client himself in connection with theft or loss, only the card can be reissued. The fact is that, in theory, fraudsters can even make a working duplicate of the card, which will allow them to withdraw cash from ATMs.

In addition, the blocking due to the expired card validity is irrevocable. In this case, you also have to reissue the card. To do this, you need to contact the nearest branch of your bank. The re-release procedure will take just a few minutes.

If your card has been blocked due to entering the wrong PIN code three times, then you do not need to take any action. The card will be unlocked automatically in exactly 24 hours. If you enter the wrong code again, some banks may invite you to the branch to make sure that your card has not been taken over by fraudsters.

In addition, your card may be blocked for non-payment of service costs or loan debt. In this case, the only way to unblock it is to repay debts. But even this is not a 100% unlock guarantee. The bank has the right to enroll you in the category of unreliable clients and completely refuse your service. If you disagree with this decision, you can go to court.

Conclusion

If the blocking occurred due to the fact that the bank suspects the fact of card theft, then a representative of the financial institution will contact you independently and ask you to refute these assumptions. In some cases, you may be invited to the department to clarify details.

In addition, please note that there are non-standard cases when the card is blocked for some other reason. In such situations, you need to contact the support service of your bank for detailed advice.

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