Short answer: Report a lost or stolen credit card to the issuer as soon as possible by calling the verified number or using the issuer’s mobile app. Follow up immediately in writing and keep checking the account for unauthorized charges.
Contact the issuer safely
Use the number shown on the statement or online account, or report through the issuer’s mobile app. The FTC recommends keeping the issuer’s customer-service number available and current.
Do not give the account number to an unexpected caller claiming to offer card-loss protection. The FTC says reputable financial companies will not contact consumers to sell this supposed protection or ask them to confirm the account number to activate it.
Review recent activity
Open statements promptly and compare the balance and charges with receipts. Report charges you do not recognize as soon as they are discovered.
Record each unfamiliar transaction separately with its date and amount. If three charges total $146, list all three rather than reporting only the combined amount.
Document the report
Follow up immediately in writing. Include the account number, when the card was noticed missing, and when the loss was first reported.
Keep a copy of the letter and notes from calls with the issuer. For a fraudulent credit card charge, send the written follow-up to the address used for billing disputes.
Understand the credit card liability limit
If the card is reported lost before anyone uses it, the FTC says the cardholder is not responsible for unauthorized charges. If the loss is reported after unauthorized use, the maximum potential responsibility under federal law is $50.
If only the account number is used without the physical card being lost or stolen, the FTC says the cardholder is not responsible for unauthorized credit card charges.
Keep monitoring after replacement
Continue checking account statements and report fraudulent charges immediately. Check credit reports for accounts or charges that are not recognized, and use IdentityTheft.gov if identity theft is suspected.
This page summarizes the FTC’s credit card guidance. Debit and ATM card liability rules are different, so do not apply the credit card limits on this page to those cards.
Sources
Sources are listed so readers can verify the key facts, assumptions, and limitations behind this page.
This content provides general education for US consumers. It does not predict approval, credit-score changes, issuer decisions, or replace a current agreement or statement.