Someone using your debit card without permission is not always good news as you might not know what you can do when someone uses your debit card with your permission? Let’s find out more.
Every year, millions of consumers reported that someone used their debit card without permission. According to a report, nearly 7% of Americans are victims of bank scams and frauds. So, many people might wonder what I can do when someone uses my debit card without permission. This article is going to share some tips that you can do as well as some ways to protect yourself from bank fraud. Let’s find out more.
Abstract Article:
Someone used my debit card without permission – tips
Reporting your bank
Once you see unauthorized transactions shown on your bank statement, your card was stolen or you think that someone has tried to steal your money, you should contact your bank right away. If you do it immediately, the bank cannot claim you as being negligent and you won’t be liable for unauthorized charges.
According to federal law, if you report to the bank within 2 business days, you may only be liable up to $50. But if you do so within 60 days, you can be liable for up to $500 in fraudulent charges. Beyond 60 days, you will be on the hook of any spending on your account even when you did not authorize.
Reporting to the Police
You can also report to the local police for bank fraud if you wish to do so. Depending on the local policy, the department can ask you to come to a police station or to have an officer to meet you. By both ways, you should have to try your identification with you as well as provide any evidence of fraud such as online transaction report printouts or bank statements.
Depending on the stolen amount, the information about who made unauthorized payments, and other factors, the police can decide to have or not prioritize crime investigation. But you can always get a police report that can be useful documentation of the future.
Reporting to the FTC
You can also report bank fraud to the FTC instead of or in addition to informing your local police reporting. The FTC will provide you a report that in some cases can be used if you need evidence of reporting the theft to authorities. The agency suggests that you still work with the police. If you know the perpetrator, you have another proof that the crime can help investigate, believe that someone is impersonating you, or need a local police report.
Someone used my debit card without permission- tips
How to protect yourself from bank fraud?
Protect your identity
Identification theft is the deliberate use of any other identity (eg name, address, social security number, bank accounts) to get money and credit, get employment, steal property, false educational and other credentials, to access healthcare, and other things.
The worst case is when an identity thief drains your bank account, takes your assets, and sells or trades your personal and sensitive information.
So, if you protect your identity well, you can make the fraud harder for theft.
Technology is theft’s best tool to steal your identity
Theft loves using technology to steal your identity as it is a very convenient way to the details of your life.
Just think of everything that is available with just a few taps on your keyboard: credit card reports, bank account numbers, and personal and family details. It’s all there.
With today’s technology, a thief must do that and connect a control service for your name and account number, let the checks be sent to a mailbox, and voilà; there is the content of your current account.
So, be aware of everything you do online. You can protect yourself by:
- Set your anti-virus and anti-spyware software to perform an automatic update
- Use different PIN and password for all web-based service
- Avoid making transaction on your PC that you suspect are compromised
- Take additional care for guarding your mobile device
- Make sure to use a strong password for your banking online
- Frequently delete junk or chain emails
- Consider the card is your cash, then do not leave it anywhere which means you leave all your cash.
Don’t use a debit card
Do you want to avoid identity robbery? Never and ever use a debit card. According to experts, a debit card is not recommended to anyone.
A Debit Card is sure and really the worst financial tool that is given to American consumers. Why? Simply: Every time you use it, you have your money and your bank account and danger.
Use a credit card instead. You can use it for practically all of your purchases, even when you’re traveling abroad. With a credit card, your liability will be limited under federal law in case there is an authorized user of your card.
When you use a credit card, it means you are spending the credit card company’s money for every transaction until the end of the month. At the same time, you put your money in a savings account to earn interest.
Don’t use a debit card
If there is a significant data breach (and you know there will be) and that a criminal will usually get your credit card number and charged $1 million, you are protected, and your credit card company will cancel the card and send a new one in the next few days.
You will not be responsible for any purchases. If the same thing had happened and criminals had my debit card information, I could lose money on my bank account, it would be difficult and take a long time to recover everything you lost.
How to protect yourself from bank fraud?
As such, the article already shared with you things to do when someone uses your debit card without your permission. Bank fraud is quite stressful since you not only lose your money but also waste a lot of time to have everything recovered. Therefore, you should know how to resolve it and know how to protect yourself first. We hope that you can find it helpful and protect your bank account well.
