A few years ago, after performing at a college in Michigan, I ended up in Miami. After going through baggage claim, I relaxed on a bench with luggage at my feet.
Before I knew it, I passed out. And when I woke up, the backpack became noticeably lighter.
The thief took my laptop, wallet, even charger – and, oddly enough, left my backpack behind. I gave the police the serial number of my laptop and immediately canceled all my cards. Sigh.
Luckily, Miami Finest used my laptop’s serial number to track it down, rescue it, and arrest the thief.
But since I canceled my credit cards, my problems were just beginning.
Netflix, Amazon and a host of other services started knocking on my virtual door. I’ve probably read the phrase “There’s a problem with your payment method” two dozen times.
Shitty situations like this is why the card lock is a revelation.
And it’s not just for use against criminals. There are card locks tons everyday use that can save you a headache.
What is card blocking?
Card Lock is a feature that allows you to to freeze Your credit card without cancellation This.
This may sound like a semantic difference, but it’s actually quite a big problem for one very specific reason :card lock allows you to save your old credit card number.
Blocking instead of canceling completely changes the game.
When your card is blocked, you no longer have to worry about someone charging you for a lost or stolen credit card. With card lock enabled, the card will be rejected on every new transaction, so any possible thief will think it has been canceled and throw it in the trash.
Even if it’s just lying behind the bar, you don’t even have to go back to the bar to get it. You can order a new, identical card with the same account number, delivered as soon as possible (one that’s probably also better than your old one) and ask the bar to cut your old one.
How does blocking your credit card work?
Credit card companies want you to use card blocking because a lost or stolen card is even more of a liability for them than it is for you.
Chase pioneered card lock, introducing it in September 2018. For that, I’ll let them show you how it usually works.
In the Chase Mobile® app, all you have to do is scroll down to your card, tap it to see recent activity, and scroll down from there to see Account Services.
Then click on the big old castle on the right and Bob will become your uncle.
Card blocking does not block all deals are easy new those. This is an important difference because it means that your regular payments to utility providers, landlord, etc. will not be interrupted.
Basically, it just keeps the bad guys from shopping until you find or destroy your card.
Does card blocking work for debit cards as well?
Aha! Most debit cards have a card lock feature. You can contact your bank for details.
Are there any other times you would like to cancel your card?
Yes. Here are three cases where freezing may not be enough to save your card data:
- Your credit card information has been leaked online. If your credit card information is leaked online, thieves may try to use it multiple times before it expires. This is a good time to cut your losses and get a brand new card number.
- Your card is in the hands of a person you do not trust. Likewise, if your suspicious landlord or seedy ex still has your card details, and especially if they know you froze him, they can just wait until he UNto freeze. Time to cancel.
- You are still receiving fraudulent payments after unfreezing. This is related to points one and two, but if you unblock your card and still receive fraudulent payments, this is definitely a sign that your card information has been compromised.
More: When (if ever) should you cancel a credit card?
When do I want to block my credit card?
Card blocking is useful for more than just preventing criminal activity.
Here are five practical ways to use a card lock that will save you time, hassle and money:
When your card was stolen
As we have discussed in detail, the main use case for a card lock is to prevent new charges on a lost or stolen card.
Remember that you can always cancel a blocked card. Blocking is something you can do to protect your card. before you can understand what happened to him. If your card is blocked, you don’t have to rush to the bar to get it. And if your card still doesn’t show up, you can wait and research the situation a bit before canceling it.
When you can’t find your card but aren’t sure if it hasn’t been stolen yet
Likewise, if you can’t find your card or wallet, blocking the card from your smartphone is no problem. Even if you find it within the next 90 seconds, you will be able to unlock it instantly from your phone.
Plus, blocking your card takes a lot of the stress and urgency out of finding it – giving you a clearer head to follow your steps and find it faster!
To curb your own impulsive spending
Even if you know exactly where your card is – in your wallet on your desk – you can still block it.
This is because card blocking also prevents you from making new purchases, and this makes it a useful tool for spending prevention or budgeting.
For example, when I returned from my travels around the world in 2017, I didn’t have too much money. “That’s all – no more travelI said, buckling up. Freezing my travel credit card would be a good, practical way to keep my word.
Of course, some card issuers still allow you to shop with blocked cards from your digital wallet, but some barriers are better than none!
More: 6 ways to force yourself to save more and spend less
To disable a card when you are not actively using it
I have friends who freeze their credit by default, and only UNfreeze it when they ask for a loan. It can be a bit inconvenient when you forget it’s frozen, but it’s still a smart way to prevent identity theft.
In the same way, you can view the blocking of the card. If you have a credit card that you only use for certain expenses, like booking flights or spending abroad, you can block it for 15 seconds until you really need it.
Heck, if you have a card that you only use for current expenses, you can block it indefinitely!
Blocking expenses by the holder of the second card
Finally, if you have an authorized secondary user on your credit card, you can block them for the same reasons you would block yourself; to help them with budgeting, curbing impulsive spending, etc.
I can’t think of a better example than Jack Black, whose son spent $3,000 on a “free” app clearly designed to trick kids into spending their parents’ money.
Mr Black has become more open about predatory practices back at the end of 2018just when Chase introduced the original Card Lock.
Coincidence? Or perhaps just a good time for modern parents everywhere.
Who offers card blocking?
Here is a list of all the major card issuers that offer various card blocking options and how they label them:
- Chase card lock.
- City Fast Castle.
- Capital castle with one card.
- Wells Fargo control tower.
- Discover Freeze it®.
- American Express will freeze your card.
It is worth noting that not all card locks are made the same. The American Express freeze will automatically expire after seven days. Others will still allow new payments from digital wallets.
Therefore, be sure to study the card blocking conditions of your particular bank so that there are no surprises, unpleasant or otherwise!
Summary
As someone who has gone through the hard work of canceling multiple cards at the same time, I am very grateful that there is a card lock. It relieves you of the stress of losing your card by 90%, provides an instant level of security, and can even help you manage your finances – all with a simple switch.
