When your card gets blocked, what comes to mind? Unblocking it, right? But how? How do you get your card functioning again? Many people in this situation will certainly want to contact their bank. But can they help? Can the bank unblock your card?
A bank can unblock a blocked card, provided the individual requesting for it to be unblocked is the cardholder. To unblock a card, you’ll need to visit the bank and submit documents confirming your identity.
Banks are usually the go-to solution when issues arise with our account or ATM. For instance, if your card is blocked, you may want to contact your bank to unblock it. But is that the best move? Can this financial institution unblock your card? There is only one way to find out!
What Happens if I Have a Negative Balance on My Debit Card?
Can the Bank Unblock Your Card?
Imagine this: you are in haste to withdraw money from the closest ATM, and while trying to input your pin, you enter 6 instead of 4. To add to your problems, your ATM card gets blocked, and you end up in a helpless situation.
Since ATM cards are very prone to fraud, the banking systems have created many measures to ensure that cardholders don’t lose their money. There are many reasons why cards get blocked. If yours were blocked due to an incorrect pin, unauthorized payment, or because it was stolen, you’d certainly want to unblock it after the dust has settled.
In this post, I’ll explain if a bank can help unblock your card, But before we delve into that, let’s look at why cards get blocked.
Reasons for Card Blocks:
If you don’t have sufficient money in your account, your debit card transaction will not go through, but that doesn’t mean your card has been blocked. A block is a temporary freeze of your card because your financial institution believes there is a strange activity going on with your account.
For instance, if you haven’t used your card for some time and suddenly make several purchases, your bank or credit union might put a security hold on your card. If you try to make a purchase abroad, that might result in a block.
If your account is negative and has yet to respond to several efforts from your bank to reach you, or if you have tried to make many declined transactions, your card might be frozen. A huge transaction can also give rise to a temporary block.
Accounts are also blocked if you wrongly enter a PIN several times and will often unblock after some time (for instance, 30 minutes). You might see a message that your card was blocked, followed by a note to try again later, or instructions that tell you how to unlock it (like calling a customer service number. In some situations, you might be using the old card, look at the expiry date)
Accounts are also blocked if you incorrectly enter a PIN multiple times and will often unblock after a set time (for example, 30 minutes). You might see a message that your card was blocked, accompanied by a note to try again in X minutes or days, or with instructions that tell you how to unblock it (such as calling a customer service number. In some cases, you might be using an old card – check the expiration date.
If you cannot use your debit card to initiate a transaction, it might be because you are yet to activate it. You can activate a debit card while making an in-person transaction or at an ATM, performing any transaction, including checking your balance. You can also activate a debit card by calling the activation number on the sticker that follows your card, which is also added to the letter you get with your card.
Call the Number on Your Card:
One of the first things you should do when discovering that your credit card is blocked is to contact the issuer. You’ll need to state your card number along with the information:
- Your name
- The card PIN
- The card security code
- The last four digits of your Social Security Number
- Your mailing address or phone number
The customer service rep should be able to explain why your account was blocked and what you need to do that unblock it. The process isn’t always hard. In fact, in some cases, you might need to deposit more money into your account. You might need to confirm recent charges to ensure that there has been no fraud, and your account will be unblocked ASAP.
Log Into Your Account:
Are you having issues contacting the customer service (for instance, if you find the issue after typical business hours and the company doesn’t offer 24/7 customer service), log into your online account? If you don’t have one, you’ll need to set it up so you can use the service.
After setting up your account (which takes some minutes), you should have instant access to your account. Look for a mail or message center and check for any alert the bank has tried to send you.
Check your balance to determine if it’s reading negative, and check your current transactions to see if any authorized purchases, payments, or withdrawals were initiated. If yes, submit a fraud report through the site and contact the customer service center as soon as they open the following day.
Why Is My Available Balance Negative on My Debit Card?
Can a Bank Unfreeze Your Blocked Card?
Of course, your bank can unfreeze your blocked card. You’ll need to visit the nearest bank branch to resolve the issue. In the bank, you may be required to submit a written application along with your identity proof so that the bank can take further procedures to unblock your card.
Remember that if your card were frozen as a sanction, the bank wouldn’t unfreeze your card on your request. They’ll do so when you have resolved the issue that made them block your card. For instance, if your bank blocked your card because of a debt, you’ll need to pay it before they unblock it.
