If you’ve lost your debit card and cancelled it, but then found it again you won’t be able to use the card again at all. There are plenty of good reasons for this.
The reason why debit cards are unable to be reactivated once they have been found is that it can be quite a common tactic for someone who has stolen a debit card to attempt to reactivate it once it has been stolen. This has also been proven to be a fairly good method to steal a person’s personal data and to impersonate the card holder in other financial transactions.
When a debit card is cancelled it is usually automatically replaced, and the replacement takes between five to 10 working days to arrive. When the replacement arrives then it is a good idea to ensure that the card is activated as otherwise it will be unable to be used either as a debit card or as an ATM card. This is to stop a card being used by a person who has stolen the envelope with the card in, something that used to be a common problem before the activation of the debit cards was brought in. If there is a new pin number for the card this will usually arrive separately by mail.
How to activate your new card
The activation of a debit card can usually be done on the bank’s website or app, although with some smaller providers this will need to be done over the phone. It may also need to be done over the phone if the debit card user is not registered to use the bank’s website for banking transactions.
Once the card is activated then it is a good idea to ensure that the card has all the regular card transactions credited to it. It is quite common for payments to be missed due to a new card being issued, and utilities can be reasonably used to this by now – however it is still a good idea to do this beforehand.
If the card is found again then it is important that the card is disposed of safely. Simply throwing away a debit card is inadvisable as if a debit card is found in rubbish then it has a number of useful details about a person that can be used to form a picture of a person’s identity and used in identity theft. The card should either be shredded or cut up and thrown away once it has been cancelled.
Lock your card instead of cancelling it
Some banks now offer a feature on their app that lets you “lock” the card. Essentially the card won’t authorise any transactions and you’ll be able to look for your card in the meantime. If you find it you can simply “unlock” the card in the app and carry on using it.
If you don’t find it, you can simply cancel the card and arrange for a new one.
Timothy
February 17, 2024I lost my wallet in Benidorm , it contained my debit card and my pre paid travel card plus my GHIC cards …I cancelled the debit and pre paid cards straight away no money has been taken from them and new cards are on there way. My question is , Can these cards benefit anybody who finds them or are they useless now…..Thankyou
Pauline Hatch
February 21, 2024Hi Timothy, if you’ve cancelled the cards with the issuer then they won’t work (anyone who tried will get a ‘declined’ notice). Well done on getting onto your lost cards quickly!
Albert Santos
December 20, 2023I cancelled my debit card by accident. I must reactivate to Christmas shop. Unable to wait on new card
admin
January 1, 2024Hi Albert, I’m sorry to hear that. I suggest giving your card issuer a call right away for your request.
Kagiso
September 15, 2023I need to unstop my card
admin
September 18, 2023Hi Kagiso, you’ve actually landed on Debitcards.com.au, one of Australia’s debit card comparison sites. I suggest contacting your card issuer right away for your request.
Mariyammuneer
June 8, 2023Good morning,
I had an ADCB Account. I canceled it 1 year ago. Can I open it again? Is it possible or not? Please send me the replay as soon as possible.
admin
June 13, 2023Hi Mariyammuneer, you’re actually on one of Australia’s debit card comparison sites, Debitcards.com.au. Please reach out to your bank directly for assistance.
James usry
May 21, 2023How can I transfer money from my canceled pay pal card to my cash app
admin
May 23, 2023Hi James, you’re actually on Debitcards.com.au, one of Australia’s debit card comparison site. Anyhow, I suggest reaching out to PayPal directly at 1800 054 378 for assistance in transferring the funds from your cancelled PayPal card to your cash app.
blessing
March 24, 2023I what to uncanceled my card
admin
March 24, 2023Hi Blessing, you’ve landed on Debitcards.com.au, a debit card comparison site. I strongly suggest giving your debit card issuer a call right away for your request.
Frank
February 1, 2023I cancelled my credit card , and received a new one. An Insurance company used my cancelled card for debits. is this legal?
admin
February 2, 2023Hi Frank, sorry to hear that. If a direct debit was set up on your old credit card, you usually need to contact your service provider to stop the recurring payments. If you still owe money for a service, you’ll need to speak with them to arrange an alternative payment method. It’s best to consult a legal expert who can advise you accordingly in sorting out this matter.
Muhammad Zulqarnain
December 26, 2022I block my ATM Card And Now I unblock again
admin
January 3, 2023Hi Muhammad, I suggest reaching out to your card issuer directly for assistance.
gemelle down
July 21, 2020can I un cancel my visa debit plus card
admin
July 27, 2020Hi Gemelle, once an account is closed. There can be a certain grace period for some banks. Though you will need to contact your bank directly. It is likely that you will need to apply again. Though all debit card applications are approved. As long as you can verify your income and are in good standing with the bank you are applying.