Here's how to activate a banned ATM card if you've recently had your card blocked. Your banned ATM card can be unblocked in a variety of ways, depending on why it was blocked in the first place.
A banned ATM card can be activated using the bank's mobile app or by contacting the customer service center. If your bank supports it, you may be able to control your card by SMS or even USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data).
Your ATM may be banned for a variety of reasons, including repeatedly entering the wrong PIN, attempting to make purchases with insufficient funds, exceeding your usable amount restriction, and more. To protect your card and the linked bank account, your bank implements security procedures. If your card does not have an EMV chip, for example, your bank is likely to block it.
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Reasons your ATM card may be blocked
Let us go over the reasons why an ATM card can be stopped, as discussed previously:
- Making a mistake with your PIN. When you input the wrong PIN for a card too many times during a transaction, banking systems are built to detect it. To avoid fraud, the bank will disable the card automatically as a security measure. Some banks will display a warning that if you input the wrong PIN more than the stipulated number of times, the card will be deactivated. This action may be temporary or permanent, depending on the bank. Your bank may also need to authenticate your identity in order to access the ATM card. Before pressing the enter key, double-check your password.
- Loss or damage to the card. The bank will instantly disable your ATM card if you report it as damaged or stolen. In the event that your lost card is found, you must reactivate it. If your bank has permanently stopped your debit or credit card, you may have to seek a new one. This is a security feature that makes your card information (card number, name, expiration date, and CVV) useless to carding scammers.
- Fraud was discovered. If your bank detects fraudulent activity linked to your account, your debit card may be deactivated until you notify them. Chargebacks are one of the signals that your bank account is being scrutinized. If you make an illegal transaction or receive money from a flagged account, your account will be flagged and deleted, preventing further transactions. Some con artists set up a bank drop, which they utilize to receive illegal payments.
- Chip is old. If you use an unsecure chip, your debit card may be deactivated by the bank, as previously stated. EMV chips are thought to be more secure and less vulnerable to ATM card skimmers. To receive a new card and remain secure, the bank accomplishes this for you.
- Card has expired. Check to see that your card hasn't expired, as you won't be able to finish purchases with an expired card. Your bank will notify you that your card has been deactivated in a few days, and you will need to apply for a new debit card.
Check Out: How to Get Money Off an Expired Debit Card
- You put a stop to it. You may have mistakenly or consciously blocked your card. You can reactivate the card in the same way you blocked it without contacting your bank's support service.
How to activate blocked ATM card
Some of the reasons your ATM may be disabled have been discussed. Now we're looking into the many methods for reactivating a blocked ATM card:
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1. Use your mobile banking app
Most banks allow you to manage numerous processes through your bank app without having to visit their physical location. It also allows you to activate and deactivate your card. v
Download your bank's app from their website or search the app store if you don't already have one. To avoid being exposed to a phished website, make sure you download the official bank app. When you go to your bank's website and click the download button for the app on that page, you will be routed to the app store for your Android or iOS device.
The methods to reactivate a blocked ATM card via your bank's app are as follows:
- Download the mobile app.
- Log into your account (sign up if you do not already have one).
- Find and click on Card Services.
- Select your card from the list (if you have multiple cards linked to the account).
- Turn on the toggle button to activate your blocked ATM card.
You may be asked to verify that you are the one making the changes, in which case enter the OTP sent to your registered email address or phone number.
You may need to contact your bank if this procedure does not unblock your blocked ATM card.
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2. Issuing bank’s customer care
To activate your banned ATM card, contact the issuing bank directly. Get the service center's helpline or email address from your bank's website and send your complaint there. Your complaint should be focused on getting your ATM card unblocked.
The service center may ask for information such your account number, date of birth, registered email address, and the last five digits of your card number to authenticate your identity.
You can also contact them through their social media accounts. Your bank will not request your bank account login information. Otherwise, this could be an example of fake bank log scamming.
3. USSD or SMS
You may be able to use the USSD platform to unblock your deactivated ATM card if your bank enables it. To enable your card, simply phone your bank's USSD code and follow the screen directions.
A few banks allow you to restrict and unblock your banking card using SMS features. Check with a person at the service center to see if you may activate your card via SMS. Of course, you'll need access to the phone number you used to open the bank account for this to work.
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Tips to protect your ATM card
Your debit card's EMV chip adds an added degree of security. However, protecting your card from fraud is insufficient.
To safeguard your ATM card from being blocked due to illicit actions, do the following:
Do not share your card information
Even your bank may not require the CVV and entire card number. The bank will usually only ask for a few digits of your card because they already have the necessary information. A scammer, on the other hand, does not have access to the data and tries to phish you for it.
Phishing is when an ATM card con artist devises a scheme to steal your personal information. A scammer is attempting to steal your card information, including the number, name, CVV, and expiration date. These details can be copied and pasted into another card.
Monitor your account transactions
Your ATM card may have been compromised if you notice transactions on your bank statement that you did not initiate. You must immediately deactivate it and change your account passwords. Before you report to your bank, you should also update your ATM card PIN.
Do not misplace your card
Your ATM card can end up in the hands of a scammer who uses it to withdraw money from your bank account even without knowing your PIN.
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FAQs
How can I unblock my ATM card by SMS?
You may not be able to unblock your ATM card through SMS with all banks. To unblock your inactive ATM card, contact your bank to see if they offer this service and text the given keyword to the specified number.
Can I unblock my bank card online?
Simply download your bank's app and modify your card settings from your account to unblock your bank card online. You can also turn off the card for services that you don't use.
Final Thoughts on How to Activate Blocked ATM Card
If your ATM card has been blocked as a result of fraud, you may not be able to unblock it until you visit the bank in person to correct the record.