Debit card fraud

How debit card fraud happens

Debit card fraud happens when someone steals or uses your debit card or debit card information without your permission.

Your information or your card is used to:

A person might steal your debit card information by:

Protect yourself from debit card fraud

Debit cards issued by financial institutions have a computer chip that makes transactions more secure. The computer chip works with your PIN to make sure you give permission for each transaction. This helps protect you against fraud if someone steals your debit card.

There are also certain actions you may take to protect yourself from debit card fraud. Follow these tips to protect your debit card and your personal and banking information.

Keep your PIN safe

Choose a PIN that is hard to guess. For example, avoid using your birthday, Social Insurance Number (SIN), address or telephone number as your PIN.

Be sure to keep your PIN safe:

Some financial institutions offer the ability to pay with a mobile device, such as a smartphone or tablet. Even with this payment method, you must always keep your PIN safe.

Contact your financial institution and change your PIN immediately if you suspect someone knows it.

If you share your PIN with someone, you may be responsible for transactions you haven’t made or approved.

Learn how to protect yourself from unauthorized mobile payments.

Reduce your daily limit

A daily limit is the amount of money you may spend or withdraw from your account each day. It applies to ATMs and to online and in-store transactions. This limit also applies to debit cards that have a contactless feature. Someone who finds or steals your debit card may access this amount.

Contact your financial institution if you think your limit is too high. You may also ask them to disable the contactless feature on your debit card.

Protect your debit card and your debit card information

To better protect yourself from debit card fraud:

You may use a mobile device to do your banking from an app or an online banking site. If you lose this device let your financial institution know right away. You should also contact your mobile service provider so they can block your account.

If you're a victim of debit card fraud

If you think you’re a victim of debit card fraud, contact your financial institution immediately. Take note of whom you talked to and when you spoke to them.

You may then proceed as follows:

  1. write down what happened and how you first noticed the fraud
  2. keep all documents that you think might be helpful when the police investigate the fraud
  3. contact your local police service to file a complaint
  4. if you believe a company, for example, your telephone company, has been hacked, contact them
  5. continue to check your bank account statements to make sure there are no additional fraudulent charges

Report the fraud to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre

The Canadian Anti-fraud Centre is Canada's central repository for information about fraud.

Contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

Related links

Page details

Date modified: