An unauthorized debit card transaction can be an early signal that you’re the victim of debit card fraud. In 2021, The Federal Trade Commission reported nearly 69,000 cases of consumer-reported debit card fraud in the U.S.  If you notice any suspicious activity on your debit card, it’s critical you take immediate action to protect your money.

Here are four steps you should take to safeguard yourself from unauthorized debit card transactions:

1. Practice safe fraud protection.

Just like you know not to give away information such as your date of birth, social security number, and bank account numbers, this is also true for your debit card information. You should ignore anyone calling you or mailing you to “verify” your missing debit card information. These are “phishing” scams. Please send any suspicious emails to PopularNet@bpop.com. 

2. Pay attention to unauthorized transactions.

It’s very important to monitor your account activity closely and report any transactions or charges that you do not recognize.  You can check your account activity frequently with Popular Online Banking and Mobile Banking, or you can match your debit card receipts against your monthly statements. Be sure to review your monthly statements immediately for any unusual activity. 

3. Report lost debit cards ASAP.

If your Popular debit card is lost or stolen, you should notify us immediately, and we will cancel your card and issue you a new card. You should receive your new debit card within 10 business days. If you request a replacement card and don’t receive it within 10 business days, call us immediately to cancel it. 

4. Notify us of any suspicious activity immediately. 

It’s important to report unauthorized debit card transactions and lost debit cards as soon as possible to keep your possible losses down. If you see a transaction that you don’t recognize (even if it’s as small as a few cents), you should flag it as suspicious immediately. A Popular Bank representative can walk you through your transactions to confirm if they are authorized or not. As soon as Popular Bank is aware of a possible act of fraud or a compromised debit, we will send you a new debit card. We will contact you through several channels—regular mail and/or a phone call.

If you’ve spotted an unauthorized debit card transaction or lost your debit card, please contact us immediately at 1-800-377-0800. Learn more about online security and the steps you can take to protect yourself from fraud.