People do not usually realize they have lost a credit card until they frantically search for it at a cash register. In most cases they have simply left it at home, in the car or another place where they last had it out of their wallet. When you are certain that it was not stolen, use these suggestions on where to look for a lost credit card. Chances are you will find it quickly and without having to report the problem.
Precautionary Statement
If the possibility exists that a missing credit card was stolen, cancel it immediately. Look up the customer service number online or find a recent bill. Contact customer service to report it lost or stolen. This is necessary to prevent someone else from using your line of credit. If the card ends up being used by someone else, dispute the charges with the company. After an investigation, they will likely waive the charges. In any case you will be issued a new credit card, and the old one will be cancelled immediately.
Look up the Last Purchase Made with the Lost Credit Card
When trying to locate a lost credit card, go online and look up the last purchase made using that account. This will provide a clue as to where it might be. For example, if it was last used at a local store, it might have been left on the payment shelf. Call the store to ask if it was left behind. If the lost credit card was last used to purchase something online at home, this is probably when it was removed from the wallet. Check near the home computer. Look beneath the keyboard or in back of the desk. It is very easy to forget to put something back into a wallet, especially when distracted by kids or technical issues.
Look in a Recently Used Purse or Bag
Not every credit card that is missing is actually lost. They are often misplaced. Look in a recently used purse or bag. When in a hurry they do not always make it back into the wallet or the section in the wallet where they belong. Do not simply dig through the purse or bag. Empty it out completely to look for the lost credit card. Some bags are black holes, and they seem to swallow up all sorts of things.
Carefully Check the Car
A run through a fast food drive up window can result in a seemingly lost credit card. When the receipt and credit card are handed back, the employee is typically in a hurry to get the order out and move on to the next customer. Many restaurants actually time the drive through line to monitor how speedy they are. When pressured to hurry, the customer could end up placing the credit card on the console, or it could even fall in between the seats. Check the entire vehicle. Look around the seats, on the floor and in every nook and cranny where something lost could have ultimately ended up.
These are just some of the many places to find a lost card. In addition to looking for it in the aforementioned places, check furniture cushions, cabinets and drawers. Look in every location where things are quickly tucked away. You might even find the lost card out in the open in a very obvious place.
