How to Block a FAB Debit Card | App, Phone & Lost Card Steps

How to Block a FAB Debit Card

If you need to block a FAB debit card because it is lost, stolen, or showing transactions you did not make, blocking it is the one action that stops the loss. There are two methods that work quickly and reliably: the FAB Mobile app, which blocks the card in seconds, and FAB’s card reporting line, which is open around the clock. This guide covers both, explains the difference between freezing a card and blocking it permanently, and sets out what happens next, because the replacement and the liability rules are the part most people do not know.

Knowing how to block a FAB debit card before you need to is the point of this page, because the two working methods take seconds each. Speed matters more than method. Whichever route is nearest to hand when you realise the card is gone is the right one, so if the app is already on your phone, start there rather than searching for a number.

Freeze or Block: Which One Do You Need?

FAB gives you two separate controls, and picking the wrong one either leaves your money exposed or cancels a card you did not need to lose. The difference comes down to whether the card is likely to come back.

Situation	Use	Why
Card mislaid at home or in the office	Freeze Card	Stops transactions temporarily and can be reversed once the card turns up.
Card lost outside, or stolen	Block and Replace	Blocks the card permanently and orders a new one in the same step.
Transactions you did not make	Block and Replace, then report	The card is compromised even if the card is in your hand.
Card damaged or not reading	Block and Replace	The card is unusable, so a replacement is the fix.
One channel worries you, such as online spending	Card controls	Disable that channel alone and keep the card working elsewhere.

If you are unsure and the card is genuinely missing, block it. A replacement is an inconvenience, an emptied account is not.

Method 1: Block a FAB Debit Card in the Mobile App

The app is the fastest route, because it takes effect immediately and needs no phone call. FAB’s own guidance names it first for lost and stolen cards.

To Freeze the Card Temporarily

1. Open FAB Mobile and sign in with your PIN or biometrics.
2. Tap the Cards tab on the home screen.
3. Select the debit card you want to stop.
4. Tap Freeze Card.

The card is blocked from that moment. Unfreeze it the same way once the card is found.

To Block a Lost Card and Order a Replacement

1. Open FAB Mobile and sign in.
2. Tap the Cards tab.
3. Tap Block and Replace.
4. Confirm the request, and the replacement card is ordered at the same time.

This is a single step rather than two, which is why it is worth knowing before you need it. The replacement is arranged by FAB and delivered to you by courier.

Method 2: Report the Card by Phone

Use the phone when you cannot reach the app, when your phone itself was taken along with the card, or when you simply want to speak to a person. The line handles lost and stolen card reports at any hour.

Have your identification and account details ready so the agent can verify you without delay. If you were alerted by SMS to a transaction you did not make, report it immediately on the same line rather than waiting to see whether more appear.

What Happens Once the Card Is Reported

This is the part worth understanding before an emergency, because it changes how urgently you should act. FAB states that you will not be held liable for any transactions on the card after it has been reported lost or stolen. The report is what draws the line, so every minute between losing the card and reporting it is a minute of exposure, and every transaction after the report is FAB’s problem rather than yours.

Once blocked, the card stops working everywhere at once. In store payments are declined, online payments fail, and ATM withdrawals are refused. Standing arrangements that bill the card, such as subscriptions, will also start failing, so update them when the new card arrives.

Getting a Replacement Card

A replacement is arranged as part of the process rather than as a separate application. If you used Block and Replace in the app, the new card is already ordered. If you reported by phone, FAB arranges the replacement and delivers it personally by courier. You can also request a card through online banking, by calling customer care, or at a branch, and there is a Debit Card Request or Replacement form available if you prefer paper.

When the new card arrives it comes inactive, so set a four digit PIN at any FAB ATM or in the Mobile app to activate it. Your account, balance, and IBAN do not change, only the card number does, which is why subscriptions and saved card details need updating.

If the Old Card Turns Up Later

Do not use it. FAB is explicit on this point: if a card is found or returned after being reported lost or stolen, destroy it by cutting across the magnetic stripe and wait for the replacement. A reported card is dead even if it looks fine, and attempting to use it will simply be declined.

Reducing the Odds of Needing This Page

Most of what protects a debit card costs nothing and takes a minute to set up.

• Keep SMS alerts on. FAB sends free alerts on purchases and withdrawals, which is how most people spot an unauthorised transaction first. If alerts stop arriving, contact the call centre, since it usually means your number is out of date.
• Use card controls. In the app you can disable in store, online, international, and ATM transactions individually. Turning off a channel you never use closes it to a thief.
• Never share your PIN or OTP. FAB staff will not ask for them, over the phone or online, and any request for them is a scam.
• Set travel alerts before you fly so a genuine overseas purchase is not mistaken for fraud.
• Run a FAB balance check regularly, and report any discrepancy to your branch within two weeks of the statement date.
• Keep your mobile number current in the app, because alerts and one time passwords go to the number FAB holds on file.

FAB Debit Card Blocking FAQs