All major banks in Singapore offer digital services which you can make use of to safeguard your debit card. Use your bank of choice’s online services to block your card as soon as possible and then request for a replacement card.

For DBS/POSB members, this would be digibank mobile. Tap on “More”, then select “Replace/Block Card” under “Manage Cards & Loans”. Select “My Card is Lost” and proceed with selecting the card you wish to block. Tap “Block Now” to confirm your request.

For OCBC members, log in to your OCBC app. Tap on the “More” icon and navigate to “Card Services”. Tap “Report lost card”. Select the card you have lost and tap “Permanently suspend it” to cancel your card.

For UOB members, launch your UOB TMRW app. Go to “Services”, then navigate to “Temporarily freeze card use” under “Card security”, and tap “OK”. After this, you can take steps to permanently block your card and ask for a replacement via the “Report lost or stolen card” option under “Card Security”.

At this point, you may be breathing a huge sigh of relief after canceling or blocking your card. But you should still check your bank statement or your card’s transaction history online, for any unexpected charges.

Even though your card can no longer be used, fraudulent charges may have cropped up before your card was lost or stolen. This will help if you need to submit a dispute, since most banks require cardholders to submit their report within 14 days of the statement date.

Do you have existing GIRO arrangements, perhaps for recurring fees or crediting your salary? Check with your bank whether you can transfer existing GIRO arrangements with your lost or stolen card. While some banks can transfer arrangements seamlessly, others may require you to submit a new application.

Do you have recurring bill arrangements associated with your debit card? Remember to update them once you have your replacement card, so you don’t accidentally miss out on payments for utility bills, streaming services, insurance premiums and anything else you may be subscribed to.

Taking steps to protect your bank account is more important than ever, with the rise in scams in Singapore. 

• In 2021-2023 alone, Singapore citizens and residents lost $2.1M to credit card fraud. An average of 790 cases were reported yearly during those 3 years. Some banks have implemented the 3-D Secure (3DS) protocol for online credit card transactions, while others are using real-time transaction monitoring systems for enhanced consumer protection.

• Banks are implementing tightened security measures for mobile wallets by July 2025, due to a rise in card phishing scams. Thanks to fraud surveillance measures, a whopping $53.9M in losses was prevented in the last quarter of 2024 alone.

• Some Singapore debit and credit cardholders were forced to cancel their cards due to a spate of Bank Identification Number (BIN) attacks in 2024, which let scammers get hold of their cards for unauthorised ChatGPT transactions.

Set transaction alerts for payments as low as $0.01. This will ensure you are alerted for every transaction made using your card(s). This is a free service provided by all banks that alerts you via SMS whenever a transaction of, or above a certain amount has been made.

Keep your devices up to date. Do you exclusively use mobile banking? Or do you also do internet banking on your PC or MacBook? Whatever the case, be sure to update your phone’s Operating System (OS) to the latest version and be diligent about MacOS or Windows Updates, whichever applies in your case. This will ensure that you always have the latest security patches, which will harden your device against any attack exploiting known vulnerabilities.

Make it a habit to check your bank statements or transaction history online regularly for any suspicious activity. This will give you ample time to alert your bank and cancel your card if needed.

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