How to Lock Discover Card and Protect Your Credit

Locking your Discover card is a simple process that can be done in just a few minutes. You can lock your card online, by phone, or through the Discover mobile app.

First, you'll need to sign in to your Discover account online or through the mobile app. From there, you'll be able to lock your card with just a few clicks.

Discover offers a feature called "Card Lock" that allows you to temporarily lock your card to prevent unauthorized transactions. This feature is available 24/7 and can be unlocked just as easily when you're ready to make a purchase.

Freezing your credit card with Discover's "Freeze It" feature gives you control over your account in case your card is lost or stolen. You can turn off the card temporarily, preventing new purchases, cash advances, and balance transfers.

You can freeze your card using the mobile app, via the web, or by calling the toll-free number, and it'll be shut down in seconds. Automatic charges will continue as scheduled, but you won't be able to make new purchases until you turn it back on.

If you try to use the card and forgot to turn it back on, you'll get a text or email alert, and you'll also be notified if someone is trying to use your frozen card number.

Discover has rolled out a new security feature called "Freeze It", which allows cardholders to temporarily turn off their credit card to prevent fraudulent transactions.

This feature is available through the mobile app, web, or by calling the toll-free number, and it can be activated in seconds. Automatic charges will continue as scheduled, but new purchases, cash advances, and balance transfers will be blocked.

Adam Levin, chairman and founder of Identity Theft 911, thinks this feature is a great idea, giving cardholders more control over their security.

If you try to use a frozen card and forget to turn it back on, you'll receive a text or email alert. This will also notify you if someone is trying to use the frozen card number.

Discover's "Freeze It" feature can save the company money by reducing the number of replacement cards it has to issue.

You can use the "Freeze It" feature strategically, such as when you're traveling or making a large purchase, to add an extra layer of security.

Here are some other ways to use the feature:

Some credit card issuers that offer credit card locks include:

If you've lost your credit card, it's essential to report it to your card issuer as soon as possible.

You can do this by calling the customer service number, which is 1-800-347-2683 for Discover Cardmembers.

Your card issuer can invalidate the missing card and may ask you to destroy any additional cards associated with the account.

You can expect to receive a new card within six business days, and there's no replacement card fee.

Credit lock, also known as a freeze or lock, is a feature that allows you to temporarily turn off your credit card to prevent fraudulent transactions.

This feature is designed to protect you in case your card is lost or stolen, enabling you to shut it down right away.

Discover was the first to offer this feature, called "Freeze It", which can be activated through the mobile app, web, or toll-free number.

With "Freeze It", you can turn off your Discover card in seconds, preventing new purchases, cash advances, and balance transfers until you turn it back on.

Automatic charges will continue as scheduled, but you'll receive a text or email alert if someone tries to use the card or if you forget to turn it back on.

Many credit card companies have since added this feature, often calling it a "lock" or "freeze."

You can initiate a lock or cancel a lock through your card issuer's mobile app or online account, essentially turning the card on or off.

Credit locks and freezes offered by credit bureaus are different, restricting access to your credit files and making it harder for a thief to open new credit accounts in your name.

These broader restrictions do not affect spending on your credit card.

You can use the "Freeze It" feature on your Discover card strategically to add an extra layer of security and control over your spending. This feature allows you to turn off your card temporarily, preventing new purchases, cash advances, and balance transfers until you turn it back on.

If your card is part of a data breach or you're already seeing fraudulent charges on your account, you can immediately shut off the card and then call the issuer. This might prevent some fraudulent charges.

You can also use the "Freeze It" feature to control impulse spending by locking all your credit cards and unlocking them each time you make a purchase. This short delay might provide a cooling-off period during which you decide against an impulse purchase.

Designating a card for use with autopay only means you can lock it because recurring charges will still go through. This is a good strategy if you use only one card regularly and want to lock all others as a precaution.

Unused or seldom-used cards can be locked as an extra measure of security, helping to prevent unauthorized use. This is especially useful if you're keeping open some credit cards because of their long history, which will help your credit scores.

If you have authorized users on your account, you can use the "Freeze It" feature to control their spending. For example, if you issued authorized user status to a child to help build their credit but don't want them to actually charge anything to the card, you can lock the card temporarily.