What is Debit Card Hotlisting?

3 MIN • LAST EDITED BY SAYAN DAS ON APRIL 30, 2025.
Fi.money
Written by Sayan Das on APRIL 24, 2024.
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Table of contents
  1. What to Do if You Lose Your Debit Card?
  2. Meaning of Card Hotlisting
  3. The Multiple Ways of Hotlisting a Debit Card
  4. Hotlisting vs Freezing or Temp-blocking your Debit Card
  5. Why Hotlisting Your Debit Card Is a Good Idea (if you lose it)
  6. Conclusion
  7. Still wondering if you should get a Fi-Federal Debit Card?
  8. Frequently Asked Questions

Losing a debit card can be a stressful experience, but hotlisting it can help prevent unauthorised usage and protect your sensitive information. In this post, we'll discuss the importance of hotlisting your card, the various ways to do it, and the benefits of taking prompt action.

What to Do if You Lose Your Debit Card?

To start, contact your bank. It's also a good idea to file a report at the nearest police station and give a copy to your bank.

You have several options for reporting the theft to your bank:

  • Call PhoneBanking
  • Use NetBanking to hotlist and reissue your card
  • Use MobileBanking to hotlist and reissue your card
  • Contact your branch and they'll take care of hotlisting your card for you.

Once your card is hotlisted, the bank will block any transactions made with it. This means that no activity will be allowed from that account.

You'll receive a confirmation message once your card is blocked. Banks usually block lost Debit Cards right away.

In case you are trying to find your 16-digit Debit Card number, here's a way to find it out without the actual card in your hand .

Are you a Fi user? Here’s what you can do if you lose your Fi-Federal Debit Card

The Fi-Federal Debit Card is undoubtedly a coveted card. If you've loaded a lot of money into the account, especially for making international payments at zero forex* markups (available on select account plans), losing your Fi-Federal debit card could be risky. Once the money is transferred from your account to an international merchant, it's gone, and there's little that can be done about it.

To prevent this, follow these steps:

  1. Open your Fi app and locate the card icon in the top-right corner.
  2. Tap the icon to go to the debit card page in the Fi app.
  3. Here, you'll find an option to freeze or unfreeze your Fi card. Go ahead and freeze the card.

After you've frozen your card, you'll need to get a new one.

How to get a new Fi-Federal Debit Card?

Follow these steps:

  • Click "Request New Card" and follow the instructions to get a new card.
  • This will block all Debit Card transactions on both physical and virtual cards.
  • Your new virtual card will appear in the app immediately.

If the problem continues after you try these steps, contact Fi Money customer care through the in-app chat. 

Note: For the latest info on fees and charges regarding Debit Card, go here.

Meaning of Card Hotlisting

Losing your debit card can be a problem. If someone else gets your card, they can use it and take your money. Also, important information on your card can be lost.

To protect yourself, you need to know how to permanently block or "hotlist" your card. This will stop anyone else from using it. Unfortunately, you can't get your card back once you've lost it. Hotlisting is the only way to protect yourself. Here's how you can hotlist your debit card:

The Multiple Ways of Hotlisting a Debit Card

To prevent fraud and data loss, it's important to hotlist your debit card. Here are some convenient ways to do it:

  1. Use mobile banking to hotlist your debit card and request a replacement.
  2. Visit the bank branch and ask to have your card hotlisted.
  3. Call the toll-free or customer service number that your bank provides for urgent hotlisting requests.
  4. Some banks offer the option to hotlist your card by sending an SMS to a specific number.
  5. Most banks allow you to hotlist your card and order a new one online through netbanking.

hotlisting vs freezing or temp-blocking your debit card.

Hotlisting vs Freezing or Temp-blocking your Debit Card

Why Hotlisting Your Debit Card Is a Good Idea (if you lose it)

Hotlisting your debit card has several benefits in case your card is lost or stolen. Some of the important advantages are:

  • Stops unauthorised access: Any attempt to misuse your debit card will be blocked.
  • Minimises liability: Hotlisting your card ensures that you will not be held responsible for any fraudulent transactions made after the card is blocked.
  • Prevents personal information theft: Hotlisting your card will help keep your sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands.
  • Prompt replacement: You can order a new card quickly and resume your transactions.

Conclusion

Protecting yourself from fraudulent activities and unauthorised access is crucial. Hotlisting your debit card is an important step towards this. By taking prompt action and using convenient methods to hotlist your card, you can minimise liability and prevent personal information theft.

Still wondering if you should get a Fi-Federal Debit Card?

The Fi-Federal debit card comes with some great features! You won't have to pay Forex charges on select plans, and you can make contactless payments using the 'Tap and Pay' feature. Plus, you can set customised transaction limits from your app. The card also gives you access to special deals from top brands in food, shopping, travel, and entertainment. And like we discussed in this blog, if you’ve lost it, or even if you have trouble sticking to a budget, you can easily freeze or unfreeze your card right from the app.

*Note: Any mention of zero forex linked to the Fi-Federal Debit Card in this blog implies Zero Forex is available on select account plans.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What happens when you hotlist your card?

If you hotlist your debit card, it will be permanently blocked from any transactions. This stops anyone from using your card for unauthorised or illegal transactions.

2. How can I unblock my hotlisted ATM card?

When you hotlist a debit card, it can't be undone. But you can ask your bank for a new card.

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