According to a 2024 report by the Federal Reserve, credit cards accounted for 32% of all payment transactions between 2022 and 2023^[1], making them the most popular payment method in the U.S. However, with such widespread use and popularity comes increased risk. 

The more often you swipe, tap, or enter your card details online, the more opportunities fraudsters have to steal and exploit your information. And while it’s important to protect your cards against these threats, knowing how to check if your credit card has been hacked can help you catch fraud early and avoid unauthorized charges.

In this guide, we’ll discuss the common warning signs of a hacked credit card, how card hacking happens, and what you can do to secure your information. We’ll also explore how virtual cards provide extra protection for online purchases, helping you pay smarter and safer.

How Are Credit Cards Hacked?

Credit card fraud doesn’t always involve a stolen wallet or a fake website. In many cases, your information is obtained through subtle, hard-to-detect methods. The table below breaks down some of the most common ways card data gets compromised:

How Do You Know if Your Credit Card Has Been Hacked?

To determine whether your credit card has been hacked, you should pay close attention to the following signs of credit card fraud:

1. Unfamiliar charges
2. Purchases from unusual locations
3. Card declines or unexpected credit drops
4. Missing billing statements
5. Unexpected calls from your bank’s fraud department
6. Receiving a new credit card you didn't request

Unfamiliar Charges

One of the most evident signs of credit card schemes is charges you don't recognize or remember making. These unauthorized transactions, whether large or small, indicate that someone else may be using your card.

Fraudsters often test the stolen credit card information by making small purchases to see if the card is active. These minor charges can easily go unnoticed but serve as a precursor to larger fraudulent transactions.

Purchases From Unusual Locations

If you notice transactions from places you've never visited (especially from abroad), it could be a sign that your credit card has been hacked. Your card issuer might see it as a warning sign, too, and contact you via text, email, or phone call, in case their system flags your card activity as unusual.

Card Declines or Unexpected Credit Drops

An unexpected drop in your available credit or a declined card at checkout could be a sign that your credit card is being used without your knowledge. This may happen if a fraudster has made purchases that bring you close to or over your limit.

In some cases, your issuer may lower your credit limit or freeze your credit card altogether if unusual activity or changes in your credit behavior are detected. 

Missing Billing Statements

If your credit card statements suddenly stop arriving (by mail or email), it could be a sign that someone has gained access to your account and changed your contact information to keep you in the dark. 

Fraudsters often do this to prevent you from getting alerts and other communication from your card issuer, giving them more time to make unauthorized purchases without your knowledge. It can also serve as a stepping stone to full-blown identity theft, where criminals use your compromised account to open new ones elsewhere.

Unexpected Calls From Your Bank’s Fraud Department

Hackers often pose as your bank’s fraud department and use real account details to appear credible and gain your trust. At this stage, they usually already have your data acquired from another breach and are just one step away from bypassing card security and completing the fraud.

That’s what happened to one Toronto resident, who was contacted regarding more than $2,000 in suspicious charges^[2]. The caller correctly listed her recent transactions—likely pulled from her hacked credit card info—and convinced her to share a code sent to her phone. Believing it was for verification, she provided the code, not realizing it was a multi-factor authentication code. Within minutes, her accounts were emptied and her credit card maxed out.

A legitimate fraud department will never ask for sensitive information like one-time passcodes or full login credentials. Instead, they usually have secure procedures in place to investigate fraud without needing this data directly.

Receiving a New Credit Card You Didn't Request

Receiving a new credit card you didn’t request may indicate identity theft, as it could mean someone has used your personal information to open an account in your name or apply for new credit cards. These fraudulent accounts can then be used to make purchases, increasing your debt and damaging your credit rating.

What To Do if You Think Your Credit Card Has Been Hacked

If you notice signs that your credit card was hacked, acting quickly can help limit the financial damage. Here are a few steps you can take:

1. Block your card immediately—Most credit card issuers allow you to temporarily lock or freeze your card via their mobile app or website. For example, American Express allows you to temporarily block your card from the Account Management section in its app^[3]. This action prevents further unauthorized transactions while you assess the situation.
2. Freeze your credit report—Freezing your credit report allows you to block access to your credit file at the three major credit bureaus—Equifax^[4], Experian^[5], and TransUnion^[6]. This means that lenders and creditors can’t view your credit report, which effectively prevents anyone (including identity thieves) from opening new credit accounts in your name.
3. Change passwords and secure linked accounts—If your card was stored on websites or apps, your login credentials might also be compromised. Change passwords for your credit card account and any other accounts with the same credentials.
4. Report the fraud—Report the incident to the FTC, where you can create a personalized recovery plan^[7]. Additionally, notify your credit card issuer and consider filing a report with the local police department.

How To Prevent Your Credit Card From Getting Hacked

Taking a few proactive steps can reduce the chances of your card being compromised. Here’s what you can do to prevent your card from getting hacked:

1. Shop online with caution
2. Learn to spot skimming devices
3. Use contactless payment cards
4. Use virtual cards for extra protection

Shop Online With Caution

Shop at reputable websites with proper security features. A secure site will show a padlock icon in the address bar and begin with “https://”—the “s” stands for “secure,” indicating the site encrypts your communication with it.

Be wary of accessing stores by clicking on pop-up ads or email links, especially if they advertise deals that seem too good to be true. These are often part of phishing scams designed to trick you into entering your card or login information on fake sites.

Avoid storing your card details on websites you don’t use frequently, and instead, enter your card details manually.

Learn To Spot Skimming Devices

Skimmers can be hard to spot, but a quick inspection can help protect your card data. Here’s what to look for:

• Check the card reader—If the slot looks loose, bulky, or misaligned, it could be a fake overlay.
• Look for tampered seals—At gas stations, security stickers should be intact. If it says “VOID,” don’t use that pump.
• Inspect the keypad—If it feels thick or the buttons are hard to press, it may have a fake cover.
• Trust your instincts—Strange attachments, unexpected Bluetooth signals on your devices, or isolated machines are red flags.

Use Contactless Payment Cards

Contactless payments—like tap-to-pay cards and mobile wallets—are a safer alternative to swiping or inserting your card. These methods use encrypted, one-time-use codes to process transactions, meaning your real card number is never shared with the merchant. 

Use Virtual Cards for Extra Protection

Virtual cards create a layer of protection between your real credit card information and anyone who might try to steal it. These digital cards use randomly generated numbers, expiration dates, and CVVs that hide your real card information. So, even if the virtual card is compromised, your actual payment card details stay secure, since they’re never shared with the merchant.

Many banks like Citi and Capital One offer virtual cards, but they may lack advanced controls and some specialized features. A trusted virtual card provider like Privacy lets you generate different types of virtual cards with customizable card controls without switching banks.

Secure Your Payment Information With Privacy Virtual Cards

Privacy is a PCI-DSS-compliant, BBB^®-accredited virtual card provider trusted by more than 250,000 users across the U.S. It uses bank-grade security to protect your account and data, with features such as:

• Two-Factor authentication (2FA)—Privacy lets you choose between email, SMS, and authenticator apps for the second authentication factor.
• End-to-end encryption—All sensitive data is encrypted in transit using TLS and IPsec with AES-256, ensuring your information stays secure from end to end.
• Secure data storage—Privacy stores your data on private, single-tenant servers distributed across multiple locations. These servers have no public internet access and are protected by strict firewall policies.

Privacy also offers fraud protection, allowing you to dispute suspicious charges easily.

Privacy Card Types and Features

After linking your bank account or debit card to Privacy, you can generate multiple virtual cards for one-off or multiple uses, depending on your needs. Privacy offers three types of virtual cards:

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With Privacy, you can pause or close cards, and any further charges to them will be blocked. You can also set spending limits, and Privacy will decline any charges that exceed them. These features help protect you from overcharging, hidden fees, and unwanted charges, such as those that might occur while canceling a subscription.

Privacy Convenience Features

Privacy offers you multiple convenience features that help you manage your cards and make online payments with ease:

• Browser extension—Autofill your virtual card details instantly at checkout using the Privacy Browser Extension. Available on Firefox, Edge, Chrome, Safari, and Safari for iOS, it enables faster and more seamless online purchases.
• Mobile app—Use the Privacy App for Android or iOS to generate and use cards on the go and receive real-time alerts for charges and declines.
• 1Password integration—Keep your Privacy Cards alongside your passwords. You can generate, save, and access virtual cards directly in the 1Password browser extension.
• Card Notes—Add helpful notes to each card (like merchant names, billing dates, or renewal reminders) to stay organized and track where and how your cards are used.
• Shared Cards—Easily share virtual cards with family or trusted friends while keeping your actual payment details private.

Getting a Privacy Card

If you're a U.S. resident, 18 or older, with a checking account at a U.S. bank or credit union, you're minutes away from creating your first Privacy Virtual Card.

Getting started is simple:

1. Create your Privacy account
2. Submit your KYC information to verify your identity
3. Link a funding source, such as your debit card or bank account
4. Request and generate your first virtual card 

Privacy offers four monthly plans, each tailored to different spending habits:

References

^[1]Federal Reserve. https://www.frbservices.org/binaries/content/assets/crsocms/news/research/2024-diary-of-consumer-payment-choice.pdf, sourced April 25, 2025

^[2]People. https://people.com/woman-goes-viral-with-story-of-how-she-was-scammed-out-of-thousands-exclusive-11687180, sourced April 25, 2025

^[3]American Express. https://www.americanexpress.com/in/customer-service/faq.how-do-i-temporarily-block-my-card.html, sourced April 25, 2025

^[4]Equifax. https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-freeze/, sourced April 25, 2025

^[5]Experian. https://www.experian.com/help/credit-freeze/, sourced April 25, 2025

^[6]TransUnion. https://www.transunion.com/credit-freeze, sourced April 25, 2025

^[7]Federal Trade Commission. https://www.identitytheft.gov/, sourced April 25, 2025

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