If an Absa card is lost or stolen, stopping it is the first thing to do and it runs on a dedicated 24 hour number, not the general enquiries line. If money has already gone, that is a separate fraud number, and you will usually need both.
Task scope
This covers stopping or blocking a lost, stolen or compromised Absa card, and reporting transactions you did not make. It does not cover ordinary card queries such as limits, statements or replacements, which use the general or card division numbers during business hours.
Route
- Lost or stolen cards, 24 hours: 0800 11 11 55
- From outside South Africa or as an alternative: 011 501 5050
- Fraud hotline, 24 hours: 0860 557 557 or 011 501 5089
- General enquiries: 0860 008 600 or [email protected]
Requirements
Have your identity number and account or card details ready, and note the time you called and the reference number you are given, because the time a card was reported stopped is what determines liability for transactions after that point. If you are abroad, use the international number rather than the toll free one, since 0800 numbers generally cannot be dialled from outside South Africa. Absa also allows cards to be frozen in its banking app, which is faster than a call if you have the app open and are unsure whether the card is merely misplaced.
Steps
Call the lost and stolen number immediately and confirm the card is stopped. If unauthorised transactions have already gone through, report those separately to the fraud hotline, because stopping a card does not by itself open a fraud dispute. Then check your other cards and any linked accounts, and change your online banking credentials if you think they were exposed. Keep every reference number.
Escalation
If Absa does not resolve a disputed transaction, use its Complaint Resolution Suite on 0800 41 41 41 or [email protected] and get a reference. Beyond that, a complaint about how a bank handled a fraud dispute goes to the National Financial Ombud on 0860 800 900. Report card fraud to the South African Police Service as well, since the bank dispute and the criminal case are separate processes and the ombud may ask for the case number. Absa Bank Limited, registration 1986/004794/06, has its head office at Absa Towers West, 15 Troye Street, Johannesburg, 2000.
Sources
- Absa lost and stolen card numbers, site footer: absa.co.za
- Absa contact and complaint routes: absa.co.za/talk-to-us/
Related: Absa Trust Contact Details · Absa Vehicle Finance Contact Details · Absa Vehicle Finance Payment Arrangements Contact Details