Buzz
Instead of quickly canceling your credit card after misplacing it in your sister’s couch cushions (am I the only one?), Amex now allows you to freeze it temporarily, according to Consumer Affairs.
You can freeze and unfreeze your card through your online account. While frozen, your card cannot be used for any purchases, but recurring charges (like your cable or Netflix bills) will still be processed, and you may still be able to make certain online payments, as per Consumer Affairs. The freeze will automatically lift after seven days.
This is a great feature if you, for example, accidentally left your card at a restaurant, bar, or a friend’s house. It can also help prevent further fraud. 'If a cardholder notices any fraudulent charges on their statement, receives an alert for a purchase they don’t recognize, or gets a fraud notification via text or email, they can immediately lock the card to prevent more fraudulent transactions,' states CreditCards.com.
However, if you still can’t find your card after a day or so, you should cancel it and request a replacement. It may be inconvenient, but it’s not worth the risk of having your card lost out there.
Bank of America, Capital One, Discover, and Wells Fargo provide a similar 'on/off' toggle feature for their cards.
