Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsIf money has vanished from your bank account, contact your bank or credit union promptly through its official app, website, the number on your card, or a recent statement. Ask it to investigate the missing funds, secure any exposed card or account access, and give you a case number. The deadlines and protections depend on whether the issue involves an electronic transfer, a check, or a balance change without an identifiable transaction.
What to do right away
- Contact the bank using a trusted channel. Use its official app or website, the number printed on your card, or a number on a statement. Avoid links or phone numbers in unexpected texts or emails; the CFPB advises caution with messages claiming to come from a bank or financial institution (CFPB fraud and scams guidance).
- Identify the missing money. Tell the bank the amount, date, and transaction description if you can see one. Say whether you made or authorized it, and whether a debit card, PIN, password, phone, checkbook, or account credentials may have been lost or exposed. Ask what steps will secure the account and how to submit the dispute.
- Record your report. Save the transaction screenshot or statement, the date and time you contacted the bank, how you contacted it, and the case or confirmation number. If the bank asks for written confirmation after a phone report, send it by the stated deadline and keep a copy.
- Check for other unfamiliar activity. Review recent transactions and monitor the account while the bank investigates. Report each suspicious transfer promptly; a statement-reporting deadline can affect responsibility for later transfers.
- Secure related services. If a payment app or other account may be involved, contact that provider as well as your bank and secure the service. Change exposed credentials using a trusted device and do not share passwords or verification codes with callers or texters.
The CFPB’s guidance on unauthorized transactions and missing money recommends contacting the bank or credit union to report the problem. A report does not guarantee reimbursement: the bank must assess the facts and the kind of transaction.
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First work out what kind of problem it is
An unfamiliar electronic transfer
A debit-card purchase, ATM withdrawal, recurring debit, or many online bill payments may be an electronic fund transfer (EFT) covered by Regulation E. Tell the bank you did not make or authorize the transaction, if that is accurate, and ask it to open an error investigation. The specific rules depend on the transaction and how the account was accessed.
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A fraudster-initiated peer-to-peer transfer may qualify as an unauthorized EFT if the person acted without actual authority and you received no benefit. CFPB guidance says the transfer may fit that description even if you do not have a direct relationship with, or recognize, the non-bank payment provider. Report it to your bank and contact the provider to secure the service (CFPB guidance on unauthorized EFTs involving fraudulently induced transfers).
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An unauthorized check
Contact the bank quickly if a check you did not write appears on the account. If it was processed electronically, federal EFT protections may apply; a check that was not processed electronically may instead be governed by state law. Rules can vary, so ask the bank how it classified the item. The CFPB explains this distinction in its unauthorized-check guidance.
A lower balance with no identifiable transaction
Ask the bank to review pending transactions, holds, fees, deposits, and account changes, and request the transaction history and a case number. The available balance may differ from the posted balance while items are pending, but the CFPB’s missing-money guidance does not provide a complete explanation for every balance change. Have the bank identify the specific entry or account event behind the difference.
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Deadlines that can matter for electronic transfers
These federal timing rules concern EFTs; they do not automatically apply in the same way to every missing-funds situation. Under Regulation E, liability depends on factors including the transaction type, any access device involved, and when you notified the bank. For the governing rule, see the CFPB’s current 12 CFR 1005.6.
| When to act | What the rule means |
|---|---|
| Within 2 business days after discovering a debit-card loss or theft | CFPB guidance says reporting within this period limits liability to the lesser of the unauthorized amount or $50. Waiting longer may increase potential liability, in some circumstances up to $500. The result depends on the facts and Regulation E’s conditions (CFPB guidance, reviewed August 28, 2026). |
| Within 60 days after the bank sends a statement showing an unauthorized EFT | Report the item within this period. If you notify the bank later, you may be responsible for certain later transfers if the bank establishes that timely notice could have prevented them (CFPB guidance, reviewed August 28, 2026). |
| Generally 10 business days after notice of an EFT error | This is the usual initial investigation period. For certain accounts opened less than 30 days earlier, the period is 20 business days (CFPB consumer guidance). |
| Generally 45 days, sometimes up to 90 | If the bank needs longer to resolve an EFT error, some cases—including certain foreign, newly opened-account, or debit-card point-of-sale cases—may take up to 90 days (CFPB consumer guidance). |
What happens after you report an EFT error
If the bank cannot finish its investigation within the applicable initial 10- or 20-business-day period, it generally must provisionally credit the account while it continues investigating. It may withhold an amount up to $50, and exceptions apply. For example, if you first report the problem by phone and the bank requests written confirmation, failing to provide that confirmation within 10 business days can affect the provisional-credit requirement. Ask what the bank needs and when it is due. The CFPB’s Electronic Fund Transfers FAQs describe this process.
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When the bank determines an error occurred, it generally must correct it within one business day and report its findings within three business days. If it decides a transaction was authorized after giving provisional credit, it must notify you in writing before taking that credit back. These procedures do not promise that every disputed transaction will be reimbursed; the bank’s determination matters (CFPB consumer guidance).
If you suspect identity theft
Alongside the bank dispute, take steps to limit further misuse. The CFPB recommends closing compromised accounts, reporting identity theft at IdentityTheft.gov, and placing fraud alerts or security freezes on your credit reports. Identity-theft reporting does not replace notifying the bank about the missing transaction. See the CFPB’s identity-theft guidance.
Be wary of anyone claiming to be a bank or government official who asks for your password, a verification code, or a transfer of money to “protect” it. The CFPB warns that the FTC does not threaten consumers or tell them to transfer money for protection (CFPB fraud and scams guidance).
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If the bank does not resolve the issue
Keep your case number, the transaction record, your notes about each contact, and copies of anything you sent. Ask the bank for its findings and the reason for its decision in writing. If you believe the bank has not followed the applicable process, you can submit a complaint to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. A complaint is a way to raise the issue; it does not guarantee a particular result.
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Regulation E’s liability rules are fact-specific. The CFPB’s official interpretation also states that “Negligence by the consumer cannot be used as the basis for imposing greater liability than is permissible under Regulation E” (official interpretation of 12 CFR 1005.6).
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