Why the bank can block the card

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

A life hacker understands in which situations there is nothing to be afraid of, and in which card blocking threatens with a fine.

Rumors regularly appear on the Web that banks will begin to block cards for any transfers, deduct taxes from all receipts and transfer absolutely all account data to the tax office. We found out what is true from this, what is fiction and how to avoid sudden blockages.

For which they can block the card or issue a fine

Suspicious operation

From September 26, 2018, banks may, under Federal Law No. 167-FZ of June 27, 2018, temporarily block cards and suspend operations if they think that fraudsters have taken possession of your card. The reason for this is unusual behavior, such as several cash withdrawals in a row or sudden large purchases, although you usually spend money on utilities and groceries. In case of suspicion, the bank acts as follows:

• Blocks the operation and the card.
• Attempts to contact the cardholder by phone.
• If the owner answers and confirms the operation, it is carried out, and the card is unblocked.
• If the owner does not answer, the card remains blocked for two days, not counting the day of the transaction. During these two days, they are trying to contact the owner. When two days have passed, the card is automatically unlocked, and the operation is completed.

Usually, such locks do not cause problems - it is enough to confirm the payment. You don't even have to wait for a call from the bank, but immediately contact the hotline, whose specialist will help you settle the issue.

Invalid PIN code

If you enter the PIN code incorrectly three times, the card will be blocked for a day. Make sure you have the card with you and just wait for it to be unlocked. The process can be accelerated by calling the hotline - then you don't have to wait 24 hours.

Suspicious comments in the destination of the transfer

Regular transfers from an individual to an individual marked "for work" or "for an apartment" can alert the bank. Even if the card is not blocked immediately, the information will be transferred to the tax office, and it will begin proceedings.

It's generally better not to joke with the "Purpose of translation" field.

Do not write there "Your share of the bank robbery" or any other indications of violation of the law - the card will be blocked and may transfer information about it to the police. It is better to leave the field blank or be limited to comments of the "Gift" type.

Online shopping

The bank can block the card if it thinks that you are trying to spend more than usual in the online store or that the site on which you pay is phishing, that is, it does not sell anything, but simply collects card data and steals money. The bank's suspicions are not always justified: sometimes the card can be blocked “just in case” even for a purchase in the official brand store.

This kind of blocking is not dangerous: it helps to save your money. If the card is blocked, proceed as follows:

• Make sure that the site is not phishing: check the address (for example, example.ru, not exaample.ru), look for information about the legal entity, read reviews on the Internet.
• If the site is still a phishing site, and you entered the card details, then call the bank, block the card and order a reissue of it - this way scammers will not be able to access your money.
• If the site is not fishing, call the bank and ask to unblock the card. This usually takes less than an hour.

Shopping abroad

If you always pay by bank transfer in Moscow and suddenly try to withdraw money in Thailand, the bank is alarmed: suddenly, it is not you, but foreign fraudsters who perform the operation. In this case, the card will be immediately blocked, and sometimes even a call to the bank does not help to unblock it - you need to come to the branch in person. In the worst case, you can be left with no money at all abroad.

In order not to get into such a situation, you need to warn the bank about trips in advance.

Sometimes this can be done in your personal account or mobile application in a special section about the trip - there you need to specify the country and dates, then the card will not be blocked. If there is no such section in your personal account, you need to call the hotline and inform the operator about the trip.

Income from which you do not pay taxes

If you provide services, sell things or rent out an apartment, you must pay taxes. If you do not do this and the tax office suddenly finds out about it, the card may be blocked, and you will be forced to pay the Tax Code of the Russian Federation Article 108: 13% of income and 20% of this amount as a fine of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation Article 122. If the crime is intentional, you will have to pay 40% (usually the first tax evasion is considered unintentional, and all the rest are considered intentional).

The tax office does not have access to all accounts at any time. Banks do not report to her about all receipts to the accounts of all customers. However, the tax office may be interested in you if:

• You make expensive purchases, but you have no official income.
• The bank sees that every week or month you receive amounts of 50-100 thousand rubles to a regular account of an individual. He can block the card and transfer the data to the tax office to make sure that you are not a fraud.
• Someone will complain about you. For example, neighbors will tell the tax office that you are renting out an apartment.

In this case, the tax authorities will begin to understand, and if they convict you of a crime, they will make you pay the tax and the fine.

Debts

If you have utility bills, loans, or a court order, your card may be arrested. It will work, but all the incoming money will be written off almost immediately to pay off the debt. In this case, you can turn to the bailiffs so that only 50% is deducted from the card, but you can completely remove the arrest only by paying everything to the end.

Suspected violation of the law and fraud

This can happen, for example, if 50 thousand falls on your card and you immediately go to remove all of them. Or if you regularly withdraw money from the account of a legal entity. There is no clear list of such operations - banks track them according to their algorithms. But such locks are not dangerous if you do not break the law. Just call technical support, explain your actions, and the card will be unblocked. If the bank has more serious suspicions, you will have to come to the office and show the documents on the basis of which you receive money. For example, contracts for the provision of services, receipts and checks, IOUs.

It is more difficult if you are really fraudulent, for example, cash out: every week or month, you receive and withdraw large amounts. In this case, the bank can block the card forever and even go to the tax office or court. But if you do not break the law, there is no need to be afraid of such a situation.

For which the card will definitely not be blocked

Simple translations

If a friend sent you a thousand rubles for gasoline for a joint trip, you will not be forced to pay tax, and the card will not be blocked. Tax is levied only on the income of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation Chapter 23, and transfers from friends and relatives are not income.

The bank does not have the authority of the RF Tax Code Article 86 to simply deduct taxes from your money. The tax office does this, but it does not control every transfer.

To fine someone, the tax authorities need to suspect the person of receiving income, prove it and make sure that he is really breaking the law.

Where did the rumor come from then that the card could be blocked for a regular transfer? The reason was real changes to the Federal Law "On Amendments to Parts One and Two of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation" dated November 27, 2017 No. 343-FZ in the Tax Code: from June 1, 2018, banks are required to transmit tax information on metal accounts, although they could not to do. But these innovations do not apply to ordinary ruble and foreign currency accounts, so you should not be afraid of every penny transfer.

An attempt to withdraw money from an ATM of another bank

The only thing that threatens you for withdrawing money from someone else's ATM is a commission. There are no other restrictions and prohibitions here.

Withdrawing money from third-party ATMs is fraught with other risks. For example, the device can pick up the card even if you entered the PIN incorrectly once. After that, you will have to order a reissue, since the card will not be returned to you. However, this problem has nothing to do with blocking.

Present

If a relative or friend transfers you even 50 thousand with the comment "Gift", most likely, such a transfer will not be blocked. However, if such "gifts" are regular, the bank will definitely be on the alert.

In this case, the card may be blocked, but temporarily. To rectify the situation, you just need to call the bank and clarify the issue.

Small regular translations

In fact, cards are usually not blocked even for regular payments. For example, if a friend pays you to sit with her child, the bank and tax authorities are unlikely to pay attention to this. In any case, the card will not be blocked just like that - this can only happen after questions from the tax authorities. If the authority starts the proceedings, it will be obliged to notify you about this in an official letter.

How to avoid blocking and fines

• Do not joke with the "Purpose of transfer" field, fill it in honestly or leave it blank altogether.
• Do not try to pay by card for goods in an unreliable online store. Check the reviews, look for the legal entity data on the website.
• Warn the bank about traveling abroad.
• Pay taxes on income, for example, renting an apartment.
• Apply for an individual entrepreneur or become self-employed if you regularly provide some services or sell something. This will help avoid tax problems.
• Pay on time for loans and utilities.
• Do not use your card in fraudulent schemes. Do not give your card and data about it to anyone.

What to do if the card is still blocked

The very first thing you should do is call the bank. Prepare your passport in advance and remember the code word - the operator can ask them. It is better to call from the number linked to the card.

By phone, a bank employee will give all the necessary instructions. In most cases, you just need to confirm the operation and the card will be unblocked. In more difficult situations, you will need to come to the bank with documents and show that you are not breaking the law. If there are serious suspicions from the tax office, you will have to go there again to prove your innocence.

In difficult cases, unlocking can take a long time, so it is better to have a reserve of cash and keep money on several cards - all at once are unlikely to be blocked.