Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
FREQUENT FLYER GLOSSARY
What is a lost or stolen card?
A lost or stolen card is a payment card — credit, charge or debit — that has gone missing or been taken by someone else, and the standard response is to report it to the issuer so the card can be blocked and a replacement arranged while the account itself stays open. American Express says that for cards issued in India it will usually replace a lost card within 48 hours, wherever the cardholder is in the world. [4]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- A card number is a way into an account rather than the account itself: Chase's Ultimate Rewards agreement defines "card" as any credit card or account number used to access the account. [6]
- American Express, for cards issued in India, advertises emergency card replacement usually within 48 hours anywhere in the world, and a Zero Lost Card liability promise when fraud is reported within three days. [4]
- Points follow the card account, not the plastic: Membership Rewards points never expire until the card is closed, and Chase's Ultimate Rewards points last while the account is open but are lost if the account is closed for misuse or fraud. [4] [6]
How do you report a lost or stolen card?
Reporting is the step that turns a missing card into a blocked one. The cardholder tells the issuer what has happened, the issuer can stop the card being used and watch the account for unauthorised activity, and a replacement is set in motion. The route varies by issuer and by the market the card was issued in, so the relevant help pages are worth knowing before anything goes missing.
American Express places "How do I report a lost or stolen Card?" among the top questions on its India card site, and keeps Card Security and Replace or Track my Card as separate items in the online account menu. [4] Barclaycard's UK help centre lists Lost, stolen and damaged cards as a topic in its own right, alongside Report fraud and Emergency card replacement. [3] Both issuers therefore separate the act of reporting a missing card from the act of replacing it, even where the two steps sit next to each other in the menu.
How does card replacement work?
Replacement is the part of the process that puts a working card back in the cardholder's hands, and it matters most when the card is needed within days or while travelling.
For cards issued in India, American Express states: "If you lose your Card, we'll usually replace it within 48 hours, wherever you are in the world." [4] The wording is a usual outcome rather than a guarantee, and the account menu gives cardholders a Replace or Track my Card tool for following the request. [4]
In the United Kingdom, Barclaycard runs Emergency card replacement as a help topic distinct from its general Lost, stolen and damaged cards page, so a cardholder who needs a card quickly can go straight to the emergency route. [3] These are the published routes for cards issued in those two markets; other issuers and other markets set their own timescales and conditions for reissuing a card.
What happens to the number, saved payments and points?
The card in a wallet carries a number, and that number is what merchants, wallets and billing systems keep on file. Chase's Ultimate Rewards agreement treats the card as "any credit card or account number used to access your account", which places the credential and the account in different positions: the account keeps its balance, its transaction history and its rewards, while the number is only one way in. [6]
Anything keyed to the old number is a separate matter from the account. American Express keeps Card On File Tokenization and Manage my Standing Instructions as tools in their own right in its India online account, next to Replace or Track my Card. [4] If a replacement card arrives with a different number, then stored cards at merchants, recurring instructions and offers enrolled against that card refer to credentials that no longer match, and they are worth reviewing after the new card is activated.
Points behave differently, because they sit on the account. For cards issued in India, American Express says Membership Rewards points never expire until the card is closed. [4] Under Chase's Ink Business Preferred with Ultimate Rewards program agreement, points do not expire as long as the account is open, but the cardholder immediately loses all of them if the account status changes or the account is closed for misuse, fraud or the other reasons listed there. [6] In both sets of terms the trigger for losing points is a change in the account, not the loss of the card.
Exceptions and limits
- Three-day window for nil liability. American Express's Zero Lost Card liability protects its India cardholders against fraudulent transactions made with the card if the fraud is reported within three days, after which liability is nil; the issuer refers cardholders to its Most Important Terms & Conditions for complete details. [4]
- Reasonable care. The Online Fraud Protection Guarantee on the same India card site says that a cardholder who has taken reasonable care will not be held responsible for fraudulent charges. [4]
- "Usually" 48 hours. The 48-hour figure for American Express India cards describes the usual replacement time; 48 hours is not presented as a promise. [4]
- Closed accounts and points. Chase does not reinstate points that are lost unless it has made an error, and if an account is closed for a reason other than the listed ones, the cardholder gets at least 30 days from the closure date to use the points before they are lost. [6]
- Fraudulent charges earn nothing. Unauthorised or fraudulent charges are excluded from purchases under the same Chase agreement, so they do not earn points. [6]
Frequently asked questions
Are my points lost if my card is stolen?
On the terms above, no. American Express says Membership Rewards points never expire until the card is closed, and Chase's Ultimate Rewards points last while the account is open, so the loss of the plastic is not what ends a balance. [4] [6]
How quickly can an American Express card issued in India be replaced?
American Express says it will usually replace a lost card within 48 hours, wherever the cardholder is in the world. [4]
How long do I have to report fraud on an American Express card in India?
The Zero Lost Card liability promise applies when fraud is reported within three days, and the issuer points cardholders to its Most Important Terms & Conditions for the full conditions. [4]
Do saved card details need attention after a replacement?
If the replacement carries a different number, details stored against the old number no longer match. American Express keeps card-on-file tokenisation and standing instructions as separate tools in its India online account, alongside the tool for replacing or tracking a card. [4]
Does Barclaycard have a separate emergency replacement route?
Yes. Emergency card replacement is listed as its own help topic in the UK help centre, separate from the lost, stolen and damaged cards page. [3]
Sources
Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. Replacement and liability rules for issuers other than American Express in India and Barclaycard in the United Kingdom are not covered here; related terms are listed in the glossary.
- Barclaycard personal credit cards and help centre, checked 18 October 2026
- American Express India credit cards, card benefits and card security, checked 18 October 2026
- Chase Ink Business Preferred with Ultimate Rewards program agreement (PDF), checked 18 October 2026