What to do if your bank account is locked

It can be scary and frustrating to discover that your bank account has been frozen – here's what to do if your bank account gets locked.

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By

Sarah Megginson

Edited by

Joelle Grubb

Updated

Fact checked
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Key takeaways

  • Contact your bank immediately by phone or branch to verify your identity and unlock access.
  • Before travelling, inform your bank and enable two-factor authentication to avoid account freezes.
  • Suspicious activity or multiple incorrect PINs frequently cause locks; remain vigilant against scams.
Your bank account might be frozen if you've entered your password incorrectly a few times, or if your account has been accessed by hackers or scammers. When fraud or theft is involved, most people first realise there's an issue when they can't log on to their internet banking website or app.

In the modern world of online banking, mobile payments and cryptocurrency, banks need to be more vigilant than ever to protect their customers against fraud. Phishing, email scams, online hacking and identity theft remain a constant risk, which is why banks have a number of systems in place to monitor customer accounts for suspicious activity.

A flag for banks might be:

  • a rarely-used credit card all of a sudden being used to make a purchase.
  • your Australian credit or debit card being used, without warning, to make purchases overseas.
  • the password being entered incorrectly 3 to 5 times or more, as this could indicate that an unauthorised person is trying to access your bank account.

Finder survey: For what reasons do Australians report having their bank account locked?

Response
I have not had my account locked59.56%
Suspicious activity19.02%
Lost/stolen card16.14%
Incorrect PIN entries15.14%
Device changes5.58%
Phishing attempts4.88%
Other2.19%
Source: Finder survey by Pure Profile of 1004 Australians, December 2023

How to unlock your bank account from within Australia

  1. Contact your bank as soon as possible to report the issue and request a reset of your password. You can call them or visit a branch. They will need to verify your identity, so if you visit a branch, bring photo ID.
  2. If it is out of your bank's normal business hours, contact their emergency assistance or help line. This line is staffed by people who can help you with next steps if your account has been locked because of a security issue or suspected fraud.
  3. If the bank thinks there is suspicious activity on your account, contact your credit card providers immediately to cancel your cards. If they may have access to your savings account, ask your bank what your options are to protect your savings.

How to unlock your bank account if you're overseas

If you're overseas, follow the same steps as above, but note you can also make a reverse charges call to find out what is going on and regain access to your account. The emergency contact details of some of Australia’s “Big Four” banks are listed below:

Contact numbers for top 4 Australian banks

BankPhone numberWorking hours
Commonwealth Bank+61 2 9999 328324 hours a day, 7 days a week
Westpac+61 2 9155 774424 hours a day, 7 days a week
ANZ+61 3 9683 999924 hours a day, 7 days a week
NAB+61 3 8641 912124 hours a day, 7 days a week

How to avoid your bank account being frozen

Because prevention is better than a cure, here's how to avoid having your account locked in the first place. You can also compare a range of travel debit cards in this guide that are convenient options for accessing your money overseas.

  • Tell your bank before you go overseas. Through Internet or mobile banking, you can tell your financial institution that you're planning to go overseas and the dates you're away. This lets the bank know that any overseas transactions are likely to be legitimate, but also allows them to keep an eye on other suspicious activity that may come as a result of using your card abroad.
  • Be aware of scams. Watch out for any scams that may end up in fraudulent activity on your account. While banks have processes in place to spot any suspicious activity, it is always important to be vigilant and cautious. Don't click on unknown links, don't share your card details with unknown callers and don't download suspicious attachments.
  • Protect your PIN. Never share your PIN with anyone and be careful when you're typing in your PIN at an ATM machine. Card skimming is another way fraudsters can access your account and if your bank catches on, it may freeze your account.
  • Set up 2-factor authentication. Whereever possible, adding 2-factor authentication or any additional security measures offered by your bank so you have the peace of mind of an extra level of security.

Using your bank account overseas

One cause for accounts being frozen is when consumers use their cards overseas without telling their financial institution they are travelling. You can contact your bank immediately so it can resolve the issue and unfreeze your account, but it's worth letting them know you're travelling overseas before you go to avoid any issues.

Overseas money tips

Consider a travel money card. Loading up a travel money card with foreign currency before you go allows you to take advantage of the best exchange rate and avoid unnecessary fees. It also means if something does happen to your bank account, you can still access these funds.

Get travel insurance. Comprehensive travel insurance can provide protection against lost or stolen credit cards and the theft of cash, including cover for credit card fraud.

Use cash and cards. Make sure to take a combination of cash and cards with you so you can pay for all your purchases.

Lock it or block it. If you're worried about falling victim to thieves or fraudsters while overseas, you can contact your bank before you go to lock or block your credit card, or perhaps lower your transaction limit.

Compare travel debit cards

To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Joelle Grubb as part of our fact-checking process.
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Sarah is the author of How to Raise Rich Kids. With over 20 years of experience in property, finance and investment journalism, she is a trusted expert whose insights regularly appear across television, radio and print media, including Sunrise, Channel 7 News, Bloomberg and Yahoo! Finance. She has previously served as managing editor for Your Investment Property and Australian Broker. Her expert advice has been shared in the media over 4,000 times. Sarah holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and a Tier 1 Generic Knowledge certification, which complies with ASIC standards. See full bio

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20 Responses

    Vlado's avatar
    VladoApril 17, 2023

    dear sir/madam my netban is locked kan you pleasa unlocked as i,m tempoarli overseas and i needed account thank you

      Sarah Megginson's headshotFinder
      SarahApril 18, 2023Finder

      Hi Vlado,

      We are a comparison site, we’re not directly affiliated with any bank or lender.

      You’ll need to contact your bank directly to regain access to your account.

    Ian simpson's avatar
    IanMarch 16, 2023

    My commbank was locked because the bank noticed some suspicious activities, after some hours my brother send money to the account without notifying me, please can the money be reversed to my brother?

      Sarah Megginson's headshotFinder
      SarahMarch 17, 2023Finder

      Hi Ian,

      You’ll need to contact CommBank directly to resolve this – you can reach them on 13 2221.

      Hope this helps!

    Marcelle Mcdonnell's avatar
    MarcelleMarch 5, 2023

    My bank account with Pen Financial has been blocked off in Dunnville Ontario because l tried login 3 times . Very important that l pay my rent tomorrow the latest . Can’t use any other accounts, or credit cards all maxed . I only pay by e transfer bank charged to much for new cheques. How do l unblocked my account and put in new PCA thank you.

      Sarah Megginson's headshotFinder
      SarahMarch 5, 2023Finder

      Hi Marcelle,

      You’ll need to contact your bank directly. On their website they suggest:
      To reset your Online Banking you need to visit a branch or call our Contact Centre at 1-866-866-6641.

      Hope this helps.

    James's avatar
    JamesNovember 3, 2022

    Hi I was outside of Australia for 4 months and just after 3months my ANZ account got locked I came back and Paid 1000 dollars as fee for the account to be unlocked and I have already called the office but the reply I get is my paper Is in process its been more then 2 months now and still waiting for my account to be unlocked.
    How long does it take for the account to get unlocked.

      Alison Banney's headshotFinder
      AlisonNovember 11, 2022Finder

      Hi James,

      I’m sorry to hear that your ANZ access hasn’t been fixed yet. The time frame for having it unlocked isn’t specified. It would be best to follow it up with ANZ so they can advise you of their guidelines. You can call them on 13 13 14.

      Thanks,
      Alison

    Kay's avatar
    KayAugust 28, 2018

    I met this guy a few weeks ago online and he is currently to be in Dubai. He had taken large containers with him from his business, stating to me he had paid all fees and taxes upfront. He informed me that he owes an additional$30,000.00 but his off sure bank has locked his account and is preventing him from transferring money from his account. Who can I report him to if this is suspicious

      Joshua's avatarFinder
      JoshuaAugust 29, 2018Finder

      Hi Kay,

      Thanks for getting in touch with Finder. I hope all is well with you. :)

      It would be a good idea to be cautious when dealing with people on the internet. If you want to report an online scam or suspicious online activities, you may want to get in touch with ACCC, Australian Federal Police, or to the Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network.

      I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out again.

      Have a wonderful day!

      Cheers,
      Joshua

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