How do I block an online transaction?

How do I stop a dodgy online transaction? Ugh, that feeling, right? Like your stomach just dropped. I remember once, I saw a charge for, like, fifty bucks from some place called “ExoticSeashellsRUs” – I’d never heard of it! Seriously, what kind of name is that?

Anyway, the thing is, you can’t usually just, like, block a specific website or shop, can you? That would be amazing, wouldn’t it? But you can call your bank straight away. That’s the crucial thing. They’re your first line of defense. They might be able to block transactions from that kind of business – I think they call it a merchant category code or something, which sounds way too official for a simple problem, haha. Or, and this is the best-case scenario, they can just cancel your card and send you a new one. That’s what they did for me, with the seashell debacle. It was a bit of a hassle, getting a new card and all, but at least my money was safe.

It’s super frustrating, I know. You feel violated, like someone snuck into your account and helped themselves! But honestly, banks are generally pretty good at dealing with this stuff. Just be prepared to give them all the details – the date, the amount, maybe even a screenshot if you have one. And yeah, you might have to answer a few questions, maybe even repeat yourself a couple times… it’s annoying, but it’s part of the process. Trust me, it’s better than letting those sneaky transactions go through!