When you freeze your credit card it is done through your credit card issuer and is not related in any way to freezing your credit with the three major credit bureaus.

Consumers may freeze their credit card to prevent fraud or to stop themselves from spending. The provider may also freeze the card under certain circumstances.

One reason you might place a freeze is if you have misplaced your card, you can freeze it temporarily while you search.

If you cannot find the card or believe it was lost or stolen, you should contact your credit card provider immediately to cancel the card and get a replacement.

Most credit card companies allow you to freeze your card by phone, online or through their mobile app. Freezing can also be called locking by some companies so look for either of those terms when placing a freeze.

When the card is locked it generally prevents any new charges from taking place, however recurring payments and certain other transactions like credits to your account, refunds from returns, interest charges, fees and dispute adjustments will continue to be processed. You will still be responsible for making payments. To find out exactly what transactions will continue if you freeze your card contact your credit card provider.

Another reason you might freeze your credit card is to stop yourself from spending, without easy access to the card you may be less tempted to make a purchase. You could do this while you are paying off debt, so you don’t spend anymore until you have reached that goal.

Some lenders will allow customers to freeze specific types of payments, for example online payments, foreign transactions, contactless payments, and cash withdrawals. This can be useful if you are worried about those types of expenditures.

The provider may freeze the card themselves if they notice potentially fraudulent activity or if you have failed to make payments.

Once your card has been frozen you will need to contact the provider to remove the freeze. If you have frozen the card yourself, they will process your request. If the provider froze the card, the length of time before it is unfrozen depends on the circumstances that lead to the freeze. You would need to contact the provider for details.