#98 Asking About Trekking Trails｜French Travel Phrases
Izumi French Garden
#168 Requesting a Card Block from a Bank｜French Everyday Life Phrases
Izumi
When staying abroad, if you lose your credit card or debit card, or if you suspect fraudulent use, it is essential to contact your bank as soon as possible and have the card blocked.
When explaining the situation in French, it is important to describe the issue clearly and concisely, and to respond calmly during the identity verification process.
In this section, I will explain in detail the French expressions used when requesting a card block, assuming situations such as a phone call or an in-person visit to a bank.
Contents
Dialogue
Je vous appelle parce que j’ai perdu ma carte bancaire.
（I am calling because I have lost my bank card.）
Je suis désolé de l’apprendre. Souhaitez-vous faire opposition sur la carte ?
（I’m sorry to hear that. Would you like to block the card?）
Oui, s’il vous plaît. Je préfère la bloquer immédiatement.
（Yes, please. I would prefer to block it immediately.）
D’accord. Pourriez-vous me confirmer votre identité ?
（All right. Could you please confirm your identity?）
Mon nom est Tanaka, né le 12 mars 1995.
（My name is Tanaka. I was born on March 12, 1995.）
Merci. La carte est maintenant bloquée. Avez-vous remarqué des transactions suspectes ?
（Thank you. The card has now been blocked. Have you noticed any suspicious transactions?）
Non, pas encore.
（No, not yet.）
Nous pouvons également commander une nouvelle carte si vous le souhaitez.
（We can also arrange a new card if you wish.）
Oui, je souhaiterais en recevoir une nouvelle.
（Yes, I would like to receive a new one.）
1. Explaining the Situation Clearly
When contacting a bank, the first step is to explain your situation. There is no need to give a long explanation; it is sufficient to clearly state why you are calling or visiting.
Example
- Je vous appelle parce que j’ai perdu ma carte bancaire.
（I am calling because I have lost my bank card.）
The expression “je vous appelle parce que …” means “I am calling because …” and is frequently used when speaking with banks, insurance companies, or customer support services.
Related Expressions
- On m’a volé ma carte bancaire.
（My bank card was stolen.） - J’ai remarqué une utilisation suspecte de ma carte.
（I noticed suspicious use of my card.）
These phrases allow you to communicate the situation quickly and clearly.
2. Requesting the Card to Be Blocked
The next key step is requesting that the card be blocked. At this stage, it is important to state your intention clearly and without hesitation.
Example
- Souhaitez-vous faire opposition sur la carte ?
（Would you like to place a block on the card?）
The expression “faire opposition” is a fixed banking term meaning to officially block a card. It is rarely used in everyday conversation, but is standard in formal banking procedures.
Example
- Je préfère la bloquer immédiatement.
（I would prefer to block it immediately.）
Here, “bloquer” means “to block” or “to disable,” and “immédiatement” means “immediately,” emphasizing urgency.
3. Responding to Identity Verification
During the card-blocking process, identity verification is always required. This is a mandatory security step, so I recommend answering calmly and clearly.
Example
- Pourriez-vous me confirmer votre identité ?
（Could you please confirm your identity?）
You are typically asked for information such as:
Points
- nom → full name
- date de naissance→ date of birth
- adresse→ address
- numéro de compte→ account number
When responding, focus on giving only the necessary facts in a concise manner.
Example
- Mon nom est Tanaka, né le 12 mars 1995.
（My name is Tanaka. I was born on March 12, 1995.）
4. Confirming Whether There Has Been Fraudulent Use
When requesting a card block, bank staff may also ask whether you have noticed any suspicious activity.
Example
- Avez-vous remarqué des transactions suspectes ?
（Have you noticed any suspicious transactions?）
The word “transaction” refers to a payment or card use, and “suspecte” means “suspicious.”
If no fraudulent activity has been confirmed, replying with “Non, pas encore.” (No, not yet.) is sufficient.
If you have noticed something unusual, you should say so honestly:
Example
- Oui, il y a une transaction que je ne reconnais pas.
（Yes, there is a transaction that I do not recognize.）
5. Requesting a Replacement Card
After the card has been blocked, the bank will usually offer to issue a replacement card.
Example
- Nous pouvons également commander une nouvelle carte si vous le souhaitez.
（We can also arrange a new card if you wish.）
This sentence politely presents an option using “Nous pouvons …” while respecting the customer’s choice with “si vous le souhaitez” (if you wish).
To accept the offer, you can say:
Example
- Oui, je souhaiterais en recevoir une nouvelle.
（Yes, I would like to receive a new one.）
The conditional form “je souhaiterais …” conveys a polite request appropriate for banks and public institutions.
The pronoun “en” refers back to “une nouvelle carte” (a new card), avoiding unnecessary repetition.
Summary
Key French Phrases
- J’ai perdu ma carte bancaire / On m’a volé ma carte.
→ Used to briefly explain card loss or theft. - Faire opposition / bloquer la carte
→ Essential banking expressions meaning to block a card. - Pourriez-vous me confirmer votre identité ?
→ A standard phrase for identity verification. - Transaction suspecte
→ Key vocabulary for describing fraudulent use. - Je souhaiterais recevoir une nouvelle carte.
→ A polite way to request a replacement card.
