What's Your Liability With Debit, Credit and Prepaid Cards?
Credit cards have the most-robust fraud protections. Legally, a
credit card holder is responsible for no more than $50 in
unauthorized purchases, and you'll have no liability if you
report a lost or stolen card before a thief can use it. That
said, American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa take full
responsibility for unauthorized purchases. Plus, under the Fair
Credit Billing Act, if you have a billing problem with a
merchant, a credit card issuer must investigate and resolve your
complaint, and you can withhold payment until then.  SEE ALSO:
Credit or Debit: Pick Your Plastic  Debit cards tied to checking
accounts are subject to a different set of rules. Report a
missing debit card before unauthorized charges take place and
you won't lose any money. If you report loss or theft within two
business days, you're liable for up to $50. You could lose up to
$500 if you report the problem after two days but before 60 days
have passed, and you may