Credit card suspension and the intermediary’s duty of care

In the relationship between customer and financial intermediary, suspending or blocking a credit card must meet criteria of proportionality and good faith. The intermediary owes a qualified duty of care: it must verify the grounds for the measure and promptly inform the holder, so as to avoid unjustified prejudice to their operations.

From a civil-law standpoint, breaching these duties may give rise to contractual liability for the damage caused by the unavailability of the payment instrument. The customer should keep the communications and document the prejudice suffered; the intermediary should trace the reasons and timing of every decision.

Summary note by the CommercialistiAvvocati network, based on specialised legal and practice sources. The text does not reproduce original contributions and does not constitute professional advice.