The situation with the blocking of Oschadbank cards has caused great concern among some pensioners due to the lack of a clear and understandable explanation as to why access to the account has suddenly become difficult. Additional tension was created by the fact that the problem affected cards whose validity period had already been extended several times during martial law, so for many this decision seems unexpected. The Pension Fund’s public explanation provides an answer as to why some of these cards were blocked or closed.
What the Pension Fund explained
The Pension Fund reported that some pensioners faced temporary restrictions on access to Oschadbank cards, but this was not about the cancellation of pension payments, but the blocking or closing of individual card instruments within the framework of the bank’s internal procedures. The focus was on cards for which the bank had to check the relevance of the client’s data, the history of using the account, or the compliance of transactions with security requirements.
As explained by the PFU, most often restrictions arise in cases where the client has not been identified for a long time, has not updated documents, or the system has recorded transactions that required additional verification. Under this procedure, the bank temporarily restricts access to the account until the cardholder confirms his identity and provides the necessary data.
According to the bank, for most customers, the validity period of Oschadbank payment cards was extended until June 30, 2026, but some of them were automatically closed. This applies to old cards, the validity of which was extended several times during martial law without reissuance.
Two categories of cards were blocked. The first category includes cards that expired between February 2022 and October 2025, if at least one transaction was made with them through a cash desk, ATM, or terminal in Ukrainian banks in September or October 2025.
The second category includes cards that also expired between February 2022 and October 2025, if there are no funds left in the account and there have been no financial transactions in the last six months.
Such actions are related to protecting customer funds and combating fraud, so blocking in such cases is considered a standard banking mechanism that is triggered during a risk check or after the card expires.
Pension Fund specialists emphasize that such restrictions do not mean the termination of pension accruals, since the problem concerns access to a specific card or the need to undergo verification, after which the account becomes available again. This is an important clarification for pensioners, because in the public space, blocking a card is often perceived as a loss of payments, although the PFU message refers to the technical and procedural side of the service.
How to restore access to the account
If the card is blocked or closed, the Pension Fund advises first of all to find out the reason through the Oschadbank contact center by calling 0 800 210 800 or +38 044 363 01 33. After that, it is worth checking the status of the card in the Oschad 24/7 application, which displays current information about the account and possible restrictions.
In cases where the problem is related to financial monitoring, expiration of the card or the need for additional identification, the client must contact the bank branch with a passport and the registration number of the taxpayer’s account card. After confirming the identity and updating the data, access to the account is restored in a short time.
PFU recommends checking the validity of documents in advance, monitoring the card’s expiration date and not postponing updating personal data, since most such situations arise when checking the accumulated changes is postponed for a long time. For pensioners who regularly use a bank card to receive payments, such attentiveness reduces the risk of sudden restriction of access to funds and simplifies further service at the bank.
