KOHO customer service is available through in-app live chat and email only — there is no phone number. This is the most significant service limitation compared to traditional banks. For urgent situations such as a lost or stolen card, the in-app card freeze is your first line of defence.
KOHO Contact Options
| Channel | Contact | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| In-app live chat | KOHO app → Help → Chat | Mon–Fri 9:00 AM–5:00 PM ET (approx.) |
| Email / support ticket | support.koho.ca | 24/7 submission; replies during business hours |
| Phone | Not available | — |
| Social media | @KOHO_Financial | Not for account-specific issues |
Hours are approximate and subject to change — verify current hours in the KOHO app or at support.koho.ca.
KOHO vs Traditional Banks: Customer Service
| Bank | Phone | 24/7 Phone | Live Chat | Branches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RBC, TD, CIBC, Scotiabank, BMO | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Simplii Financial | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Tangerine | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | 1 (Toronto) |
| EQ Bank | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
| KOHO | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Wealthsimple Cash | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
KOHO and Wealthsimple Cash are the only major Canadian financial services providers in this comparison without any phone support at all. For Canadians who need phone access for complex inquiries or urgent situations, this is the primary trade-off of using KOHO as a banking layer.
What You Can Do Without Contacting Support
Most KOHO account management is self-serve:
| Task | Self-Serve |
|---|---|
| Card lock / freeze | ✓ (app → Card Settings) |
| View balance and transactions | ✓ |
| Send Interac e-Transfer | ✓ |
| Change savings plan (round-ups, auto-save) | ✓ |
| Upgrade or downgrade plan | ✓ |
| Enable / disable Credit Building | ✓ |
| View direct deposit details | ✓ (Get Paid) |
| Virtual card for online purchases | ✓ |
| Dispute a transaction | Via support chat |
| Cancel account | Via support chat |
Lost or Stolen KOHO Card: Step-by-Step
- Open the KOHO app → go to Card Settings → select Freeze Card. Transactions are blocked immediately.
- Review recent transactions for any unauthorised activity — note merchant names, amounts, and dates.
- Open in-app chat during support hours and report the card lost/stolen. Request a replacement.
- Report each unauthorised transaction in the chat — KOHO will initiate a dispute with Mastercard.
- A replacement physical card is mailed within approximately 7–10 business days. Your virtual card in the app can be used for online purchases in the meantime.
Complaint Escalation
| Step | Contact | When |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | KOHO in-app chat or email | First contact for any complaint |
| 2 | KOHO formal complaints process at support.koho.ca | If initial contact unresolved |
| 3 | Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC): fcac-acfc.gc.ca | External; KOHO is not a bank — FCAC rather than OBSI |
KOHO is a money services business, not a chartered bank. The external complaint body is the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC), not OBSI (which covers chartered banks). FCAC accepts complaints about federally regulated financial entities including money services businesses, and can investigate unfair practices.