The charges are simply deducted directly from your checking or savings accounts. You won't know it until you get your next bank statement. A survey conducted for the National Consumers League found that three out of four consumers didn't understand the difference between debit and credit cards. Most of those surveyed believed they had the same rights when using check cards and credits cards to dispute transactions when products were misrepresented, defective or not delivered, or services canceled. They also believed they had the same protections if their debit cards are stolen and fraudulently used.
Many banks eventually refund the entire amount stolen.
This is where the main differences are visible between a credit card and a debit card. The main problem with a debit card is that if it is stolen and someone drains your related checking account, all of the money in that account is gone for the time it will take your claim to be investigated and your account reimbursed. Once you discover the theft, you must report it to the police, close your checking account, open a new one and get new bank cards. If you have direct deposit for any income, that has to be changed also. You may have to wade through months of uncertainty while the bank decides whether or not to believe that you have been victimized.