Five Ways to Keep Your Debit Card Safe

Keeping your debit card safe is very important. Not only does losing your debit card put your account at risk, it’s a hassle to get a new card and then transfer any automatic charges.

Use these five tips to help keep your debit card safe.

1. Monitor your statements. Using digital banking to review your transactions, or at least checking your statement monthly, is extremely important. Your financial institution will monitor your account for fraudulent activity, but it can be hard to tell which charges are fraudulent and which ones are not. The best way to catch a fraudulent charge is to review your statement consistently.
2. Don’t loan out your debit card to anyone. Just don’t lend your debit card to anyone … not even if you really trust them! Don’t let anyone except a joint account holder have access to your debit card. It’s not worth the risk!
3. Switch to credit. If you’re going on a big trip, or you’re going to make big purchases outside your norm, consider using your credit card instead of your debit card. If your credit card gets compromised or stolen, at least you won’t have to worry about disruptions to automatic and scheduled payments as you might with a debit card.
4. Be observant of your surroundings. If you see anything suspicious when you’re using your debit card, stop what you’re doing and report it. This could include someone watching you, cameras on you, or an ATM that seems abnormal.
5. Sign up for text or email alerts. You can also work to prevent fraud by signing up for text and email alerts. When you sign up for text and email alerts, you’ll know when your card is being used and where. If any fraudulent activity is taking place, you can have your card shut off immediately.

If you notice any suspicious activity on your card, call our Contact Center at 800-232-3642 and someone will help you. For more tips on how to keep your debit card safe, make an appointment to speak with one of our Centra Representatives.