Stay Safe With These Summer Travel Tips

Safeguard your finances with these debit card and ATM tips.

1. Clean out your wallet and only take the cards you’ll need on vacation.
2. Notify your bank about travel dates and destinations before you leave. Many banks monitor for fraud by screening activity outside of typical purchases or locations. To prevent declined vacation purchases, it’s always a good idea to give the bank a heads up. First Bank can add a travel notification to your card to ensure there are no problems.
3. Make sure an ATM is safe before you use it. Look for one that’s not in a remote area and well-lit. ATMs located in isolated or dark places are more prone to thieves and fraudsters. Always be aware of your surroundings and look over the ATM for anything suspicious. Devices called skimmers are often added to ATMs to capture card numbers, and sometimes tiny cameras capture PIN numbers. If the card slot has glue marks, seems loose, or anything looks out of place, find another ATM. For fee-free withdrawals while you’re traveling, First Bank is a member of the Money Pass ATM network. Note that ATM owner fees may apply.
4. Monitor your account a little closer while you’re away. Popular vacation spots are attractions for scammers, too. Continually monitor your account during and after your travels. If you see suspicious activity, notify the bank immediately. You’ll have a better chance of getting it cleared up the sooner you report it. Be sure to ask your bank what tools it has to protect debit cards. First Bank debit cardholders benefit from Card Management, powered by MyCardRules™, within their mobile app and online banking. With it, clients can set debit card activity notifications, lock and unlock their card, prevent certain types of transactions, limit spending on specific transactions, and more.
5. Act quickly if your debit card is lost or stolen. Banks usually have an after-hours line to call. You can report your lost or stolen First Bank Debit Card 24-hours a day by calling 1-888-297-3416, option 2.