As digital transactions become increasingly prevalent, debit and credit card fraud has become a major concern for many individuals. Taking precautions to protect yourself from fraud is essential. Below are some helpful tips to keep your debit and credit cards safe:
- Choose Tap to Pay: Tap to pay is the most secure payment method for debit and credit cards. Your card’s chip and magnetic strip never make contact with the payment device, keeping your personal data secure. Instead of providing your card data, tap to pay generates a unique, encrypted, single-use code to transmit payment authorization to the payment processor. The code can never be reused, and doesn’t contain any of your personal data, so it is useless to fraudsters. SACFCU offers tap-to-pay-enabled debit cards.
- Choose Chip-Enabled Cards: EMV chip technology (so named because the technology was created by Europay, Mastercard, and Visa) also provides enhanced security. When you dip a chip card into a chip reader, a unique, encrypted, single-use code is generated for each transaction, making these cards more difficult to clone. All SACFCU debit and credit cards are EMV chip-enabled.
- Inspect Card Readers: Before inserting your card into an ATM or card reader, examine the slot for any unusual devices or signs of tampering, such as loose or misaligned parts, scratches, or adhesive residue.
- Use Secure ATMs: Use ATMs located in well-lit, high-traffic areas whenever possible. Avoid using ATMs that are in secluded or poorly maintained locations, as these are more likely to be targeted by criminals.
- Protect PIN Entry: When entering your PIN at an ATM or point-of-sale terminal, shield the keypad with your hand or body to prevent anyone from seeing your PIN.
- Regularly Monitor Your Accounts: Check your card statements for unauthorized transactions and report any suspicious activity to us immediately at 352-588-2732.
- Enable Transaction Alerts: We offer the option to receive notifications for every transaction made with your card. Enable these alerts to quickly identify any unauthorized transactions.
- Be Cautious with Unfamiliar ATMs: If you must use an ATM that you are unfamiliar with, such as when traveling, be extra vigilant. Stick to ATMs located inside financial institutions or other secure locations and avoid standalone or independently operated ATMs.
- Report Suspected Skimming: If you suspect an ATM or card reader has been tampered with, notify the owner or operator immediately. You should also report the incident to us at 352-588-2732 and to local law enforcement.
If you experience fraudulent or suspicious activity on your card, you can deactivate your card through online banking and our mobile app. After deactivation, please call us at 352-588-2732 for further assistance.