It’s easy to use your debit card multiple times a day without a second thought. The truth, however, is that at any of those times you could become a potential victim of debit card fraud. Debit card fraud occurs when your card information is used by another person to make transactions without your knowledge. Although it may seem like debit card fraud is a rare occurrence, it can happen to anyone – and it happens more often than you may think. According to the Federal Trade Commission, about 68,233 debit card fraud reports occurred in 2022. While these facts may seem intimidating, the hardworking team at FFB is here to help. We have compiled a list of simple actions you can do to safeguard your information and prevent fraud before it occurs.

 

  1. Monitor Your Account Frequently

Although it may seem obvious, monitoring your bank account is one of the most important steps you can take to prevent fraud. By checking your account daily, weekly, or however frequently works for you, you can stay informed of your banking activity and spot suspicious transactions more easily. At FFB, you can even set up account alerts that will send an email or SMS message whenever someone logs into your online banking account, whenever a transaction is processed for your account, or whenever a change to your account is made.

 

  1. Avoid Shady Merchants

When shopping online, it’s important to know who you are ordering items from. While a discount on an unknown website might sound too good to pass up, keep in mind that it may also be too good to be true. Always do your research when ordering from an unfamiliar site by checking reviews as well as descriptions of the company and the items they are selling to determine if they are legitimate.

 

  1. Safeguard Your Card

Be sure to store your debit card in a safe place, avoid letting others use it, and never share your pin number. Although this tip may seem more relevant for a physical card, it is true for digital debit cards as well. Digital wallets such as Apple Pay have features that allow you to manage your cards and review transactions, so you can ensure that they are safe as well. With FFB’s online banking service, you can even turn your debit card off whenever you are not using it and turn it back on before making a purchase. Just as you should not share your debit card information with people offline, do not give others access to your digital wallets or the passcode to unlock it. Similarly, be sure to watch for prying eyes when opening a digital wallet or online banking app in public.

 

  1. Be Aware of Your Surroundings

While we talked about being wary of online shopping sites, you should also be on alert when using your debit card at in-person locations. Whether you are using an ATM or swiping your card at the gas station, keep an eye out for signs that a card reader may have been compromised. For instance, if a keypad feels loose or if the reader looks different than others around it, these could be hints that the card reader has been tampered with.

 

  1. Keep Spending Limits Low

When you keep the spending limit on all your debit card agreements low, it can prevent thieves from using a card to make sudden, expensive, and excessive purchases. In addition, don’t hesitate to question unexpected increases to your spending limits as it could be someone trying to use a card for fraudulent purposes.

 

FFB knows the importance of keeping your information safe and preventing fraudsters from taking advantage of your debit cards. However, if you do find yourself falling victim to debit card fraud, it is essential that you report any unusual activity immediately. At FFB, this report can be filed by contacting us at (559) 439-0200, Monday through Friday from 9AM to 5PM. Outside of our usual hours, customers can reach us at our 24/7, after-hours hotline, (844) 202-5333. Once you contact FFB, we will be able to shut off your compromised card and help stop fraud in its tracks.