See also: EMV Chipped Cards Mobile & Contactless Payments
Your Debit card is designed to work both in Shazam network compatible ATM machines, and also with vendors who accept MasterCard® credit cards. When you use your debit card, either at an ATM or as a Credit Card, the money is instantly withdrawn from your account. Therefore, it's critical to guard the safety of your card to protect your checking account funds.
Debit cards can be used everyday - similar to but more convenient than a check - such as for groceries, fuel, paying bills, and entertainment. They also allow you to withdrawal cash from ATM machines. Due to the direct link debit cards have to your funds, credit cards are more appropriate for trips, vacation, and large purchases. Both credit and debit cards are protected by federal law to cap losses due to fraud. As an added precaution, always carry an appropriate alternate form of payment (cash, check, or credit card) along with your debit card.
You should take many of the same precautions with a debit card as you do with any credit or store card, including:
ONE OF THE SAFER WAYS TO COMPLETE AN ONLINE TRANSACTION IS THROUGH A THIRD PARTY PAYMENT PROCESSOR, such as PayPal, Google Wallet, or Amazon Payments. These products use a dynamic process to complete a transaction, similar to the operation of an EMV card, leaving little to no usable data with the vendor in the event they were breached. To increase security further and prevent unauthorized transactions from someone who may have your username and password, consider enabling two-factor authentication. After supplying your username and password, you'll need one more form of identification before the transaction will process. This may be as simple as responding to an app that pops up on your tablet or smartphone, or entering a code sent via text message.
If you choose to use a payment card online, CONSIDER ACTIVATING ADDITIONAL FREE PROTECTION BEFORE USE, like Verified by Visa (VbyV) or Mastercard SecureCode (MCSC). During enrollment you'll create a password; online shopping sites that support VbyV or MCSC will require that password at checkout which would thwart a criminal.
IF USING A TRADITIONAL CARD ONLINE, CREDIT CARDS ARE PREFERABLE OVER DEBIT. Although both offer fraud protection, Credit Cards don't have direct access to your funds.
Before providing card numbers, account numbers, or online banking credentials to a 3rd party payment processor, accounting software, or finance software like Mint.com, consider the risks if that company were to be breached and if that outweighs the risk of not using such a product.
We do our best to monitor your accounts for suspicious activity and will call you if we detect questionable transactions. However, you can help us by checking your current online banking statements several times per month for irregularities. The sooner you notify us of irregular activity, the less you'll likely lose due to the fraud.
Please visit the Lost or Stolen Card page by using the permanent link at the top of our website.