Today’s technology is amazing, and it provides multiple benefits regarding protecting your finances. In fact, once your local credit union recognizes unusual activity on your credit card, debit card, checking account, or savings account, actions will be taken to prevent credit fraud.
You probably greatly appreciate this protection on a normal day. When you’re out of town for the holidays, however, your banking institution or credit card company may detect abnormal spending patterns, resulting in a block on your card and a disruption in your plans.
If you’re a Georgia Heritage Federal Credit Union member, it’s easy to prevent this from happening. Before you leave, simply tell us when and where you’re traveling, as well as the Georgia Heritage credit cards or debit cards you’ll be taking with you. We’ll note this on your accounts and share it with our fraud detection system.
Notify us of your travel plans in one of the following ways:
- Call us at (912) 236-4400 during normal business hours to set up a travel alert on your account. We are available 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
- If you use mobile banking, utilize the link under “cards” for travel notifications.
- Step into one of our credit union branches in the Savannah Metropolitan Area to speak with one of our associates.
While traveling, keep the following credit card safety tips in mind:
- Carry two cards, one that you will use regularly and another that you keep tucked away in a safe or obscure location in the home or hotel room where you’re staying. In case one card is stolen, you’ll have the other as a backup.
- Leave the rest of your cards at home.
- You will need to take a debit card with you in case you need to withdraw money from an ATM. To protect yourself, you may want to consider setting up a separate checking account that only includes the money you might need during the trip. Carry only the debit card linked to that account with you. You may also want to ask your credit union to lower the daily withdrawal limit for the duration of your trip. When you take these proactive steps, in case your debit card is stolen, the thief will only have access to the limited amount of money you deposited into that account and can only withdraw a minimal amount of cash.
- Write down the phone numbers of your credit card companies and additional details you might need in case you need to report stolen cards.
- Be careful at the ATM by watching your surroundings and covering the keypad with your free hand as you enter your pin number.
Contact Georgia Heritage FCU at (800) 442-8877 for more information about credit card fraud detection, travel alerts, or to open an additional checking account for your trip.
Have a wonderful holiday and safe travels!