Scams abound in every part of the world. As the travel industry grows in popularity,
scammers and other criminals are also growing in numbers, devising ways to
trick unsuspecting tourists from transportation overcharge and forced purchases
to ATM skimming and credit card fraud.
PSBank advises travelers to exercise caution when setting
foot in foreign lands. Here are some safety measures you can take for a
scam-free and enjoyable vacation:
Inform your bank or Credit Card Company if you're
travelling outside of the country. Although most banks have systems in place
where they will send you an SMS alert to confirm a purchase before they are
processed, and/or a text message and email notification to inform you of your
transactions, you will be helping your bank monitor and secure your accounts
from any suspicious usage by informing them of your travel plans. This way your
bank won’t assume that your debit, prepaid or credit card is being used
fraudulently and block it.
Be wary of public wifi.
Hackers can easily set up "free" public WiFi
networks and bait people to use them so they can sniff your login passwords or
use your accounts while you're still logged in to the websites without the need
for your password. Always ask the hotel, coffee shop or airport personnel their
valid WiFi hotspots for guests. If you have to connect to a free WiFi network,
never use it to log in to your email, social media or bank accounts.
Never provide debit or credit card details via phone, text
or email.
Emails and texts were not created with data privacy in
mind. Unencrypted email is an unsecure way to send sensitive information.
Emails, SMS, or phone calls can be hacked, spoofed, and eavesdropped. When
travelling, it is best to avoid providing personal and financial information
through these channels.
Look for the lock.
Aside from a web address that begins with “https:” where
“s” stands for ‘secure’, a lock icon on your browser is another indication that
the site you are on is safe to use. When booking plane tickets and hotels, or
when making online purchases, make sure you can see the padlock symbol in the
address bar, before you provide your personal or financial details.
Keep your card visible when making payments.
When paying for your purchases and services using your
debit or credit card, make sure that they process your payment in your
presence. This way, your card is visible and always with you. Thus, preventing multiple unauthorized card
swipes and skimming.
Monitor your accounts regularly.
Monitor your accounts even when you are abroad to ensure
that there are no unauthorized transactions. For added security to PSBank Debit
and Prepaid Mastercard cardholders, turn on the ATM Lock feature in your PSBank
Online or PSBank Mobile App to keep your account safe from ATM skimming and
other card-based electronic fraud.
Be vigilant.
If you think that your bank account has been compromised or
noticed any suspicious movements, report it immediately by calling your bank’s
customer service hotline.
“Learning how to secure your accounts and avoid obvious
threats goes a long way in protecting your personal information and money most
especially when you travel,” says PSBank First Vice President for Information
Security Dan Jose Duplito.
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