Heading overseas for a holiday? Scammers don’t take a break and often target tourists through a variety of methods. We’ve outlined a few ways below to safeguard yourself and steps you can take to help keep your payments secure.
Using mobile payments
Payments made using Google Pay™ or Apple Pay are typically more secure than paying with a physical card as your details are not shared with the merchant when you make a transaction.
Even if the payment terminal is hacked, mobile payments replace your details with a token, keeping your card information secure.
There may still be places that you need to use your card or cash, but upload your eligible cards to your Digital Wallet before you head off and make mobile payments your default option where possible.
Spotting an ATM skimmer
Take the same precautions overseas as you would using an ATM at home. Always wiggle the slot to check for loose attachments before inserting your card and cover the pad when you enter your PIN in case a camera is capturing your details.
If the ATM looks particularly bulky that could also be a sign that it’s been tampered with.
Using ATMs inside bank premises is usually a safer option, and sometimes ‘out of order’ signs or people offering ‘help’ can also lead you to a machine that’s been set up to skim your details.
Carry a mix of cash, card and digital options
It’s always a sensible idea to carry a mix of cash, card and digital payment options with you when travelling overseas.
You can use your Visa Debit card for purchases and ATM withdrawals anywhere Visa is accepted worldwide. Plus you can shop with confidence knowing you’re protected against unauthorised transactions through Visa’s Zero Liability Policy³⁵. Their Global Customer Assistance Service is also available 24/7 if you need to report a card as lost or stolen.
Avoid carrying large amounts of cash on you at any one time and keep a lower balance in your transaction account in case your card is compromised. Stash your cash separately from your other payment methods if possible so you always have a backup.
Keep your phone safe
There has been a dramatic increase in criminals using bikes and mopeds to snatch mobile phones from people texting or talking, particularly in busy locations like street corners, shopping centres or stations.
Not only do you lose your device, but criminals can access your personal information and sensitive data like bank accounts if they manage to snatch it while the device is still unlocked. So remember to keep it locked when not in use.
There are certain settings you can change to help prevent access to your device or track its location even if it’s switched off - so get help from your provider to enable the highest security settings.
Also consider ways of attaching it to yourself, your clothing or your bag with a strap or carabiner clip to make it more difficult to steal and always pay attention to your surroundings.
Try to minimise the amount of time you spend in public places on your phone and contact your bank as soon as possible in the instance your device is stolen.
Notify your bank
Let your bank know if you’re planning to travel overseas to avoid your accounts being blocked for unusual activity.
It’s also worth saving the international number for your bank in case you need to get in touch while you’re away.
Double check that you can also log in to your app and internet banking before you go so that you can access your accounts overseas.
And lastly, remember that if you’re using an international SIM, you won’t be able to access one-time passwords sent by your bank to your Australian number, so you may need to set up an alternate transaction password before you head off.