Information on Safe Migration
We promote the role of women in society,
revealing her personal potential, professionally
assisting in the realization of civil and social rights
revealing her personal potential, professionally
assisting in the realization of civil and social rights
Что нужно знать белорусам, которые едут за границу с карточкой. Рекомендации экспертов
06.05.2018
Using non-cash payments while traveling is convenient, but sometimes the owner of a "plastic card" can face unpleasant surprises — loss of the card, blocking or freezing of funds in the account. Experts told FINANCE.TUT.BY how to protect yourself from such incidents in advance and not be left without funds in a foreign country.
What type of card is better to choose for a trip?
— The choice depends on the country you are going to. For example, in the USA or Japan there are many old terminals where only cards with a magnetic strip are read. But in the UK it's the opposite — cashiers are uncomfortable with cards without chips, it's unusual for them. In general, the most convenient option is a contactless card. In some cities, it will allow you to use public transport without any problems, without the need to understand the scheme for buying tickets and travel passes. This is available in cities in the USA, Russia, Ukraine, the UK and other countries, — says Igor Kovalev, regional manager of Visa in Belarus, Azerbaijan and Moldova.
The expert believes that a chip or contactless card will help protect against fraud.
— You don't let it out of your hands for small purchases. It's much harder to steal money from a modern payment card, as they have several levels of protection at once. It's much more comfortable and safe, because cash from your wallet can be stolen, and the chances of recovering the stolen money are zero.
Denis Sparish, director of the retail business department of Bank Moscow-Minsk, draws attention to the fact that in Western Europe there is a wary attitude towards basic level cards.
— In Germany or the Baltic countries, for example, they don't like non-embossed cards without the number digits embossed. It's better to take Visa Classic, Mastercard Standard or a higher status card with you.
What are the features of non-cash payments that not every tourist is aware of?
Not everyone knows about the existence of six-digit PIN codes. "This primarily concerns China. The country has a huge volume of card issuance, so four digits are not enough for security reasons. There are terminals and ATMs with a six-digit PIN code in Europe too, for example, in Italy and Portugal," notes Denis Sparish. If you find yourself in a situation where you need to enter six digits, try putting two zeros before your code. But this is not an official solution, but rather a life hack.
In China and Japan, not all ATMs accept cards from international payment systems. However, in South Korea, Singapore, and Thailand, cashless payments are almost universal, so you only need to withdraw or exchange small amounts for minor expenses.
— In African countries, mobile payments using QR codes are very popular. In most EU and Scandinavian countries, you can use a contactless card to pay for transportation and purchases at self-service checkouts, but small shops in Sweden may not accept cash, — says Igor Kovalev.
There are certain peculiarities of making payments in almost every country, so it's better to read reviews online about a specific country before traveling to avoid unpleasant surprises.
Is it possible to use your salary card abroad? Or is it still not worth it?
— I definitely recommend having a separate card for trips abroad. You can block it after each trip and «activate» it again on the eve of the next one. You can use your salary card only if you are sure about the place where you are paying with it, — says Denis Sparish.
The expert advises not to issue a second card at your bank or at a bank that has the same processing — in case of technical failures, you will lose both cards.
In what currency is it better to get a card?
In general, payment systems set good exchange rates for cards. In addition, in Belarus, banks adhere to the recommendations of the National Bank that exchange rates for cards should be no worse than at exchange offices. If you have a card in Belarusian rubles, then in a stable situation on the currency exchange market, there is no need to worry about exchange rates. If you plan to save for a trip abroad, then in this case it is better to do so. Open an account in euros for transactions in Europe, and in dollars for transactions in the USA.
If you are going to other countries, contact your bank for advice or look in your card account agreement to see what scheme is used for conversion when paying abroad.
How to protect yourself from card blocking
If you are going on a trip, it is advisable to call your bank and let them know about your departure. It is also worth asking in advance what to do if the card is blocked not on your initiative.
"The algorithms for blocking a card when traveling abroad or when performing actions that are unusual for you are different for all banks. In some banks, you can add a list of countries you plan to visit to the client's internet cabinet. Then, if you buy a pizza at a restaurant in Rome, it will not seem like suspicious activity on the card to the bank," advises Igor Kovalev.
Payment systems share statistics on fraudulent transactions with banks, and if the level of such transactions in a particular country exceeds reasonable limits, the bank will definitely try to protect its customers.
— At the same time, banks try to block not the use of the card in a particular country, but individual transactions. In 90% of cases, it is the withdrawal of cash using the magnetic stripe. Blocking of transactions in the Southeast Asian region is especially common. There, skimmers installed on ATM card readers, which read and transmit card data to criminals, and simply withdrawing cash using stolen details from another country are widespread, says Denis Spparish.
If the situation requires cash, it's better to withdraw it from ATMs inside bank branches. And, of course, to take some cash with you for unforeseen circumstances.
When funds are frozen on the card, and what to do in such situations
"In nine cases out of ten, funds on the card are blocked when booking hotels or cars," explains Denis Sparish. As a rule, money is blocked for up to 45 days or until the service is considered provided — this can be the return of a rented car or checking out of the hotel.
If the amount of blocked money differs from the final receipt, the transaction can be carried out for a new amount. In this case, the block is not always lifted by the point of sale. In this case, the money will be available automatically after a certain period, the maximum period being 45 days from the date of blocking. If the actual payment has already been made, you have a receipt, and you need to unblock the money urgently, you should contact your bank with an application for unblocking.
Why sometimes money is debited later when paying abroad?
Money is blocked until the transaction is confirmed between the seller, the payment system, and the bank.
— If the currency of the purchase and the currency of the card are the same, you won't notice anything. But if the currencies are different, for example, if you are paying with a ruble card abroad, then on the day of the purchase the funds are blocked at the current exchange rate, and they are finally debited a few days later at the current rate. Therefore, the amount may change, — explains Igor Kovalev.
That's why it's recommended to open a currency card in dollars or euros for purchases abroad. Of course, many countries have their own currency — in such cases, you need to pay attention to the seller when making purchases to choose the currency of debit — usually there is a choice between the local currency, dollar, and euro. It is recommended to pay with the currency of the country where the purchase is made — this way you minimize the costs of conversion.
How often can you encounter a situation when international cards are not accepted for payment?
When going to any country, even a close one, it's advisable to visit the embassy's website and read information about local payment systems. Problems may arise in some remote territories, closed states (for example, North Korea or Iran), countries that are in a state of military conflict.
More often, you can encounter a situation when a specific type of card is not accepted, most likely it will be Visa Electron or Maestro. China has its own payment system Union Pay — Belarusian banks do not issue such cards yet.
— Approaching a store or restaurant, pay attention to the sticker with payment system logos on the door and make sure that one of them is also drawn on your card. If you don't see the sticker, don't hesitate to ask the employee of the retail outlet if they accept cards for payment, — advises Denis Sparish.
To minimize the risks of refusal to serve a card of one payment system, you can issue an additional card to the account of another payment system and get another means of payment.
What safety rules should be followed when paying and withdrawing money abroad?
The first tip is not to let your card out of your sight. Use contactless cards that don't need to be handed over to strangers. It's also advisable not to withdraw cash at ATMs located outside bank branches — it's more difficult for fraudsters to install spy devices here.
— Install your bank's mobile app to quickly block your card in case of suspected fraudulent transactions. It will also come in handy for transferring money from card to card if you lose one of them. Be sure to enable SMS notification service; it will help you monitor your transactions in real time, — explains Denis Sparish.
Banks and payment systems describe all security measures in detail on their websites — it is recommended to study them carefully before your trip.
Is it possible to refund incorrectly debited money after returning from a trip?
Yes, it is possible, and to do this you need to contact your bank. As a rule, to refund an incorrectly debited amount, you need to initiate a payment dispute procedure — so before contacting the bank, it is worth preparing copies of receipts that serve as arguments for the validity of the transaction.
— The payment dispute procedure takes a long time (up to 90 calendar days), so be prepared to be patient and be ready for the bank to request additional information, — notes Denis Sparish.
To minimize cases of incorrect debits, enable SMS notifications for your cards. This way you can monitor all transactions at the time they are made. If something goes wrong, try to quickly contact the bank for advice on further actions.
Source: www.news.21.by
You can leave a comment or share your story:
