Card Security

About Card Safety:

Credit and debit card safety refers to the practices and precautions taken to protect the security of credit and debit card transactions and prevent unauthorized access to sensitive financial information associated with these cards. This includes measures to safeguard against fraudulent activities such as:

1. unauthorized purchases
2. identity theft
3. card skimming.

In the financial sector, where the protection of sensitive financial information is paramount, credit and debit card security is of utmost importance for you, our customers. With the widespread use of credit and debit cards for everyday transactions, First Citizens recognizes the reliance on these payment methods for convenience and efficiency and thus, the following tips can you help have a safe and convenient experience utilizing our card services.

Helpful Tips on Credit and Debit Card Safety:

• Be wary of Phishing Scams: Beware of phishing emails, calls, or messages requesting your personal, credit or debit card details. The bank will never ask for this information via email or phone.
• Do not send your card number in an email: Emails are broadcasted over the internet in plain text and can be intercepted by anyone.
• Enrol for Alerts: Ensure you enrol for credit or debit card email notifications or mobile alerts.
• Protect your Personal Information: Be cautious about sharing your credit or Debit card information, especially online. Only provide your card details on a secure and trusted websites with HTTPS encryption.
• Regularly check your Statements: Review your credit and debit card statements regularly for any unauthorized transactions or suspicious activity. Report any discrepancies to the bank immediately

Helpful Tips on Credit and Debit Card Shopping Safety:

• Turn on alerts on your online banking account for suspicious activity.
• Shop only at secure websites: Look for the yellow padlock icon at the bottom of the screen and for the “s” in the address bar i.e. “https” indicating that the site is secure.
• Review account history: By logging on to your Online Banking, Mobile or Telebanking and reporting any suspicious transactions immediately to the bank.
• Shop Online in Safety: Do not use public computers to do online shopping.
• Beware of Phishing: Never purchase products or services by responding to an email or clicking on a link. This generally results in your card number being compromised

Helpful Tips on Credit and Debit Card PIN Safety:

• Memorize Your Pin: Do not write down your pin and never keep it in your wallet memorize it.
• Avoid using obvious PIN numbers: Example, date of birth
• Keep your PIN Private: When entering your PIN at ATMs or point-of sale terminals, shield the keypad with your hand or body to prevent others from seeing it.
• Do not share your PIN with anyone: Never share your Credit or Debit Card PIN or one-time password (OTP) with anyone even if it is a person claiming to be a bank representative.
• If you suspect that your card has been compromised: Immediately notify the bank and arrange to have the card blocked and replaced
• The use of First Citizens Credit Cards to conduct face to face or non-face to face transactions at the countries listed below is strictly prohibited. As such, these transactions would be declined. The list may be updated periodically so you should always review prior to travelling.

Listed Countries

*Sanctions are specific to the Western Balkans region which is comprised of the following countries: