Sure, having a debit card is super handy—but using it in some places is a bad idea. Here are 12 of them! Whether it’s the risk of fraud or just a hold that ties up your funds, you’ll want to think twice about using them in these locations. You should reach for some cash or a credit card instead.
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Gas Stations
We’ve all felt uneasy at a gas station pump at one time or another—there’s a good reason for that. Gas stations are candy stores for skimmers, which are those nasty little devices that can steal your debit card info in seconds. They’re hidden on the card reader and you might not even notice anything fishy. Instead, pay inside or use a credit card for better fraud protection.
Restaurants
Whenever you hand over your debit card at a restaurant, it disappears for a while. Who knows what’s happening back there with your card? It could be an open invitation for someone to write down your details! You should use a credit card because it means any fraudulent charges aren’t coming straight out of your bank account. It’ll give you some extra time to catch & report them.
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Online Shopping
Online shopping is great—until your debit card details get stolen by a hacker on a less-than-secure site! When you shop online with a debit card, you’re giving direct access to your bank account and if your info gets stolen, that’s your real money on the line. A credit card is much more secure since it has security features like fraud monitoring.
Outdoor ATMs
Hackers love outdoor ATMs because they can rig them with card skimmers to capture your card info. Worst of all, you won’t even know until you see the bill. As such, you should always try to use ATMs inside a bank because it’s way less likely for those to be tampered with. The extra effort to walk inside is definitely worth it!
Hotels
Hotels often put holds on your funds for incidental damages and that can lock up your money for your entire stay—or longer. That’s why it’s a lot better to use a credit card. With this kind of hold, only part of your credit limit will be tied up and not your actual money. You’ll be free to keep living it up on vacation!
Car Rentals
If you’re renting a car soon, you should skip the debit card. Why? Because car rental places also love to slap holds on big amounts & this can be a real pain. Plus, many credit cards offer car rental insurance as a benefit, giving you one less thing to worry about when you’re hitting the road.
Bars and Clubs
Bars and clubs are hectic & packed. With all that chaos, it’s easy for someone to nab your debit card info, which is why it’s much safer to use cash or a credit card. After all, they can give you some added fraud protection if something suspicious does happen. Then, you can get your money back a lot more easily.
Street Vendors
Many street vendors don’t have the most secure setup for card transactions and this makes it pretty easy for a dishonest vendor to skim your card info. In these situations, you should stick to cash or a credit card that you keep a close eye on. Using cash also means the seller won’t have to pay any transaction fees.
Subscription Services
A subscription service that keeps charging you long after you hit “cancel” is rather annoying. And if you used a debit card, that money comes straight out of your account! However, a credit card allows you to dispute charges before they ever reach your bank. You’ll have better control over who gets your cash.
Electronics Stores
Whenever you’re buying something expensive, a credit card is your best option. Many credit cards have purchase protection & extended warranties to keep you safe. They’ll also make sure any large expenses stay away from your debit card, which can be rather useful if there’s an issue with the transaction.
Flea Markets
Flea markets can be full of surprises including the payment systems, which often aren’t the most secure. If that wasn’t bad enough, the mix of high foot traffic & casual security is a recipe for disaster. It’s much safer to use cash or make sure any card transactions are on a credit card—at least, then you have a safety net for fraud.
Public Wi-Fi Areas
Don’t use your debit card when you’re connected to public Wi-Fi—you’re playing with fire. Hackers can easily intercept data on these networks & your card info could be compromised. Instead, switch to a secured network if you need to use your card—or better yet, use a credit card with strong fraud protection for peace of mind.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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