stevensfo wrote:Niksen wrote:
Some banks will allow you to 'freeze the card through their app when the card isn't being used, and others will allow you to freeze specific aspects of use, so for example freezing the physical use but allowing online.
Most cards these days send you a message to your phone when you use it. There may be a small annual charge, but it's worth it. You don't need a smartphone either. A standard SMS text message. It pings 10 secs -3 minutes after your card is used.
With most of mine I get a notification on my phone pop up from the banking app, which can be interesting when my wife is using the additional card she has on my account
My suggestion for freezing the card, or aspects of the card, was to address the issue of an unused card you didn't have with you. If I am travelling then I will take my travel cards, Halifax and Nationwide credit cards for purchases, a Santander card for ATMs, and a Revolut card for a fallback ATM card.
However the cards I use at home, Amex, First Direct, HSBC and others, I don't bother taking with me as I won't be using them, so I will freeze them in the app until I return.